Parliamentary question without notice – Wear it purple day
26/11/2013
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (14:49): Does the minister plan to work with schools to increase education around other derogatory terms that may be used by young people, in particular ‘retard’ or ‘retarded’?
The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:50): It is not exactly my portfolio area, but I must admit that when I read the paper and saw the report of the students I wanted to go down and congratulate them, and I made that effort. I think that is a very useful and good question from the honourable member and I undertake to take that up with the Minister for Education in the other place.
The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation): The Minister for Education and Child Development has been advised:
The Department for Education and Child Development (DECD) takes the issue of the use of derogatory terms very seriously.
Through the Brighter Futures initiative, the department is developing a Charter for Inclusion. The DECD Charter for Inclusion will enshrine a set of principles for equity of access to education.
The charter will demonstrate our commitment to inclusive education practices which will create preschools and schools, where all members of preschool and school communities feel valued and where all members of the school community have the opportunity to participate fully in preschool and school life. The charter will reiterate the principle that students with disabilities have the right to education in an environment that is free from discrimination caused by harassment and victimisation (including name-calling) on the basis of their disability.
Under the Disability Standards for Education, DECD needs to have strategies and programs to prevent harassment and victimisation of learners with a disability and to take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and students understand their obligations not to harass and victimise learners with a disability.
To this end, all sites are required to develop and implement policies to address harassment and bullying for all students.
In addition, under the National Partnerships: More Support for Students with Disabilities, SA is implementing an e-learning program for teachers concerning the use and implementation of the Disability Standards in Education. This online professional learning program has been undertaken by 3,118 SA educational leaders and teachers to date. This online course highlights the obligations of education providers to uphold the right of students with disabilities to participate in education or training in an environment that is free from discrimination caused by harassment or victimisation on the basis of their disability.
