Nov 21, 2019, Irish Times: Lack of resources stymies education progress https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/lack-of-resources-stymies-education-progress-1.4089857 Sir, – Members of the National Principals’ Forum (a registered lobby group of over 1,200 primary school principal teachers across Ireland) believe Tuesday was an extremely dark day for Irish education. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) conference gave clear indications where policy makers are driving our education system. It is terrifying – the death knell has been sounded for specialised education or intervention, and any hope of ever meeting the needs of pupils with additional needs in a properly resourced or inclusive manner are dashed. In a report published on Tuesday, the NCSE says the State should consider moving to a “total inclusion” model, where all children are placed in mainstream schools, regardless of their level of disability (Home News, November 20th). The pretence of working towards more “inclusion” when the reality is that Special Educational Needs (SEN) is simply too costly for the Government’s liking is pernicious and disgusting …. The concerns of educators are neither acknowledged or addressed. We have tried relentlessly to raise awareness and offer practical and reasonable recommendations not excessively demanding of our exchequer. The Joint Oireachtas Committee is aware of the efforts we have made in this regard, and we appreciate its engagement and support. Sadly, despite our fruitless efforts to engage with education stakeholders and effect necessary change, the worrying trends in education are worsening, the most exceptional expertise is being lost daily in our country, and teachers and principals are exploited and becoming demoralised across every front. What hurts the most and damages the most is the lack of the supports we need to help all of our pupils…. ANGELA DUNNE, Principal Teacher, Representative of the National Principals’ Forum, Co Tipperary.
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Loss of Brain Trust features over 9,000 news stories published worldwide since January, 2017
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
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What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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