Dear Disability Discrimination Act Review Committee,
I am the parent of two Audhd boys who have been let down by the System. I have lost almost a decade of my life to constant battles for proper healthcare and adequate services to support us.
We have been let down by the very services the government put in place to support us.
From Qld Health to Kindy Inclusion “Specialists” to Schools to the NDIS.
The System is broken.
I care about disabled people being able to access quality education at all stages of life — from childcare and school to tertiary education. I’m making this submission because I believe every student deserves the right to learn in an inclusive environment. I support the A Right to Learn campaign’s call for suspensions and exclusions to be used only as a last resort.
Students with disability should be learning alongside their peers, not separated from them.
Protect the right to learn:
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Section 22(2)(b) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) should be amended to cover ‘suspension and exclusion’ as well as expulsions.
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The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and associated Disability Standards for Education should be amended to require education authorities avoid exclusionary discipline unless it is necessary as a last resort to avert serious harm to the student, other students, or staff.
I urge the government to strengthen the Act so students with disability — and all students — can fully exercise their right to learn, together.
Yours sincerely,