A mother who confronted her autistic son’s school after finding out he was strapped to his chair everyday was asked if he wanted a ‘more aesthetically pleasing chair’.
It’s also alleged a 16-year-old autistic boy was moved between rooms at his school with boxing pads.
These are just two of 250 claims of abuse and neglect against disabled children in New South Wales public schools in the past two years, ABC’s 7.30 reported.
Thomas (pictured), who is non-verbal and intellectually disabled, was being restrained to his chair
When Thomas’ mother confronted the school about the allegations she was asked if she would like a ‘more aesthetically pleasing chair’ (chairs pictured)
Georgina Maker-North, mother of seven-year-old Thomas, was horrified to find her son, who is non-verbal and intellectually disabled, was being restrained to his chair.
Ms Maker-North believes her son was tied to the chair, which was allegedly referred to by the school as ‘Thomas’ chair’, for a number of hours on a daily basis.
And after confronting the school about the alleged abuse Ms Maker-North was left ‘gobsmacked’ after she was asked if her son would prefer a chair that was ‘more aesthetically pleasing’.
‘When I saw the chairs it was shown like it was a great show-and-tell piece,’ she told the program.
‘The words that were used when I looked, and I was gobsmacked, was, ‘would it better if we got some more aesthetically pleasing chairs?”
When she complained to the NSW Education Department, Ms Maker-North was told there was evidence to support that some of the alleged conduct had occurred and that ‘action had been taken’.
The parents of 16-year-old Austin Franks (pictured) were forced to take their son out of school after he kept coming home with blood on his clothes
In a second case the parents of 16-year-old Austin Franks told the program they were forced to take their son out of school after he kept coming home with blood on his clothes.
He was self-harming at home, but when his mother Caroline Franks asked the school what he was during class hours they said they didn’t know.
A psychology intern was sent to watch his behaviour at school and observed him being pushed to class with boxing pads.
Following the allegations NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes (pictured) told the program he had ordered a review on procedures and teacher training
‘They failed to mention he was being pushed around with boxing batons or screamed at or not allowed to go to the toilet or access his sandwiches or anything like that,’ Ms Franks said.
Following the allegations NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes told the program he had ordered a review on procedures and teacher training.
In regards to the chairs he said they ‘no place in a NSW public school’.
He also apologised to Austin and his family about the boxing pads and said the case was being dealt with.