The closure of a remedial education service for disabled children will have “serious consequences” on the students of the Montreal school service center (CSSDM), denounce the school principals of the metropolis. It is wrong to claim that they will receive more services, they say.
In a letter sent to its members, that The Press has obtained, the association which represents the principals of Montreal schools disavows the decision of the CSSDM, which announced last week that it will reassign to the next school year 22 remedial teachers who come to the aid of approximately 250 disabled students.
“While people look to us to break the bad news to parents and would have us believe that these students will receive more services, we must regret that this decision with serious consequences was taken in a hasty and without real consultation,” write Kathleen Legault and Stéphane Brunet, president and vice-president of the Montreal Association of School Principals (AMDES).
The association did not wish to grant an interview on this subject.
It is the Pedagogical Support Service for the Integration of Physically Handicapped Students (SSPI) that will be abolished. For 40 years, it has been made up of teachers who support students with disabilities who attend so-called “regular” schools. Each remedial teacher travels to several schools.
Benoit Thomas, director of educational services at the CSSDM, explains that the services will rather be distributed differently.
We are not announcing a cut in services, we are announcing an optimization and a more adequate response to the needs of students. There is a discrepancy between what the AMDES shares and the story on the ground.
Benoit Thomas, director of educational services at the CSSDM
Some students who are, for example, epileptic or diabetic are not best served by a remedial teacher, Thomas says. “It will be an attendant who will accompany him in his daily care,” he explains. However, students who suffer from dyspraxia or a rare genetic disease are also accompanied by these remedial teachers.
The “most vulnerable of the vulnerable” affected
Liberal education critic Marwah Rizqy does not believe the CSSDM’s version that services will be maintained. This is an outright breakdown of service, she said.
“They say the service is going to be offered continuously throughout the school. It’s impossible: currently, they are not able to offer the service to all the students with the remedial teachers in the school,” says Ms.me Rizqy.
This decision by the service center affects “the most vulnerable of the vulnerable”, continues Marwah Rizqy, who believes that the CSSDM may have made the “calculation” that only a small number of students would be affected.
It’s an individualized service and this little two hours, one-on-one, that’s what makes the difference.
Marwah Rizqy, Liberal Party of Quebec Critic for Education
At the National Assembly last week, the member questioned the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, on this subject, in particular by reading testimonies from worried parents.
“I am aware of this story at the moment, I am touched, and I propose to seize it […] so that I can check what it is,” replied Minister Drainville.
Parent concerns
The Press has received numerous testimonials from parents who are concerned about the CSSDM’s closure of the service.
A father testifies that “the remedial teacher makes the link with the teachers and also makes it possible to follow the rhythm when [sa fille] misses classes because of medical appointments and care she needs to receive at school or outside”.
Many also wrote directly to Minister Drainville. Some even testify that it was neurologist Lionel Carmant, minister responsible for social services, who evaluated their child.
“Thanks to the support of the remedial teacher, our son was able to flourish in a school environment. Before, he was always in a borderline situation of failure, ”writes a mother.
The CSSDM says it understands the parents’ concern and explains it in particular by the fact that they learned about it in an article by The Press released last week.
“Our communication session was short-circuited and now we are in catch-up mode. The parents will be met and we will inform them of the situation. We will not let any child down,” said Benoit Thomas, director of educational services at the CSSDM.