I participated in the recent protest in Dublin about cutbacks to Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in schools, bringing with me half a dozen eggs with the intention of lobbing them at the front door of the Central Bank on Dame Street. In the event it didn’t seem right to do that in front of the many children who had come along, so I left them instead in the lodge at Leinster House with a request to a gateman that they be given to Enda Kenny with the message that he should consider himself thoroughly, if symbolically, egged.
Timothy Geithner
The other day on twitter the finance and economics expert Paul Sommerville tweeted a post by the Ballyhea Bondwatch site which gave details of a further ‘tranche’ of billions of Irish citizens’ money being handed over to the dead bank, Anglo Irish. Meanwhile we continue to read stern editorials and commentary admonishing us, untruthfully, that in order to save small fractions of the amounts being paid even to unsecured bond-holders (thank you Timothy Geithner) on a weekly basis, we must obediently suffer any amount of impoverishing and dehumanising ‘austerity’ the government might impose for years to come. To make the books add up. We are also being told that these two things are unrelated.
Bullshit.
My 15-year-old son has autism, exacerbated by verbal dyspraxia, severe receptive language difficulty and an IQ of 69 – just inside the level that means he is officially intellectually disabled. He cannot functionally read or write above the level of a four-year old, tie his shoelaces or play team games – he finds it difficult to follow complex instructions like game rules. Besides, he also has motor problems – major and minor – and does not understand many of the norms of social interaction.
On entering secondary school he was allocated a full-time SNA and five hours of one-to-one sessions with a resource teacher working on literacy and numeracy skills. The rest of the time he would have his SNA with him to help him follow whatever was happening in mainstream classes as best he could. He had to abandon language and other subjects because of the impossibility of being able to participate meaningfully. In all except for three subjects in which he did well at a modified level, he rubbed along for two years clearly unable to keep up with his peers, making limited but worthwhile educational progress with the vital support of an attentive and conscientious SNA.
This September, faced with cuts in special needs provision Andrew returned to school to find that the Principal, in reallocating reduced SNA provision, had decided he was ‘over-resourced’ and had slashed his SNA support to 25% of what it had been. He had to spend much of his time in mainstream classes trying to follow what was being taught without the help he had before. He was unable to take down instructions from the blackboard or to use any printed sheets or textbooks, for instance. His needs had been extensively and professionally documented on entering the school. He was bewildered by what was happening to him. In this state of educational isolation, he also began to feel more keenly how none of the mainstream children wanted to talk or play with him at break times. He was accused of being lazy by other pupils following what we were told was ‘a bust-up’ between him and some of his classmates who resented that Andrew did not do as much school work as they did. Within four weeks he had become worryingly depressed. He was troubled about his disability and painfully hurt by the lack of social warmth from the other pupils, whom he desperately wanted to accept him.
The teacher we attempted to discuss the situation with was uncomfortable and defensive, casting around for explanations other than the obvious one: his much needed support had been taken from him. It began to be hinted that his problems were behavioural rather than actual. Spiteful, untrue gossip about him by other pupils was repeated back to us by a teacher, for what purpose we’re unsure. On the way to school on his last morning there he said to his Dad ‘it would be better if I didn’t exist – I’m too much trouble for everyone at school’. He couldn’t stay in that environment a single day longer. We went to the school with flowers and thank-yous for the support Andrew had had before from his SNA and other teachers, determined to finish his school days on as pleasant a note as possible in spite of the circumstances. When we described how Andrew was feeling and what he had said, the Principal declared icily ‘that’s not an educational issue’ – which in itself went a long way to explaining why Andrew had been so much abandoned by his school. Stunned by that, we agreed afterwards that our decision to home educate him was in fact an imperative rather than a choice. So much for cherishing the children of the nation equally. We are faced with an enormous undertaking, we realise, but the many sacrifices we will have to make will be more than worth it if we can do for our son what the Irish education system has effectively put beyond his reach.
But credit where it’s due. Well done Timothy Geithner, Goldman Sachs, Christine Lagarde, Jean-Claude Trichet and all the rest. You’ve taught our son a good lesson: divide and rule is a tried and trusted strategy. It allows you to slink out the door with all the world’s wealth while ever-willing, ingratiating foot-soldiers at the coalface get on with finishing your dirty work for you. (Funny how those foot soldiers are never in short supply, isn’t it?)
There are thousands of children having similar experiences in Ireland this autumn because of the decision of the Labour/Fine Gael government to implement serious cuts in special needs education, defended and rationalised with a lot of faux hand-wringing. What is happening to our country is not economically necessary in many respects. It is, rather, a vicious exploitation of the banker-caused and privately owned recession of the very richest people – used as an excuse to entrench the same ideology that got them into trouble in the first place while ruthlessly landing us with the bill. It’s very lucrative and risk-free for them, this ‘socialising the debt’. They are intentionally destroying much of what is left of our civil societies, the better to monopolise our wealth and resources in future. The recessions they create are also their gold and silver-lined clouds of opportunity. I read about that in an IMF document: it said the crises they cause are a chance to push through ‘reforms’ they couldn’t get away with at other times, under the guise of pretending they are unavoidable. It was down there in black and white, I tell you. I wonder does the SNA who wrote in the Irish Times that ‘we all accept these cuts have to happen’ realise any of this? Are we going to continue submissively to accept that we should give all of our wealth to these people for generations to come? Are these talentless talents, who stamp their feet and demand huge salaries and bonuses for the privilege of doing this to us, really worth the lost futures of our children, destroyed health care, massive unemployment, social breakdown, suicides, stuffed prisons, families broken up by emigration, needlessly ruined small businesses, a devastated voluntary sector and a myriad other assaults on our way of life?
If we want our country back from international finance and banking, we will have to take it back ourselves by whatever non-violent means are available to us. The three main political parties who typically make up our governments have proved beyond any doubt not just that they are one and the same in all but name, but that they are not our representatives in the world but rather the powerful bankers’ here at home.
The author of this post has asked to remain anonymous
You have summed up perfectly the horrifying human cost that this banking fiasco has had on countless people. Lives are being destroyed. As a mother of a mildly autistic child I can’t take in what your poor son and yourselves have had to go through, tears came to my eyes. As you said this affects so many. You’ve said everything there is to say.
That is an incredibly moving a powerful piece of writing. My heart really goes out to you and your teenage son, who deserve so much better, not just financially but socially and educationally. I am disgusted with that headmaster, and yes, what he said does go a long way to explaining the filtered down attitude in the schools towards your son. I agree with your wider take on the international financial situation and I agree Irish people shouldn’t have to take it so hard and they shouldn’t continue to be lectured to about it being their own fault. It most palpably is not. The “greedy”people being portrayed in the media and by power are those who want to own a family home and get public services for basic needs, not those running off to Brussels and elsewhere still stuffing their pockets with “austerity savings”. Well done on your brave decision to take your son out of school and educate him yourself. It shows how self sacrificing , loving, hard working and well intentioned you are and by extension the majority of people in your position and similar positions are too. And you made the right decision about the eggs – it’s disingenuous and doesn’t get you anywhere. However a mass movement like refusal by 80% of the population to pay tax would be a worthwhile and wonderful thing to see, not that it will happen. I wish you all the luck in the world and know that with parents like you, you son will shine and prosper, despite his ill treatment by the state and the educational authorities.
No child should be made to feel as your son has. The principal who declared his well-being was not “an educational issue” is an incompetent, uncaring oaf. I’m sure their offspring are destined for the “personal finance” sector.
I personally don’t know anyone who uses SNAs but I’m appalled by this story. Who wants to live in a country that puts money before the educational needs of children? It’s so depressing but well done for bringing the very human side to what the government is doing to everyone’s attention. But what we do about it?
This post is heartbreaking. Reading what Andrew said on his way into school on that last day brought tears to my eyes too. My children both have learning difficulties, but luckily at the much less severe end of the scale. Even then they both felt different from their peers and their difficulties with school work affected their self-esteem. Cutting SNA support was one of the most heartless of the many ‘austerity’ measures to which we have been subjected. I wish you and Andrew all the best for the future.
“They are intentionally destroying much of what is left of our civil societies, the better to monopolise our wealth and resources in future. The recessions they create are also their gold and silver-lined clouds of opportunity. I read about that in an IMF document: it said the crises they cause are a chance to push through ‘reforms’ they couldn’t get away with at other times, under the guise of pretending they are unavoidable. It was down there in black and white, I tell you.”
And this strategy – economic shock doctrine – has been documented elsewhere: http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine
(Klein’s book is available from Eason’s http://www.easons.com/display.asp?K=9780141024530)
My husband is a teacher and in his school (of close to 650 boys) SNAs have decreased from 16 a few years ago to now six this year. There is always natural wastage of course, as children in sixth class who have an SNA, move on to secondary school so their SNA is lost. But this is only a small percentage, the majority of those jobs were lost because of cutbacks. Leaving the child, parent and teacher overwhelmed. My husband is a stickler for confidentiality and would never tell me details of the children he teaches or the special needs they have so I don’t have any examples but he regularly comes home feeling exhausted, helpless and guilty as yet another day passes with no support for the children in question and for him. He struggles daily trying to find appropriate work for the children with extra needs and the time to sit with them while they complete their work. Often he simply does not have the time and feels awful as he knows they are falling behind and there is very little he can do. He often spends whole evenings on the Net, researching new teaching methods for children with special needs, new worksheets, making games and sheets, making music CDs that might help, anything that might be useful to the children the next day. In fairness to his principal he has moved heaven and earth to try to retain as many jobs as possible and to try to divide those remaining SNA’s around as much as he can, but it’s an almost impossible task and everybody is losing out.
It’s horrifying and it’s happening in every school in the country.
I’m appalled at how your son was treated by that principal, he should be ashamed of himself, that’s sickening.
Wishing you and your son the very best of luck in the future.
Cogent, well argued and well done too on not blowing your stack yet. I’d ask for my eggs back too. The parade isn’t over.
Wow, what a powerful real life story, well said! I will keep you and your family in my thoughts… and when possible will join the marchers against the bankers.
I can empathize! I’m in exactly the same boat except my son only started mainstream secondary school & they cut his SNA hours by 40%. This was even though all the professional reports we supplied were against it. He has a high intellect & is fine in that regard but his autism/Aspergers is creating havoc at school. He misses at least two days a week due to meltdowns all related to the times of when the SNA is not there. He is regressing before our eyes & no one is doing anything about it. We rang the HSE psychologist to come out to the school as we are worried he will get so upset that he will harm himself. This government has created a situation that is mentally torturing my son!
I hope your son feels better now and that he understands that it’s not his fault. I’m sorry you had to experience what you did. I know too well how it is to have to deal with an incompetent, ignorant and heartless principal. We experienced the same treatment. The only difference was that our son never got to start school because of his principal’s refusal to even send the application form to get him an SNA…You should report the principal to the Department of Education even if nothing will be done about it. At least it has been reported. I did and although I got help too late, I got a confirmation that the principal acted unethically and against the school’s own policies that they by law have to comply with.
I truly wish you and your family the ever best.
Heartbreaking real life victims of this government’s disastrous continuation of Fianna Fail policy. A national campaign was set up last June to fight on this issue – SNAPT, stands for Special Needs Assistants, Parents & Teachers. If you would like to get involved in building this campaign, contact Cllr Ruth Coppinger or Joe Higgins TD via 01-613370
http://www.socialistparty.net/campaigns-issues/education/700-protest-the-special-needs-cuts-in-education
heartbreaking and powerful piece.
kudos,
es
The line that got to me most in your powerful post was the one where you brought flowers to the school- I admire you for your poise.
I wish you well with home-schooling your son, you had no choice and that’s what is really sad about situations like this, it is so upsetting to think he thought it was his fault.
The most vulnerable people in our society are really paying the price of this economic disaster.
Most people I have met who have a child affected by ASD (including myself) are suffering in silence while they try their hardest to do their best for their children.
However, as a writer, I will continue in my own small way to highlight this issue, whatever good that may do.
Such a powerful, heartbreaking piece of writing. My friend is an SNA and she does a wonderful job helping one particular child who’s frustration was previously causing havoc in the classroom and the whole school. Her miserable salary, barely enough for her as a lone parent of 3 to survive on, is saving thousands in the long run by ensuring that every child in that class gets the best education available with no disruption. If her job is axed the child she helps will fall way behind, the rest of the class will lose out and she will have to claim social welfare anyway. Where’s the saving in that?
Very moving. Awful to think of your son’s unhappiness, which must be replicated in and out of schools across the country. And horrible to read how little the school cared.
It’s so easy to hack away at the vulnerable. You’d think by now we’d have learned our national lesson about how crucial it is to look after our children.
I can’t imagine home educating is a straightforward path – the very best of luck with it.
Yet I bet most of you fools voted yes for the Lisbon treaty and every other European treaty. Now, after you gave away your sovereignty and independence, including control over your own financial affairs you expect sympathy when the inevitable is happening. Stupid people.
You have no possible way of knowing how anyone commenting here, including the author of this post, has ever voted. But bravo for making ignorant assumptions and using them to criticise someone whose disabled child is in a state of profound distress and those who sympathise with her.
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