Assessment Task 1:

Ashleigh Pearson S00135130

To St Martin of Tours Primary School,

It has come to my attention that you have refused enrolment of a
particular student within your community being, Viktor Brauer. My belief is
that you should, in fact, be allowing this student to enrol into your Primary
School. Aside from this obvious disagreement, let me explain some
information which might be of significance when considering Viktor (and
other students) for enrolment at St Martin of Tours Primary.
The National Safe Schools Framework (NSSF) is a set of guidelines
and principles which are expected to be adhered to by all schools in
Australia. The framework clearly states that there is a vision for all schools
to provide safe and supportive school communities. In the description of a
safe and supportive school, the NSSF states, all members of the school
community feel respected and included and can be confident that they
will receive support (pg. 2). Why does your school not adhere to this
framework?
I would also like to bring to your attention the fifth principle of the
NSSF being that your school should be, actively supporting young people
to develop understanding and skills to keep themselves and others safe.
As you would know, Viktor has Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). This
disorder can most often be overcome with such a principle being taken
into effect. According to the Better Health Channel (2014), around one in
10 children under the age of 12 are thought to have ODD. This would
suggest that St Martins of Tours Primary School already has students with
this disorder enrolled. Does this suggest that there is some form of
1

Assessment Task 1:

Ashleigh Pearson S00135130

discrimination or negligence occurring within your school and schooling

community?
Furthermore, the National Framework for Values Education in
Australian Schools is another facet that St Martin of Tours should take into
account when denying Viktors enrolment. There are nine values for
Australian Schooling stated within this framework, three of which are of
particular importance: Value 1 - Care and compassion; being that you
should educate care for yourself and others. This does not translate to
your choice of enrolment. Value 3 - Fair Go; being that your school should
pursue to treat all people fairly for a just society. Is rejection of enrolment
a fair go? Value 9 Understanding, tolerance and inclusion; being that
your school should accept diversity within a society and value being
included and including others. Why are you not including my son? St
Martin of Tours should be adopting a whole school approach to values
education ensuring that students and the community feel respected and
able to get support. I question the amount of support you have for my son
and others alike.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child involves
two particular articles which are relevant to Viktors enrolment. Article 28
states that each child has the right to education on the basis of equal
opportunity. By rejecting Viktors enrolment, you are therefore denying his
right to an education. Article 29d also states that, the education of a child
shall be directed to the preparation of the child for responsible life in a
free society in regards to peace, tolerance, equality and friendship. Is your

Assessment Task 1:

Ashleigh Pearson S00135130

rejection of enrolment suggesting that St Martin of Tours cannot provide

such an education to any students, or that that Viktor is being actively
discriminated against?
According to The Salamanca Statement, it is believed that every
child has a fundamental right to education, and must be given the
opportunity to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of learning. (p.
viii) Viktor is a child who deserves these rights to be upheld within your
school community. Viktors disorder is one which can be easily be
accommodated for and treated within a schooling environment such as St
Martin of Tours. The Victorian Institute of Teaching standards for
graduating teachers discusses that, graduate teachers should regard all
students capable of learning and demonstrate an understanding of, and
commitment to, equity in their practice. Because of this, it is assumed
that all teachers employed at St Martin of Tours would possess this quality
and thus, would be able to teach and display equity towards Viktor and his
educational progress. Denying this would be denying that your institution
has legally qualified staff.
Foreman (2011) discusses the principles underlying inclusion,
suggesting that schools use systems to implement inclusion into their
community. Social justice implies equal access and equal rights for all
which goes hand in hand with the principle of inclusion. I question the
morality of St Martin of Tours primary school if you do not agree with the
principle of inclusion and social justice from the perspective of academic
literature.

Assessment Task 1:

Ashleigh Pearson S00135130

I have noticed that the St Martin of Tours mission statement is as

follows: St Martins school provides an inclusive and holistic curriculum
for all members of the school community in their journey as life long
learners. Let me remind you of the exclusion you portray to myself and
my son, and the contradictive hypocrisy your institutions mission
statement demonstrates. I strongly advise you reassess your decision on
my son, Viktors enrolment keeping in mind the concept of inclusion. If
your school still decides to reject Viktors enrolment, then you are also
choosing to disregard/reject law, academic professionals, frameworks,
human rights, teaching standards and your own school mission. If this is
the case, then I feel I have strong grounds to seek legal advice and pursue
this matter until justice prevails.
Regards, Viktor Brauers Father

Assessment Task 1:

Ashleigh Pearson S00135130

References
Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, United Nations. Retrieved
from http://www.unicef.org/crc/
Foreman, P. (2011). Inclusion in Action (3rd ed.). Australia, Harcourt
Australia.
National Safe Schools Framework (revised 2011), Commonwealth of
Australia. Retrieved from
http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/NSSFramework.pdf
National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools 2005,
Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved from
http://www.valueseducation.edu.au/verve/_resources/Framework_PD
F_version_for_the_web.pdf
The Better Health Channel. (2014). Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
Retrieved from
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Opp
ositional_defiant_disorder_%28ODD%29
St Martin of Tours. (2014). Mission Statement. Retrieved From
http://www.smrosanna.catholic.edu.au/our-school/14/p/introduction/
Standards For Graduating Teachers 2009, Victorian Institute of Teaching.
Retrieved from
http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/PDF/Standardsfor-Graduating-Teachers-jan-09.pdf
The Salamanca Statement and Framework For Action on Special Needs
Education 1994, Salamanca, Spain. Retrieved from
http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/SALAMA_E.PDF