What to look for when choosing a school for a child with special needs, in NZ

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One of the most challenging, and most important, decisions we make as parents of young children with special needs, is where to send them to school. I have two children with various special needs. One of my children has been … Continue reading →

We Stand Together, or We Fall Apart

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There is a growing awareness in New Zealand that our education system is not delivering on basic obligations to a significant and vulnerable group of children. This failure of the system affects all of the country’s children: When a child … Continue reading →

Seclude, Exclude, and Excuse.

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What does it take, to justify putting a child in a small, empty, locked, dark “time-out” room in a school, when they’d otherwise be playing with their peers, or learning in the classroom? The answer you’ll get most often, from … Continue reading →

“Education for All” Rally

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You may have noticed your Facebook friends’ profile pictures changing to the “education for all” picture. It should be simply a statement of something we can take for granted in this country – we’re told we have a world-class education … Continue reading →

Funding Teacher Aides

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Who is responsible for funding teacher aides? The Ministry of Education here in New Zealand, claims they provide adequate funding and support for children with special needs, and so parents shouldn’t be paying for teacher aide hours. The schools say they … Continue reading →

New School; Same Ministry.

It was no easy task finding my children a new school. I researched our options carefully, and chose my local top preference. The visit to that potential new school went worse than I could have imagined – the principal told … Continue reading →

From Fight to Flight; How I lost a school discrimination battle, and almost lost myself

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I’m going to share with you the story of how I lost a battle I never thought someone like me could lose, and how it almost ruined me in the process. It’s hard to share because I’m still living the … Continue reading →

Naming and Shaming Schools that Mistreat the Disabled

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There is a story and radio interview out today about a local school – that goes unnamed – where disabled students are treated awfully and actively discouraged from enrolling. The school is a public school, and for some people in the … Continue reading →

Private Versus Public Schools, for Special Needs: The example of the Mt Hobson Middle School controversy

It was with a sad sense of deja vu that I read a story today on Stuff.co.nz, about the treatment of an autistic child at a high decile private school here in New Zealand. The story is one of miscommunication, … Continue reading →

Disability Representation on School Boards – Update, Progress, and Frustrations.

On the 25th of February 2014 I sent an email to the President of the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA). This is the organisation here in New Zealand that advises and trains trustees, who in turn govern each of … Continue reading →