Sask. mother highlights lack of special needs supports in schools
CTV
The mother of a Regina special needs student who witnessed many of her supports disappear due to cuts – spoke out on the current struggles of education in Saskatchewan.
The mother of a Regina special needs student who witnessed many of her supports disappear due to cuts – spoke out on the current struggles of education in Saskatchewan.
Taya Thomas tragically lost her daughter Mayelle this past December. Since her passing, Thomas has sought to highlight the challenges her child faced in overcrowded classrooms with lacking supports.
“She was 13 and a half years old. She was a wonderfully bright child,” Thomas explained. “She had some developmental delays. But that never stop[ped] her from engaging and doing things like every other child.”
Mayelle was wheelchair bound and suffered from seizures. One of her conditions did not allow her to sweat and would lead her to overheat if her classroom did not have access to air conditioning.
This, along with Mayelle’s wheelchair barely fitting through doorways at Grant Road School, were just some issues the young student faced.
“She was supposed to be going up to high school, and they did not have enough room in the high school program to accommodate her,” Thomas explained.
In addition, the program Mayelle had utilized since she was three years old – which allowed her to start her schooling early – was cut.
