Jordon and Lin
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.
Jordon is in high school and has a chromosomal condition that causes physical and intellectual disability.
His mum, Lin, told the Royal Commission that when she tried to enrol Jordon at his local primary school, they didn’t want him.
‘I was told he couldn't go there … [that] they couldn't support him there.’
Lin insisted.
‘I knew that that was his right and I was determined that he would finish his primary schooling there … I advocated for the whole seven years he went there.’
Lin said Jordon had ‘no way of telling’ her what went on at school and the school’s communication with her was poor.
‘I never really knew day-to-day what was going on. I didn't know where he was, who he was with. I just didn't seem to be entitled to any of that information regardless of how much I asked for that information.’
Years later, Lin applied for Jordon’s school records, which the principal initially refused to release.
‘I spoke to the regional office and they contacted him and told him to get the records. Even at that time he only gave me some of it … I'm not entirely sure that I have everything.’
Lin discovered that in one six-month period alone the school recorded many incidents, ‘none of which had been reported’ to her.
‘[Jordon] was in a state of distress the majority of the time and it really explained all the behaviour that they were complaining about because they were just so ill-equipped to understand, to know how to support him. There was no focus or interest on his wellbeing.’
One incident report described Jordon crawling on the floor.
‘They spoke about him in a terrible way. … Even the woman in the office spoke about him poorly. … She described what he looked like in the classroom, crawling around on the floor sneezing because he had hay fever one day, and referred to it as “disgusting”.’
Another time, a teacher smacked Jordon.
‘Apparently, he was climbing on [furniture] and the … teacher was on the other side of the room and walked over and smacked him.’
The principal told Lin it only happened once, but Jordon at that time began saying things such as ‘angry’, ‘naughty boy' and 'smack'.
‘And all of that language still continues now, even after I've taken him out of school.’
Lin said Jordon’s occupational therapist reported the incident at the time and a government social worker rang her ‘concerned that possibly he shouldn’t be there’.
‘I felt like the focus should've been ensuring with the school that they were protecting him, but [it] was about questioning my decision [to send him to that school].’
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.