Mum to keep autistic son home after school made him sit apart from classmates
A frustrated mother has decided she will now "keep her son at home" after his school made him sit apart from classmates - behind a screen.
Markel Martinez, who has autism, was put by a screen, on which were notes were pinned telling him how to behave, at Corstorphine Primary School in Wester Bloom, Edinburgh. When 47-year-old mum Ana discovered this, at a parents evening earlier this year, she was left "in tears".
Now she's taken Markel, six, out of the mainstream school and does not intend to send him back anytime soon. She is home-schooling the youngster but wants to enrol him at a specialist institution.
Notes telling the youngster to behave are pinned to his desk (Edinburgh Live)
Ana Martinez is pictured with Markel, who was diagnosed with autism when he was two (Edinburgh Live)Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Ana said: "I am not home-schooling him properly but I am keeping him home to teach him what he enjoys and I will continue to do this for as long as I can. It is really hard work but we are getting there with understanding and love.
"We do maths, comprehension, English language and we read together - he is amazing at reading. We also do geography together - he knows all the capitals, he is so intelligent.
Nursery apologises after child with Down's syndrome ‘treated less favourably’
"Ideally, I want him in a specialist school or a support based school. I just want him to learn in an environment where he will be happy. I want him to come back from school and be happy and make friends but I will keep him with me until a place at a specialist school becomes available."
Corstorphine Primary School caters for more than 650 pupils (Google Streetview)Edinburgh City Council said, in September, the individual desk was put in place to provide 'visual support and individual activities' for Markel. Ana, a mum of two, has been in contact with the authority, which Labour lost to no overall control in 2007, about her determination to find her son an appropriate school. But Ana, who moved to Edinburgh in 2022, said she has been told Markel is "too intelligent" to go to a specialist school. She recognises her son "loves to learn" and has bought all of the appropriate resources he needs to do so.
Ana added: "I pay for all of the books myself currently. I have been on benefits since I became a long-term carer for my son and some of the books cost about £9, £10 each. I have to do it - I don’t have another choice because he asks to learn. Sometimes I don’t even know who the teacher is because he teaches me things sometimes.
"Taking him out of school and learning things at home was the correct decision for me to have made as his mum because he is so much happier. However, he does want to go to school at one point because he wants a friend. I am tired of seeing him suffer, but I will keep him with me until he has a place in a specialist or support based school."
A spokesperson for City of Edinburgh Council said: "We’re determined that every child will have the support they need to reach their full potential and strive at all times to fully involve parents and carers in decisions about their children, including how best to meet the additional support needs that they may have. This can include providing additional resources or adaptations to the curriculum or learning environment. Home learning is an option for some families, and if any parent chooses to explore this option, guidance is provided."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
