Calgary girl with Down syndrome stuck at home due to lack of school supports

It's nearly three weeks into the school year and Shawna Risdon's seven-year-old daughter, Sadie, hasn't attended a single day of classes. 

The mother says Sadie, who has Down syndrome, was meant to start Grade 1 at the Olympic Heights School in southwest Calgary a few days after her classmates to allow the class time to get in the groove before she joined.

But in the days since, the school's administration hasn't been able to ensure Sadie's safety once she's there, says Risdon. 

She says she was told specifically about a child with Down Syndrome who was at the school the last couple of years who was frequently disappearing from the school.

"They were having to go and find the child in the playground or outside of the school grounds, and that just raised a lot of concerns for Sadie because she has kind of an extreme compulsion when it comes to escaping care," said Risdon. 

"We were just told basically that there are no full-time supports that Sadie would have in her classroom to keep her safe. That she could escape care and they would do their best, but they couldn't guarantee that she would be safe."

During that conversation, Risdon says, it was then suggested she simply withdraw her daughter from school. 

For now, Sadie watches every morning when her 10-year-old sister leaves for school while she gets ready for another day at home. 

"It's very disheartening. It led us to believe that kids with disabilities are slipping through the cracks and no one is there to catch them. No one seems to be able to go to bat to make sure their needs are met in school. It's just very heartbreaking," said Risdon.

In a statement, the Calgary Board of Education says it's aware of the situation and is working with the family to address their concerns, but that it would not speak to the specifics "to protect the privacy of the family."

The school board said that as an organization it welcomes all students regardless of background or ability, and it works closely with families to determine the best supports and programming for a child. 

"School principals work to balance complexity and the range of student needs in classes in a way that will optimize the experience for all students within available resources," said spokeswoman Joanne Anderson.

"Our schools offer safe, inclusive learning environments, and many students who require specialized learning supports achieve success in their community schools."

In order to make sure Sadie keeps learning, her parents have hired a full-time aide to be with her and take on a quasi-teacher role during school hours.