Debate rages after Brighton Secondary College stops girl with Aspergers syndrome from going on overseas camp Isabelle, 15, a student at Brighton Secondary College, is not allowed to go to Africa on a school trip. Picture: Valeriu CampanSource: News Limited UPDATE: DEBATE has raged over a student with Aspergers syndrome who was told she was not allowed on an overseas camp to Africa. Yesterday Leader reported that Brighton Secondary College told Isabelle, 15, she could not go to a World Challenge trip to Africa next year because her disorder posed a risk to other students. Her mum, Kerrie Curtis, has launched a petition today to lobby the school to allow her daughter to go on the trip. The petition already has 303 supporters on change.org, to convince the school Isabelle is worthy of the challenge. The petition reads, Please stop discriminating against students with Aspergers syndrome - and allow my daughter Isabelle Curtis to attend the World Challenge in Africa. She said she believed the school had no foundation to say her daughter posed a risk. It is totally unfounded, she has never been a problem at school, they have no basis for that whatsoever, she said. She is also taking the school to VCAT after ¬reporting the refusal to theVictorian Equal ¬Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. I am still hoping an apology will come ... for making an erroneous decision, a discriminatory decision; they dont understand what theyve done is wrong, Ms Curtis said. A Department of Education spokesman said the department was aware of the complaint made to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in relation to a Brighton Secondary College student. The department is also aware that Brighton Secondary College is in the process of trying to resolve this matter with the family, by determining what, if any, reasonable adjustments may be made for the student to attend the expedition to Botswana and Zambia, he said. >> Should Isabelle be allowed to go on the camp? Have your say below. >> Wendy Tuohy: School cruelty to disabled kids must end But school principal Julie Podbury said the schools duty of care had been a factor in the decision to stop the Hampton girl from joining the trip next year and that she had not been singled out. Ms Podbury said the World Challenge camp to Africa was the most popular expedition offered by the school, and every year competition to attend the 40-place camp grew. She said a rigorous and fair selection process was applied to all students, and up to 30 per cent of applicants were unsuccessful. Ms Podbury said Isabelle was not singled out by any means. To meet our duty of care responsibilities, recommendations from her mother on Isabelles condition needed to be taken into consideration, she said. Out of respect for Isabelle and her privacy we cannot disclose any specific information we have been told by her mother, Kerrie Curtis, on her daughters condition. She said the school had made it clear to the family that Isabelle was encouraged to apply for the World Challenge next year, to attend in 2015. World Challenge Australia general manager Peter Fletcher said the organisation empathised with Isabelle in missing out with the World Challenge. (We) know it would have been a difficult decision for the school though were not familiar with Isabelles specific circumstances, we are of course disappointed for her, he said. Nevertheless, having partnered with World Challenge since 2004, the leadership team at Brighton Secondary College are well aware of the inherit challenges involved in a 28-day student-led expedition to Africa. He said the safety and wellbeing of participants are a top priority for Brighton as it for World Challenge. Ms Curtis said Isabelle was buoyed by the support she had received from the community this morning. Hampton Lifesaving Club president David Barnes said Isabelle was a strong young lady who he trusted to save lives, and believed she was capable of going on the camp. We trust her enough to put her on the beach and save peoples lives in the community - we cant see why the school isnt giving her the chance to show her abilities on the trip, he said. He said last year she had done her surf rescue certificate, the entry level award for a qualified lifesaver. They do a lot of scenarios, blood and gore, people drowning ... its quite stressful and we had no issues with (her) training so I was quite surprised when I heard she was denied the opportunity to go overseas, he said. I Can Network founder Chris Varney, 26, also has Aspergers syndrome and said a trip to Africa when he was young had enabled him to be an advocate for others on the autism spectrum. Im very saddened and disappointed about the decision the school has made, Mr Varney said. You want her to experience the freedom of self-belief and a school should be a place that celebrates and enables her, and this is a very disabling decision. Isabelle has rights, she has a right to education, she has a right to non-discrimination. They are core rights, they are written in numerous laws. Isabelle said she felt the school was seeing my disability instead of who I am. The school has just (made) that decision and assumed Id be dangerous to everyone else, Isabelle said. Ive been discriminated against. Im a patrol leader at my local Guides, and have done lots of volunteer work at the local vets, and Im a lifeguard. Ive got a lot of references. Its hard to go back to school when the teachers dont believe in me. She said the schools stance was heartbreaking. Ms ¬Curtis said her daughters world had fallen apart. Ms Podbury last week told Leader the school was exploring all possibilities, but unable to comment further as the matter was subject to legal proceedings. The school said it would release a further statement this afternoon. Disability Discrimination Legal Service manager Julie Phillips said such decisions could have significant -negative effects. Deakin University school of psychology associate professor Mark Stokes said the refusal could be detrimental to Isabelles health and development.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 01:54:01 +0000
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