Monique Bailey (S00170700) 1

Name: Amalie
Cultural background: English
Years in Australia: Born in Australia
Personality Traits: Shy, friendly
Strengths of character: Creative, loving
Is engaged when doing arts and crafts
Loves to……. draw and create things
Protective factors: Stable family, social when comfortable with people she knows
Risk factors: Highly anxious
Special Need: Dyslexia
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To The Principal,
Last year, Amalie was diagnosed with dyslexia and I understand that you feel as though
Amalie would benefit from a different type of schooling as a result of this. Teaching a dyslexic
child may be challenging, however it is entirely possible for children with this special need to thrive
in mainstream schooling (International Dyslexia Association (IDA), 2017). Amalie is a loving girl
who adores her friends and family. Although she may come off as shy and aloof to those she does
not know, she is incredibly friendly and loyal to those that she loves and trusts. Amalie requires
welcoming school for her to achieve her best, as she is a highly anxious person in unusual and new
environments. Amalie is engaged when she doing arts and crafts and being creative, and so if these
reasonable adjustments are made in order to cater for Amalie’s learning needs, there is no argument
as to why her enrolment should be terminated.
Your school’s educational setting should provide for all students whatever their level of
“ability, disability, educational need or other form of diversity” (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly, 2014,
p.9). There are a number of principles of inclusion that help to inform teachers on how to include
students with disabilities into the curriculum. One of these principles states that “all children can
learn” (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly, 2014) and, as previously stated, Amalie is more than capable of
learning if she is provided with beneficial resources. Your teachers should be educated and the
programs should be adjusted to ensure that they embrace the learning needs of Amalie (Fennimore,
2007) and do not create a restrictive learning environment (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly, 2014).
I have no doubt that you are utilising the National Safe Schools Framework to provide your
students with a supportive environment (Department of Education and Training, 2016). However,
Amalie’s unique abilities cannot be lost amongst other students, and she must also be catered for.
As you are aware, one of the six guiding principles of the National Safe Schools Framework
(Department of Education and Training, 2016) states that as an Australian school you must
“encourage the active participation of all school community members … where diversity is valued”
(Department of Education and Training, 2016, para. 7). If you force Amalie to leave your school
due to her dyslexia, you are not valuing the diversity amongst your students and you certainly are
not encouraging Amalie’s participation at school. Amalie has the capacity to succeed regardless of
her dyslexia (ECIA, n.d.), and therefore it is vital that you provide Amalie with a safe place that not
only accepts her diversity, but celebrates it (Department of Education and Training, 2016).
The National Framework for Values also argues that Amalie needs to be given the same
opportunity as her peers to achieve her best and to be given a fair go in order to pursue educational
excellence (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2005). If Amalie is not provided with
appropriate resources that cater for her needs (IDA, 2017), of course this is not possible. The
National Framework for Values highlights these points to ensure that all students, regardless of
Monique Bailey (S00170700) 3
disability, are given an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. Furthermore, the final value
states that we must accept diversity and always include others (Department of Education, Science
and Training, 2005).
The National Goals include a statement which reads that when students leave their school,
they should have the qualities of “self-confidence … and high self-esteem” (Department of
Education, Science and Training, 2005, p. 2). As I previously mentioned, Amalie is highly anxious
in new environments and thus if Amalie attends a different school because of her rejection into your
own, this will jeopardise her chance of optimal levels of well-being (Neil & Christensen, 2009). To
prevent Amalie’s anxiety escalating, it would definitely benefit her to maintain her enrolment at
your school (Neil & Christensen, 2009). As shown in the Disability Standards for Education, if
Amalie’s enrolment is discontinued you are not allowing her to participate as fully as possible in
your community (Australian Commonwealth, 2006).
In turn, the Disability Discrimination Act (National Disability Coordination Officer
Programme, 2015) argues that “discrimination on the grounds of a person’s disability is against the
law” (National Disability Coordination Officer Programme, 2015, p. 3) and therefore, Amalie
should have the same opportunity to receive an education at your school as any other student
without a disability. No matter the circumstance, you are obliged to be inclusive of all of your
students (Foreman & Arthur-Kelly, 2014), and this is reiterated in the The Victorian Teaching
Profession Code of Conduct (Victorian Institute of Teaching, 2006).“Principle 1.1: Teachers
Provide Opportunities For All students to Learn” (Victorian Institute of Teaching, 2006, p. 2)
clearly states that teachers must cater for all individual abilities, hence including Amalie’s. If you
do not allow Amalie to attend your school because of her dyslexia, you are breaking this teaching
code of conduct, as well as the law.
To me, social justice is the fundamental dignity, value and equal opportunities for every
human being regardless of their differences (Chapman & Burnham, 2009). If you no longer accept
Amalie based on her dyslexia, it is not just. In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human rights
reiterated that every individual has the right to an education (UNESCO, 1994). Moreover, in 1990,
at the World Conference Education for All, it was ensured that this right is available for everyone
regardless of their differences; thus this human right applies directly to Amalie (UNESCO, 1994).
The Australian Commonwealth (2006) state that students with any type of disability are to be
given the same opportunity as other students to participate in an education. Australia has signed the
UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which claims that all Australian children can
enjoy the rights which they possess (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2007).
One of the CRC’s is the right to survival and development (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission, 2007), and thus by no longer including Amalie in your school you will breach her
Monique Bailey (S00170700) 4
right to develop to her full educational potential. Social justice within your school community is
fundamental to ensure that there are no injustices for Amalie, as she is just as deserving as any other
child.
Finally, in a study conducted by Flynn (1997) (cited in Dempsey, n.d.), it was found that 76%
of parents with a child with a disability had been a part of educational discrimination. Please do not
let Amalie’s parents, or yourself, be a part of that statistic. This type of discrimination has potential
detrimental effects on not only Amalie’s academia, but also her well-being. Alternative
arrangements for Amalie’s education are not necessary as she has the same ability to learn as any
other child. Amalie’s dyslexia does not define her, and I hope that you can see past her learning
need to continue her enrolment at your school.

Regards,
Monique Bailey
Monique Bailey (S00170700) 5
References

Australian Commonwealth. (2006). Disability standards for education plus guidance notes [e-

booklet]. Retrieved from

https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/disability_standards_for_education_2005

_plus_guidance_notes.pdf

Chapman, L. & West-Burnham, J. (2009) Chapter 2: Social justice and education. In Education for

social justice: achieving wellbeing for all. London; Continuum, 25-38.

Dempsey, I. (2001). Principles and policies for integration and inclusion. Integration and inclusion

in action, 35-58. Retrieved from http://www.paragraph.com.au/pdf/books/integration-text.pdf

Department of Education and Training. (2016). The national safe schools framework. Retrieved

from https://www.education.gov.au/national-safe-schools-framework-0

Department of Education, Science and Training. (2005). National framework for values education

in Australian schools [e-booklet]. Retrieved from

https://leo.acu.edu.au/pluginfile.php/2128242/mod_resource/content/1/Values%20Education.

pdf

ECIA (n.d.). Position statement on the inclusion of children with a disability education and care [e-

booklet]. Retrieved from https://www.ecia.org.au/documents/item/31

Fennimore, B.S. (2007) Know where you stand and stand there. Childhood Education, 83(5), 294-

298.
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Foreman, P., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (Eds.) (2014). Inclusion in Action (4th ed.). South Melbourne,

Australia: Cengage Learning.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. (2007). Australia’s commitment to children’s

rights and reporting to the UN [e-booklet]. Retrieved from

https://leo.acu.edu.au/pluginfile.php/2128240/mod_resource/content/1/Human%20rights%20

doc.pdf

International Dyslexia Association. (2017). Accommodating students with dyslexia in all classroom

settings. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/accommodating-students-

dyslexia-all-classroom-settings

National Disability Coordination Officer Programme. (2015). Your right to an education a guide

for educators and people with disability [e-booklet]. Retrieved from

http://www.ddaedustandards.info/PDF/DDA%20e-booklet.pdf

Neil, A.L., & Christensen, H. (2009). Efficacy and effectiveness of school-based prevention and

early intervention programs for anxiety. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(3), 208-215.

UNESCO. (1994) . The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education.

Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education: Systems and contexts, 1, 382.

Victorian Institute of Teaching. (2006). The Victorian teaching profession code of conduct [e-

booklet]. Retrieved from https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/e15c9dc6-4eb2-542b-dbf1-

2af04d69cb60/1/1543_Code-of-Conduct-June-2008.pdf