Ezra and Cora
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Ezra is autistic. His mother Cora thought he would benefit from repeating kindergarten.
Cora told the Royal Commission that when she approached the teacher about this, the teacher told her kindergarten was ‘not the right place for him’. The teacher didn’t elaborate, so Cora spoke to the teacher’s assistant who said they could see Ezra trying to engage with the other children, but they didn’t have time to facilitate this.
Somewhat baffled, given there were four staff for 17 students, Cora offered to send in a home therapist to support Ezra. But the teacher said no, and told Cora she wasn’t allowing any student to repeat.
Cora found another kindergarten that was ‘very welcoming and inclusive and happy to have him’. His current kindergarten teacher needed to sign some forms before he could be transferred, but refused.
Cora contacted the local education department office who said they would talk to the teacher because ‘they preferred to bring the teachers along for the journey rather than dictating to the teachers how to do their jobs’. But the teacher was immovable and rebuked Cora for speaking to the department.
Uncertain how to proceed, Cora spoke to a disability association who contacted the regulatory team at the education department. They confirmed it was ‘a breach of [Ezra’s] rights’ and instructed the teacher to sign the form within the week.
But this didn’t happen. With only days remaining until the deadline for applications, Cora contacted the president of the kindergarten. The president was ‘horrified by the situation’ and had the forms signed that afternoon.
‘I’ve since learnt that the department of education could have bypassed [the teacher] at any stage, but chose not to,’ Cora said. The way they handled it caused unnecessary distress.
Cora said that waiting for the teacher’s permission ‘gave her power over us and inadvertently set the value of my son’s human rights to be less than the value [of her pride]’.
Ezra is thriving at his new kindergarten. An inclusion officer recently visited and congratulated his new teachers for the progress he has made. He is starting to say three-word sentences, draw symbolically, write the alphabet and make friends. Cora said ‘these are the opportunities [the teacher] tried to take from him’.
Since the incident Cora has discovered seven of Ezra’s peers were allowed to repeat kindergarten. She is concerned because she has heard the teacher is now targeting another family with a child with a disability.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.