Feb 6, 2018, (Ireland) Leinster Leader: Five special need pupils in Newbridge may have school places—Due to start secondary school https://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/community-news/295534/five-pupils-may-have-school-places.html Five out of the seven primary school children with special needs seeking a place at secondary leve in Newbridge, may have secured a spot for next September. The seven children are due to finish primary school at Scoil Na Naomh Uilig in June 2018, but to date none of these children had been able to secure an appropriate or suitable place locally. Five out of the seven children, including Cecilia Semple’s daughter Kelly (12) have ASD — Autistic Spectrum Disorders — leaving them with complex and severe educational needs arising from their diagnosis . … “St Conleths Board of Management held a review regarding their enrolment policy towards cognitive ability in pupils attending their ASD unit, which will mean five of children may have a place there. The National Council of Special Needs Education are meeting with St Anne’s soon so hopefully that will be good news for the other two pupils.” Meanwhile the Minister for Education will meet shortly with Kildare TDs to discuss the plight of seven primary school pupils with special needs from Newbridge, who at present, have no school place when they start secondary school next September. … According to Cecilia the Minster wants to meet with all the TD’s from Kildare next week however the parents were not invited to attend. … “So hopefully this will be resolved not just for our children but for the children coming after them. This is to make sure all the schools stand up now and put ASD units in place,” she said.
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.