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Mikaela Stanaway

S00170772

Mr. David Smith


Principal of Winter Bay Primary School
Surrey Hills, 3127

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am the mother of Alicia Stanaway, and I am writing to you today to


highlight the injustice of refusing my daughter enrolment to your
school. My 8 year old daughter Alicia is an exceptional student, and
an even better little girl. Alicia is wonderful with other children, and
can make friends very easily. She is great on computers, loves
maths and sport, and will always give her all no matter what. My
husband and I are well aware that her Central Auditory processing
disorder will affect her education, and we are completely prepared
to put in the hard yards and support her with her learning. After
having several appointments at the Listen and Learn centre, which
specialises in educational and auditory processing services for
children, they have provided us with many techniques which will
enhance Alicias learning, so that she is completely capable of
gaining an education like every other child of her age. Not only is it
illegal based on the United Nations rights of a child and also the
Disability Discrimination act, to dismiss my daughter from entry to
you school, but it is also morally wrong to discriminate based on her
disability according to the principles of inclusion, and values of
education. There are several principles of the safe schools
framework that embrace inclusion and being supportive in schools,
neither of which you are doing by denying my daughter the basic
right of education.

Alicia has the right to learn at your school, Foreman (2011)


points out that every child is permitted to an education regardless of
any intellectual disability they may have, which I am presuming
should be a pledge that you hold deeply at your school. I am aware
that her learning is more impaired than the other students, and that

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she will need a bit more of a push to recall a concept, but this is no
fault of her own, so she should not be unfairly punished for it. As
Quicke (2007) states adaptations to everyday classes can and
should be made to cater for every child in the room. Students are
already so diverse; in every classroom there are a variety of learning
styles, attitudes and academic levels. Brown (2010) states that it is
important to create an approach to learning that aims to meet the
diverse needs of all learners without labelling/categorising is
consistent with inclusive principles (p. 16), this will not only be
beneficial for Alicia, but for every other student in the classroom
that have a variety of abilities. Making students feel welcome and
included as soon as they walk in the classroom, is an essential
element of inclusion. This is not only an important right in a school
setting, but it is a right that is vital throughout all stages of life. We
teach children to never exclude anyone, but what can be done when
its the children getting excluded by the adults? (Jones, 2004).

Having a supportive and connected school culture is just one


of the fundamental elements in creating a safe school. This element
is underpinned by having respect and support for student diversity
in the schools inclusive actions and structures. This is obviously not
something that is being valued at your school, even though it is
such a crucial value in making children feel certain safety
(Department of Education, 2005). Having a strong emphasis on
student wellbeing is a crucial element of every school in Australia.
Roffey (2012) holds a strong emphasis on student wellbeing,
affirming that it is all about students feeling positive, being
engaged, having strong encouraging relationships, and developing
meaning in their lives. These are the objectives that let students
flourish in life. Another aspect to ensure that all students strive is
the removal of bullying in schools. By teaching students to treat
others the way they want to be treated, they learn to treat others
with dignity and respect, which is something that not only Alicia,

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but every child deserves. (Beane, 2009, p. 75). Doing otherwise is


certainly labelled as bullying, and at the moment I do believe that
this school is bullying Alicia, by not treating her with any respect or
dignity.

Australia holds deeply the fact that everyone should have a


fair go, regardless of gender, cultural background, academic level,
socioeconomic status (SES), and in Alicias case disability. Every
child should have the chance to go to school and gain an education,
since it is a right, not a privilege. As Leicester (2008) points out that
equality refers to equal opportunity, in which everyone should be
treated equally well, and unfair discrimination should be eliminated.
So why is this discrimination still being played out at your school?
We encourage children to do their best in all aspects of their lives,
especially throughout their educational years. Each person is
encouraged to achieve his or her potential in all respects and to
pursuit personal excellence (Department of Education, 2003). Alicia
isnt even getting an opportunity to flourish in her education, due to
the fact that she is being judged on her disability and her
willingness to do her best is being ignored. Vargas (2013) states that
Instead of looking for defects within students, you need to look for
variables you can alter to improve behaviour (p. 31). If Alicia were
accepted into this school, there are several techniques that can be
used to assist her in accomplishing significant academic goals;
these include online activities and sound cancelling headphones.

According to the United Nations Rights of a Child, everyone


has the right to education. You are ignoring a child of this basic
right, by discriminating her, which is both ethically wrong and
illegal. It also states Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of
education that shall be given to their children. I have chosen for my
child to be educated at your school, but I am now starting to

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reconsider the application for enrolment, because if this prejudice in


which my daughter is receiving (Detrick, 1999, p. 494).

Education as stated by the United Nations, is particularly vital to the


happiness and welfare of children, and it is also the perfect place to
teach students to not discriminate (Todres, Wojcik & Revaz, 2006).
How coincidental it is that in order to teach my daughter the values
of a harmonious, non-discriminative world (that quite obviously you
have no concern being apart of) she has to go to school. Funny how
the world goes around isnt it.

The Disability Standards for Education (2005) Seek to ensure


that students with disability can access and participate in education
on the same basis as other students. This is along with
The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), which
makes it against the law to treat people unfairly because of a
disability. With these two legislative requirements for schools, it
does not seem as though you have any ground for declining my
daughters enrolment into your school. You are treating her very
unfairly because of her disorder, which as well as being morally
wrong, is in fact against the law.

I firmly believe that Alicia has every right to an equal


education, just like every other child. She may not be the same as
other students in terms of her academic ability, but as suggested by
Loreman, Deppeler and Harvey (2004) no two classrooms are the
same anyhow. Adaptions are continually made for students with all
types of abilities, and out of school situations, in the classroom;
whether they are highly gifted, a kinaesthetic learner, have a low
SES background, or are slightly impaired like my daughter. Nobody
deserves this disheartening discrimination, especially not an 8 year
old girl. All children have the right to be educated, so that they can
learn and flourish in their lives. So I see no reason as to why my
daughter shouldnt get this same opportunity as well.

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Sincerely,

Mikaela Stanaway

1316 words

REFERENCES

Australian Government. (2005). Disability standards for education.


Retrieved
from: https://docs.education.gov.au/node/35943

Australian Government. (1992). Disability discrimination act.


Retrieved from:
https://docs.education.gov.au/node/35941

Beane, A. (2009). Bullying Prevention for Schools. San Francisco CA:


Jossey-Bass.
(p. 75).

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Department of Education, Science and Training. (2003). National


safe schools
framework. Prepared by the Student Learning and Support
Services
Taskforce Canberra.

Department of Education, Science and Training. (2005). National


framework for
values in Australian schools. Prepared by the Student Learning
and
Support Services Taskforce Canberra. (Held as part of a kit)

Detrick, S. (1999). A commentary on the United Nations convention


on the rights of
the child. The Hague: Brill Academic Publishers. (p. 494).

Foreman, P., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2014). Inclusion in Action (4Th ed.).


South
Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning. (p. 10).

Jones, C.A. (2004). Supporting inclusion in the early years.


Maidenhead: Open
University Press. (p. 112).

Leicester, M. (2008). Creating an inclusive school. New York, NY:


Continuum
International Publishing Group. (p. 12).

Loreman, T., Deppeler, J., & Harvey, D. (2004). Inclusive education:


A practical
guide to supporting diversity in the classroom. Australia: Allen
& Unwin
Pty., Limited (Australia). (p. 18)

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Quicke, J. (2007). Inclusion and Psychological Intervention in


Schools. Inclusive
education: Cross Cultural Perspectives, 6. (p. 169).

Roffey, S. (2012). Circle time for emotional literacy. London: Paul


Chapman
Publishing. (p. 2).

Todres, J., Wojcik, M., & Revaz, C. (2006). The United Nations
Convention on the
rights of the child. Ardsley, N.Y: Transnational Publishers. (p.
105).

Vargas, J. S. (2013). Behaviour analysis for effective teaching. (2nd


ed.). New York,
N.Y: Taylor & Francis. (p. 31).

Watkins, A. (2010). Key principles for promoting quality in inclusive


education:
Recommendations for policy makers. Odenese: European
Agency for
Development in Special Needs Education. (p. 16).

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APPENDIX 1
Assessment Task 1 Letter to the school 30%
Compose a letter from your avatars parents/carers responding to a school that is refusing enrolment. You will need to include
information about the philosophy and principles of inclusion, the intent behind the National Safe Schools Framework, the relevant
values in the Framework for values in education issues of social justice and childrens rights and the legislative requirements on the
school.
CRITERIA HIGH DISTINCTION DISTINCTION CREDIT PASS FAIL
LO1. Understand and apply principles of teaching for social justice and relevant inclusion policy to schools, classroom
practice and community
Social justice, The letter provides a The letter provides a The letter provides a The letter provides The letter provides
inclusion policy and comprehensive very detailed clear argument for an adequate minimal argument
the rights of the argument for argument for inclusion based on argument for for inclusion based
child inclusion based on inclusion based on issues of social inclusion based on on issues of social
issues of social issues of social justice, inclusion issues of social justice, inclusion
justice, inclusion justice, inclusion policy and the rights justice, inclusion policy and the rights
policy and the rights policy and the rights of the child. policy and the rights of the child.
of the child. of the child. of the child.
Philosophy and The letter provides a The letter provides a The letter provides a The letter provides The letter provides
principles of comprehensive very detailed clear argument for an adequate minimal argument
inclusion argument for argument for inclusion based on argument for for inclusion based
inclusion based on inclusion based on the philosophy and inclusion based on on the philosophy
the philosophy and the philosophy and principles of the philosophy and and principles of
principles of principles of inclusion principles of inclusion
inclusion inclusion inclusion
LO6. Apply the relevant legislation, systems policies and utilize external agencies within a context of prevention for
Mikaela Stanaway
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child protection and duty of care


LO7. Critically examine the current policies and principles on inclusion, disability and education of gifted students
National safe The letter The letter The letter The letter The letter
schools framework demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates an demonstrates a
comprehensive detailed clear understanding adequate limited
understanding of the understanding of the of the National Safe understanding of the understanding of the
National Safe National Safe Schools Framework National Safe National Safe
Schools Framework Schools Framework Schools Framework Schools Framework
How legislation The letter provides a The letter provides a The letter provides a The letter provides The letter provides a
impacts on inclusion. comprehensive detailed description clear description of an adequate limited description of
description of how of how legislation how legislation description of how how legislation
legislation impacts impacts on inclusion impacts on inclusion legislation impacts impacts on inclusion
on inclusion on inclusion
Framework for The letter The letter The letter The letter The letter
Values in Australian demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates an demonstrates a
Schools comprehensive detailed clear understanding adequate limited
understanding of the understanding of the of the Framework for understanding of the understanding of the
Framework for Framework for Values in Australian Framework for Framework for
Values in Australian Values in Australian Schools Values in Australian Values in Australian
Schools Schools Schools Schools
References The assessment task The assessment task The assessment task The assessment task The assessment task
cites 15 or more cites 9-14 references cites 6-8 references cites at least 1 cites fewer than 1
references with at with at least 1 from with at least 1 from different reference different reference
least 1 from each each topic. each topic. from each topic (5 from each topic.
topic. references).
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OTHER REQUIREMENTS YES NO COMMENTS


Appropriate use of APA referencing style
throughout text and reference list.
http://www.acu.edu.au/student_resources/
office_of_student_success/service_areas/a
cademic_skills/referencing/apa/
Demonstrates accurate use of grammar,
punctuation and spelling.
Well structured, coherent and logical
writing.

General Comments

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