Regina father wants his children in integrated classrooms
Regina father Steve Weiss describes his sons as excited about life and happy to learn. However, both Tenzin, 11, and Elliot, 9, have Fragile X Syndrome and have been diagnosed with autism. Weiss admits the boys are often in a state of tension and the family uses medication and different coping strategies to keep the boys calm.
Last year, the boys were in integrated classrooms at the community school near the family's home. Weiss said it truly felt like they were becoming part of that school community.
"Since moving to the community school I can't even tell you how good it makes us feel to be riding our bikes down the street and have kids yell out 'Hey Tenzin, how's it going?"
Weiss said it's a far cry from the reality of kids with special needs when he was young.
"When I was a kid there was a special needs room in the school, but we didn't know those kids, I didn't know their names. They weren't part of my community," said Weiss.
Weiss said his older son is flourishing because he is surrounded by typical peers.
"Everyone is so kind in his class. Those children in his class are such a good example of what a society can be. They are helpful, they are as much help as anybody in raising him. They're the ones that say this is appropriate, this isn't because that's where we learn to be appropriate from our friends," said Weiss.
However, the picture is not as rosy for his younger son Elliot.
Weiss said things started to go downhill in January. Several times the school called Steve at work and asked him to come and pick up Elliot after episodes where he ran out of the classroom.
"Their line was we can't keep him safe, he leaves the classroom. He's going to the washroom or the supply room where there's a paper cutter and that's not safe," recounted Weiss.
Weiss said their family met with the school in the spring and started implementing different ways to keep Elliot calm in the classroom. It came as a big surprise to the family when they were told in June that there would no longer be a place for their son at the school. The school's solution was to send Elliot to a new Functionally Integrated Academic Program (FIAP) classroom at another school. The family was told their son would have some interaction with kids outside the classroom, but admit they don't know how often he interacts with typical children his own age.
"I was very angry when they sprung this on us in June. The irony is that he'll be fine. He'll be happy as a lark to go to this new classroom, it's more play-based. But like all of us, we need to be pushed."
Weiss said it's not just the kids like his that benefit from being in a classroom where they can model the behaviour of typical students. He said it's the foundation of having a more inclusive society in general.
"We are talking about group homes, if we can't start as a society at the school level at that age then when are we going to start?" Weiss said, referencing the closure of Moose Jaw's Valley View, a residential institution for people with mental disabilities.
Kevin McTavish agrees with that sentiment. He's the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living.
His organization will sometimes attend meetings with school officials with families to advocate for integration in classrooms.
"Kids without disability in the classroom can learn about their peers who have disability in their own age group. There's value to all when individuals are allowed to be part of an inclusive classroom," said McTavish.
