PP move on inclusive education sparks backlash

A vote in Madrid on Wednesday puts the priority of inclusive education at risk, campaigners say. The social movement for inclusive education, Quererla es Crearla, is opposing amendments put forward by the People’s Party (PP) and introduced by the Senate into reforms of Spain’s disability and dependency laws. One amendment would remove from the LOMLOE education law the priority given to inclusive education over special education.

The group said in a statement published on Wednesday that inclusive education cannot be defined by what the PP happens to want. It called separating pupils an obvious and unlawful form of discrimination that runs against inclusion.

Warning over separate learning routes

Quererla es Crearla also rejected exclusive routes for people labelled as having Special Educational Needs (NEE). It described this as blatant discrimination and called it ableism.

The movement says international education research over the past half-century has consistently found benefits from inclusive education compared with segregated settings. It points to social relationships, belonging, wellbeing, learning, communication, language development and behaviour.

Call for mainstream system to change

A segregated school promotes an excluding society because people do not respect or value those they do not know, the group warned. It says the mainstream education system must change to remove excluding spaces and routes.

The campaigners accuse the PP of manipulation, arguing that the amendments are hidden behind references to inclusive education, equal opportunities and universal accessibility.

Topics: Social affairs · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com