https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x en-us 2017-08-30 10:46:00 UTC 2019-09-14 07:17:34 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/187461512 I was totally amazed at Scarlet's determination to stand up for her own right to education at such a young age! Her eloquence definitely blew me away (she was 5??) but more significantly was her passion in making sure her basic rights was not denied. Clearly, the school has not made any efforts to engage with the student and family better, to understand what her learning needs might be, before refusing her enrolment.

Ways the school could have collaborated better to support Scarlet's learning:

1) Communication
The school should have an allied educator support person to meet with both Scarlet and her parents to better understand Scarlet's interests, concerns and challenges they might have in regards to learning

2) Parent Volunteer programmes
The school should prioritise home-school relationship stronger in terms of involving interested parents in the community to help as teacher aides in school and classrooms. For the beginning stage as Scarlet was only 5, her own mother might know better and help Scarlet transit better into the school environment

3) Community involvement
Again, supporting inclusion in schools cannot happen without the active involvement and support of the community around the school. Infrastructure needs to be changed, teachers may need to undergo new training and more funds would be required. Fund raising events, PD workshops and leveraging on the expertise of architects and engineers to make infrastructural changes would all be very critical in ensuring all students in the community could enjoy equitable access to education and learning.

EK]]> 2017-09-14 08:21:45 UTC https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/187461512 https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/275355898 The school could have done so many things to have worked with Scarlett and her family to include her in the school. She is obviously a very determined young lady and I think she would have been so willing to have worked with the school to have been able to attend there. 
The school could have asked for support and advice from the Spina Bifida association as to what assistance Scarlett would have needed. They also may have loaned out equipment that Scarlett needed.
They could have communicated with Scarlett and her family who would clearly have worked with the school to ensure that Scarlett had everything she needed.
The school could have organised fund raising events to pay for ramps etc and/or they could have canvased the government for financial support.


]]> 2018-08-26 07:06:33 UTC https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/275355898 clau_miss_kings https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/282704376 What surprised me the most of this case was that the school did not even know much about Scarlet before refusing to take her. It was just that they had created this image of her based on the label "spina bifida". The school never engaged with her or her family so as to know exactly what her needs were. Instead, they just considered taking her an "unjustifiable hardship" which sounds awful. It sends the message that some children are not worth the trouble.
What the school should have done was first to meet Scarlet and her parents. They could have learned from them exactly what kind of assistance she would need before just assuming.
As far as I know from a quick search on google, Hills Grammar School is private, so I cannot imagine why they could not invest in making some changes to the school if it had been necessary. ]]> 2018-09-18 05:14:24 UTC https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/282704376 cpry0001 https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/383066493 The school could have met with the family and with Scarlet to meet her as a person not view her as a disability that they obviously knew very little about- and even if the school had an idea of what spinabifida is each case is different so the school should have taken the time to look at her individual case- what will need to change in the environment in order for her to participate in the school. 

once this had been discussed and actions prioritised then there are many things that could have happened next- associated infrastructure changes, cost of renovations etc the family/community/associations could have pooled together skills and resources so that Scarlett could go to school like any other child. ]]> 2019-09-12 04:03:30 UTC https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/383066493 raus0003 https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/384064478 Seeing this video about Scarlet really brought home the notion of how 'labels' can affect the rights of an individual. The school principal had not even met Scarlet before refusing her entry to his school. There was obviously a fear component of 'We can't have a student with Spina Bifida at our school!' The schools response was uncooperative and non - collaborative  to say the least. Although we are looking at this situation through decades of some improvements, it still is a firm reminder that we in education cannot be complaisant in how we approach each student that presents with difficulties in our class. 
The school could have actually spoken to the parents and Scarlet to find out about her condition and how it did/did not affect her ability to start school.
Simple changes to building structure such as ramps could have been installed. They could also have sort advise from the Spina Bifida Association and Scarlet's doctor about the best way to prepare for and assist her start to school.
Teacher training and student SEL programs with a focus on difference/disability and the rights of all to an education could have been implemented.
Seeing this video again has reminded me that some progress since Scarlet started school has been made. Sadly we are not there yet in regards to the full integration of universal design for learning practices being embraced by all schools across Australia.  
RA ]]> 2019-09-14 06:59:38 UTC https://padlet.com/christine_grove1/o49tjl19y01x/wish/384064478