Stephen Donnelly at Special Needs Assistant demonstration 13th July 2011

Описание: Special Needs Assistants: March to Leinster House

Starts: Wednesday, July 13th 2011 at 3:00 pm
Ends: Wednesday, July 13th 2011 at 4:30 pm
We Need You!

Support the children of Wicklow and East Carlow by joining our family-friendly demonstration.

On Wednesday 13th of July we will have a short march to Leinster House to protest the proposed cuts in Special Needs Assistants for our Schools. There will be face painting, music & fun.

These cuts impact on the most vulnerable children and on all children in our schools.

Every special needs assistant lost to a school is a huge blow to the child and its family, and makes the jobs of the teachers and principal in that school more difficult.

Special needs assistants are there to help children with special needs integrate into mainstream classrooms: this makes the classroom a healthier and happier environment where all children can learn and thrive. Remove those assistants you will force children with special needs from the classroom, or you risk that those children's needs will occupy the teacher's time, and detract from the quality of teaching and supervision that all the children in the class need.

Traveller resource teachers and language resource teachers are also there to help ensure that children who might find it difficult to integrate into the mainstream classroom manage to do so. The relatively small sums spent on these teachers have huge long-term benefits: higher educational outcomes; better employment prospects; more integrated schools and society.

This rally isn't about mindless opposition to any and all cuts. As a State, we're living beyond our means. Cuts will have to be made. But cuts that will cost more in the long term make no sense. Cuts that undermine the very thing we need to get us out of this mess -- a top-class education system -- make no sense. Cuts that hit at our most vulnerable children, and risk other children being caught in the crossfire, are unjust. These cuts are counter productive and counter intuitive. I am calling on all parents in Wicklow and East Carlow who can manage to take the time, to come to Dublin on Wednesday next, in a show of solidarity in opposition to these cuts. Children are especially welcome, and we'll have music and face painting to help entertain them.

Please get in touch if you'd like more information or to help out. Also visit the Special Needs Parents Association's website and Facebook page for more information.