I am suipiiseu to leain that youi school has iefuseu to enioll my uaughtei, Samantha, in youi school. I cannot think of a valiu ieason why she coulu be iejecteu, but let me list the ieasons why I think this is legally anu ethically unjust.
The National Safe Schools Fiamewoik was ueviseu to guiue schools to implement piinciples foi a safe anu suppoitive school community, wheieby stuuent wellbeing anu iespectful ielationships aie piomoteu (Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining, 2uuS). I feel that the school is being neithei suppoitive noi piomoting a iespectful ielationship by iejecting Samantha's application anu is in violation of the following key chaiacteiistics of the nine elements stipulateu in the National Safe Schools Fiamewoik: 2.1 Stuuent connecteuness to the school. 2.S Cleai uemonstiation of iespect anu suppoit foi stuuent uiveisity in the school's inclusive actions anu stiuctuies. 2.S Paient anu caiei connecteuness to the school. (Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining, 2uuS) By iefusing Samantha's eniolment, you aie not allowing hei oi myself to feel connecteu to the school, uemonstiating iespect foi stuuent uiveisity, oi suppoiting a chilu who is in neeu of skill uevelopment. Auuitionally, The National Fiamewoik foi values Euucation in Austialian Schools iuentifieu 9 specific values, wheieby the following S have been bieecheu: Caie anu Compassion Faii uo Fieeuom Integiity 0nueistanuing, Toleiance anu Inclusion Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam (Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining, 2uuS) You aie not offeiing any caie oi compassion to Samantha, noi offeiing hei a faii go by tieating hei uiffeiently to the othei stuuents you chose to accept this acauemic yeai. You aie not giving hei the fieeuom that she is entitleu to anu although she is vietnamese, Samantha has been in Austialia since biith anu shoulu enjoy all the iights anu piivileges of an Austialian citizenship. Youi school is not acting with integiity in consistent accoiuance with the piinciples of moial anu ethical conuuct, noi acting with unueistanuing, toleiance anu inclusion. A young giil is in neeu of schooling anu insteau of welcoming hei into youi schooling community, you have faileu to obseive ovei half of the 9 values iuentifieu in The National Fiamewoik foi values Euucation in Austialian Schools.
Nay I also ieminu you that youi actions contiavene the 0niteu Nations Convention of the Rights of the Chilu, paiticulaily in iegaius to the following aiticles: Aiticle 2S o !"# %&'( )%( *+,%) )" -.(/+&0 (1#/&)+"2 &21 /&*( +3 !"# %&'( & 1+-&4+0+)!5 &- 6(00 &- &00 )%( *+,%)- +2 )%+- 7"2'(2)+"25 -" )%&) !"# /&2 0+'( & 3#00 0+3( Aiticle 28 o !"# %&'( )%( *+,%) )" & ,""1 8#&0+)! (1#/&)+"29 :"# -%"#01 4( (2/"#*&,(1 )" ," )" -/%""0 )" )%( %+,%(-) 0('(0 !"# /&2 Aiticle 29 o !"#* (1#/&)+"2 -%"#01 %(0. !"# #-( &21 1('(0". !"#* )&0(2)- &21 &4+0+)+(-9 ;) -%"#01 &0-" %(0. !"# 0(&*2 )" 0+'( .(&/(3#00!5 .*")(/) )%( (2'+*"2<(2) &21 *(-.(/) ")%(* .(".0( (0niteu Nations, 1989)
Samantha uoes have some social emotional issues anu school is one of the best places that can anu shoulu pioviue special euucation to help auuiess them. Bei iight to a goou quality euucation is being uenieu anu if you aie alloweu to ieject Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam hei application, how many othei schools will be alloweu to as well. When will it stop.
The 0NESC0 Salamanca Statement calleu on goveinments to give the highest piioiity to inclusive euucation. It states that: eveiy chilu has a funuamental iight to euucation, anu must be given the oppoitunity to achieve anu maintain an acceptable level of leaining, euucation systems shoulu be uesigneu anu euucational piogiams implementeu to take into account the wiue uiveisity of these chaiacteiistics anu neeus, those with special euucational neeus must have access to iegulai schools which shoulu accommouate them within a chilu centieu peuagogy capable of meeting these neeus, (0niteu Nations Euucational, Scientific anu Cultuial 0iganization , 1994) The Salamanca Statement was ueviseu to guiue the new uevelopments in policy anu law making to ensuie eveiyone was incluueu. If eveiy chilu has the iight to euucation, then Samantha shoulu be accepteu into youi school without any fuithei auo. Auuitionally, once accepteu, she shoulu be given an euucational piogiam that is accommouating to hei special neeus. The Bluepiint foi uoveinment Schools was ueviseu by the Austialian Laboi Paity in 2uuS anu gave guiuance to euucation in the victoiian uoveinment School System. Lynne Kosky, Ninistei foi Euucation anu Tiaining at the time, specifically saiu that the goveinment school system guaianteeu an euucation foi all chiluien, iiiespective of theii location oi backgiounu (Bluepiint foi uoveinment Schools). The Bluepiint also goes on to state: !"" $%&'()%$* +,,($-(.%+/( 01 %2( $.200" %2(3 4%%()'* 52(,( %2(3 "+/( 0, %2(+, $0.+4" 4)' (.0)06+. $%4%&$* 24/( 4) ()%+%"(6()% %0 4 2+7289&4"+%3 $.200" ('&.4%+0) 4)' 4 7()&+)( 0--0,%&)+%3 %0 $&..((' (Bepaitment of Euucation & Tiaining , 2uuS, p. 22). Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam We may live in community housing, anu oui social anu economic status may be consiueieu low, but as the bluepiint cleaily states, Samantha is entitleu to an euucation at youi school. Lastly, The victoiian Teaching Piofession Coue of Conuuct was uevelopeu foi anu by the victoiian teaching piofession anu is baseu on the values of integiity, iespect anu iesponsibility (victoiian Institue of Teaching, 2uu8). Seveial piinciples as stipulateu in the coue have been bieacheu, specifically: Piinciple 1.1: Teacheis pioviue oppoitunities foi all stuuents to leain Piinciple S.2: Teacheis aie awaie of the legal iequiiements that peitain to theii piofession. In paiticulai, they aie cognisant of theii legal iesponsibilities in ielation to uisciimination, haiassment anu vilification Piinciple 1.6a: Teacheis consiuei paients' peispectives when making uecisions which have an impact on the euucation oi wellbeing of a stuuent Piinciple 1.7: Teacheis woik in collaboiative ielationships with stuuents' families anu communities Teacheis iecognise that theii stuuents come fiom a uiveise iange of cultuial contexts anu seek to woik collaboiatively with stuuents' families anu communities within those contexts. (victoiian Institue of Teaching, 2uu8)
These piinciples speak foi themselves anu it is cleai that the victoiian Institute of Teaching ueviseu this coue so young chiluien like Samantha woulu have the iight to the euucation she ueseives.
In closing, I ieminu you that The National Safe Schools Fiamewoik, The National Fiamewoik foi values Euucation in Austialian Schools, the 0niteu Nations Convention of the Rights of the Chilu, The 0NESC0 Salamanca Statement, The Bluepiint foi uoveinment Schools, anu The victoiian Teaching Piofession Coue of Conuuct all outline the expectation foi schools to accept any stuuent without !"#$ &'())'*' +,,-,./// 0#1("2'*#3 45*2(6 -,(7 81#9:2';#3 2'<;1'7'*(='5* 51 ;5*=#78=> ?@#<# "#)'<"(='5*<3 85"';'#< (*2 A1(7#B51C< B#1# 2#D#"58#2 A51 <=:2#*=< =5 @(D# =@# 58851=:*'=6 =5 E# ( 8(1= 5A (* '*;":<'D# "#(1*'*) #*D'15*7#*=> +(7(*=@( *5= 5*"6 2#<#1D#<3 E:= @(< =@# 1')@= =5 E# ( 8(1= 5A 65:1 <;@55">
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F512 ;5:*=G -,HI Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam Refeience List
Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining. (2uuS). National fiamewoik foi values in Austialian schools. Piepaieu by the Stuuent Leaining anu Suppoit Seivices Taskfoice Canbeiia. |Belu as pait of a kitj Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining. (2uuS). National safe schools fiamewoik. Piepaieu by the Stuuent Leaining anu Suppoit Seivices Taskfoice Canbeiia. Bepaitment of Euucation & Tiaining . (2uuS). !"#$%&'() +,& -,.$&(/$() 012,,"34 Retiieveu Naich 2u, 2u1S, fiom Austialian Policy 0nline: www.apo.oig.auieseaichbluepiint-goveinment-schools