Orange’s Autism and Aspergers Support Group president John Betts has labelled a federal Senator’s comments about autistic and disabled children “ill-informed and outdated”.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
One Nation’s Pauline Hanson called for students with special needs to be removed from mainstream classrooms and taught separately during a debate in the Senate.
“Most of the time the teacher spends so much time on them they forget about the child who is straining at the bit and wants to go ahead in leaps and bounds in their education,” Ms Hanson said.
"That child is held back by those others, because the teachers spend time with them.
“I think that we have more autistic children, yet we are not providing the special classrooms or the schools for these autistic children.”
Mr Betts said the Senator’s comments didn’t reflect the reality in classrooms.
“A lot of One Nation’s statements, they’re ill-informed and outdated views,” he said.
Mr Betts said students who diagnosed with autism all behaved differently and shouldn’t be lumped together.
“Sixty per cent of kids on the spectrum should be in mainstream classes,” he said.
“Some kids who are on the spectrum are under the radar, they don’t disrupt class but they’re not learning because their anxiety levels are building.
“They manage to keep a cap on their anxiety until the end of class.
“Some will be disruptive, it might only be 10 minutes. But a well-trained and well-resourced teacher can cope with a student who is on the spectrum.”
Orange’s Autism and Aspergers Support Group has around 50 members including parents, medical professionals and adults who are on the spectrum.
Mr Bett’s son Toby was diagnosed with high-functioning autism and was left unimpressed by Ms Hanson’s comments.
“Half of me thinks she’s doing it to attract attention and half of me thinks she’s worried because we’re smarter than her,” Toby said.
Mr Betts said he had spoken to teachers who said teaching children diagnosed with autism had helped them improve how they taught students.
He said he would prefer to see more funding given to schools so they could ensure all students could reach their potential, “whether it be training for teachers in communication with children with autism or learning support for them”.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
