Olivia Cattan, president of the SOS Autisme association, journalist and mother of a 15-year-old boy with autism, explained on Monday January 17 on franceinfo that “happiness” children with disabilities “is to be with others” in a normal school. She is the author of The School of Discord, a survey on the integration of children with disabilities in school published in August 2021 by Max Milo editions. She does not understand the meaning of the remarks of the presidential candidate Eric Zemmour who denounces “the obsession with inclusion” for children with disabilities. “He really betrays the republican pact” and “has total disregard for our children”, she says.
What do Éric Zemmour’s words on “the obsession with inclusion” inspire in you?
I was outraged for several reasons. It really betrays the Republican pact since the school of the Republic is already supposed to welcome all students, whoever they are, without any distinction. He wants to make us a school of selection, of segregation. And then, what does he want to do with these children? He wants to get rid of them, finally, to put them a little out of touch with society, as at a certain time, centuries ago, with specialized establishments, sorts of hospices where these children would have no hope of to come up. As parents, what we hope is that our children have autonomy, that we manage to make them study or in any case train so that they have a job to leave at the end quiet telling themselves that they have something in their hands. Today, we want to go back and create establishments for these children who have severe disabilities.
What background has your son had?
This gentleman first of all has total contempt for our children. When he speaks of them, he says “the poor”, “they are overwhelmed”. So I would like to tell him already that we don’t say the poor for people with disabilities. We don’t need his contempt. We don’t need his Christian charity. And then, they are not overwhelmed since many of them are studying. My son had a severe disability when he was 5 years old. Today, he is in ordinary second, he had his patent with honors “very good”. We didn’t give it to him. He won it. Disability is progressive when there is good care, good inclusion, children evolve.
What do you want to say to Eric Zemmour?
What I would like to understand is what does he propose as a future for these children? This is what concerns me as a parent. First, when he talks about specialized establishments, we don’t know what he’s talking about. He is in total confusion. Is he talking about IMEs [Institut médico-éducatif], day hospitals? At one point, he says that more companions are needed. So that would mean he’s still for inclusion. In any case, some students. So we don’t understand what he’s saying. We do not know if he wants to go back on this law of 2005 which guarantees equal opportunities to all children. I asked him to answer these questions. I contacted his team, but it’s a total contempt for the associations, maybe a lack of courage also because he does not control his file. I asked him to explain himself so that we can debate together, that I already understand what he wants to do because for the moment, I don’t understand. Today, the happiness of these children is to be with others. They bring them a lot of things. Looking at difference is also very important for others.