SOMPTING head teacher Marjorie Hammond caused controversy when she claimed teachers were struggling to cope with children with learning difficulties in mainstream schools. She said some of the children were so badly behaved they were "a complete menace" to normal classroom life. Here two mothers whose children have special needs respond. One has asked to remain anonymous.

ALL KIDS NEED AN EDUCATION

I FEEL that many people are getting their thoughts in reverse order and should consider the children first.

Surely it is not whether a teacher wants a child with special needs integrated into their class that is important but whether it is right for the child.

Many children with many different types of special needs can adequately manage in a mainstream school and there are some children for whom this is just not suitable.

However, children learn by example. If children with special needs are integrated they will learn from children for whom special needs are not a concern.

They will learn from "normal" society what is required from them when they leave school.

If a child is surrounded by children whose needs are greater than or similar to his or hers, what is he or she learning about the expectations and reality of our society?

Yes, many special schools do a fantastic and much-needed job, but they are not just a place to put all children whose development doesn't fit into teachers' expectations.

It would be wonderful to think that society was adjusted to suit all individuals. However, this is never going to happen so we need to nurture children gently into the society and demands that await them.

This cannot be done for children whose teachers have already decided that they need to be hidden away because they simply don't "fit".

If teachers are saying they cannot "manage" these children, two things need to be done.

One is to train teachers more on special needs and the other is to equip them with the support they need, whether that be through resources or ancillary or classroom assistant support.

Much of this is already being done, and many other mainstream schools will "manage" better if they simply change their views.

Nobody is saying that these children deserve the teacher's attention more than others. What they are saying is, change your methods.

As a mother of two special needs children, both in mainstream schools, I get extremely angry when I hear the opinions of some members of the teaching profession who regard these children as a burden to themselves or to society.

Many famous and intelligent people have, or have had, some form of special need. In fact, up to 25 per cent of ALL children will need special needs support at some time during their education.

If some narrow-minded parents are suggesting that they would prefer their children not to be taught with special needs children, aren't they therefore also teaching their children to be of the same narrow-minded opinion? Aren't they saying that all people must be the same?

What a sad world this would become if all people were of the same IQ/appearance/class etc. This is simply discrimination at its worst.

Yes, these children are different to the majority. But they still have feelings and need warmth, food, care and love. They will still have to fit into the same society as the rest of us at the end of it all, so let's teach them, support them, care for them and set examples for them.

Today, you teach your children (we hope) not to discriminate against those from another culture, religion, class etc. You teach them to accept those with a different appearance, including less able-bodied people.

Why, then, teach them that those with differing educational needs should be taught away from a mainstream school?

Acceptance of other people's differences is an important part of every child's education. What a shame that many feel that these very special children should not be taught among their peers. Each can offer so much to each other.

Don't hide these children away and don't write them off as unteachable - many are not. All children are equally entitled to an education, just as they will be entitled to employment further down the road.

I WOULDN'T EVER SHUT MY BOYS OFF FROM REALITY

FOR Karin Anjos there was no question of sending her children to a special school.

Michael, seven, and Daniel, six, both have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which makes them aggressive and restless. Michael is also autistic.

Mrs Anjos said: "For us it just wasn't an option to have them segregated and we have never regretted the decision. A child's education is where they are prepared for going out into society as an adult and you can't shut them away from that reality."

Michael goes to St Nicolas Junior School in Portslade and Daniel is at West Hove Infant School.

Mrs Anjos, of Molesworth Street, Hove, said: "Daniel and Michael want to conform and be accepted by their peers and teachers and have learnt from being with ordinary children."

Mrs Anjos spent two years working with Brighton and Hove Council as it formulated its special needs teaching policy. She said: "The council is very much in favour of inclusion which is the responsible thing to do, although I suppose for some children with severe learning difficulties it's not the answer."

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