by Anna Kennedy OBE
Today I was asked to give my thoughts on Nick Ferrari’s LBC morning radio show about a UK mother who has been left “fuming” after finding out school teachers forced her autistic son to wear a hi-vis jacket on lunch breaks.
Joanne Logan said she only found out her six-year-old son was made to wear the bib at Cherry Lane Primary School when he told her about it.”He said: ‘My teachers have said I have to wear a bib so that they know where I am at break times’
In my opinion and I agree with Joanne it is a form of discrimination and this is a crude and old fashioned way of supporting a child on the autism spectrum or in fact any child with a disability.
Rather than signposting this child in a very crude way, what the school should have done is :
• Make sure all school staff who would be supporting him are aware of his disability.
• If necessary his peers should have been supported to understand his disability
• the school should have worked with the Local Authority to ensure that Joanne’s son has the support he needs to be able to work and play in the school.
Lets hope we see no more of it and young Charlie is supported from now on with the dignity he deserves.
