Page 18 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 3-4: Convention on the Rights of the Child: Educational Opportunities and Social Justice, eds. Zdenko Kodelja and Urška Štremfel
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šolsko polje, letnik xxxi, številka 3–4
policies and practices. Many children with characteristics like a disabil-
ity or learning difficulties, disadvantaged social background, experienc-
ing poverty, or from a migrant family are at greater risk of having their
specific rights inadequately considered by the school, even in countries
which declare themselves as having inclusion policies, as defined in the
Salamanca Statement, “education for all” (UNESCO, 1994).
It is reported, for example, that children with disabilities or learning
difficulties are victims of rights violations at school. Aggregate data from
Disability Rights Promotion International Individual Monitoring Projects
(Bolivia, Canada (Toronto and Quebec), India and the Philippines)3 show
that students with disabilities experience a lack of autonomy, erosion of
dignity, discrimination and inequality, exclusion and inaccessibility, dis-
respect for difference in school (Rioux and Pinto, 2010; also see Miles
and Singal, 2010). In the decision-making process, Lundy and Kilpatrick
(2006) show that in Ireland assessments do not make sufficient consider-
ation of pupils with disabilities, and there tend to be very few opportuni-
ties for these children to give their views on decisions affecting them.
When they can access education, the children of migrants, asylum
seekers or ethnic minorities are also impacted by non-inclusive or ethno-
centric practices. In Switzerland, as children are assessed in the teaching
language or in reference to the host culture, they are at greater risk of en-
countering problems at school (Sanchez-Mazas and Changkakoti, 2017;
also see Haenni Hoti et al., 2015). In Germany, pupils from a migrant
background are more likely to be disadvantaged (55% among first-gener-
ation migrants and 42% among the second generation (Authoring Group
Educational Reporting, 2016)). Education research has long recorded the
high proportion of these children in special classes or schools: in Iceland,
a child from a migrant background has on average a 20% probability of
needing specialised support, regardless of discrimination or disadvantage
due to his or her origin (also see Sahrai, 2015).
The challenge in such cases is to go beyond the issue of access, as
“tackling exclusion requires halting and reversing exclusionary policies
and practices, not only countering their effects”, according to Tomasevski
(2006, p. 44). A complete paradigm change in schools is needed to imple-
ment and reaffirm the rights of the child: difference should not be seen as
3 All data provided in this paper are chosen according to their accessibility and scientific
relevance. When possible, aggregated data are chosen to provide a broader overview of the
issue at stake. If such data are unavailable, data from specific, randomly chosen, nations or
regions, and confirmed by at least another source, are presented. Yet most studies focus on
Western countries or regions since most of the published scientific research is conducted
there (see Quennerstedt and Moody, 2020).
16
policies and practices. Many children with characteristics like a disabil-
ity or learning difficulties, disadvantaged social background, experienc-
ing poverty, or from a migrant family are at greater risk of having their
specific rights inadequately considered by the school, even in countries
which declare themselves as having inclusion policies, as defined in the
Salamanca Statement, “education for all” (UNESCO, 1994).
It is reported, for example, that children with disabilities or learning
difficulties are victims of rights violations at school. Aggregate data from
Disability Rights Promotion International Individual Monitoring Projects
(Bolivia, Canada (Toronto and Quebec), India and the Philippines)3 show
that students with disabilities experience a lack of autonomy, erosion of
dignity, discrimination and inequality, exclusion and inaccessibility, dis-
respect for difference in school (Rioux and Pinto, 2010; also see Miles
and Singal, 2010). In the decision-making process, Lundy and Kilpatrick
(2006) show that in Ireland assessments do not make sufficient consider-
ation of pupils with disabilities, and there tend to be very few opportuni-
ties for these children to give their views on decisions affecting them.
When they can access education, the children of migrants, asylum
seekers or ethnic minorities are also impacted by non-inclusive or ethno-
centric practices. In Switzerland, as children are assessed in the teaching
language or in reference to the host culture, they are at greater risk of en-
countering problems at school (Sanchez-Mazas and Changkakoti, 2017;
also see Haenni Hoti et al., 2015). In Germany, pupils from a migrant
background are more likely to be disadvantaged (55% among first-gener-
ation migrants and 42% among the second generation (Authoring Group
Educational Reporting, 2016)). Education research has long recorded the
high proportion of these children in special classes or schools: in Iceland,
a child from a migrant background has on average a 20% probability of
needing specialised support, regardless of discrimination or disadvantage
due to his or her origin (also see Sahrai, 2015).
The challenge in such cases is to go beyond the issue of access, as
“tackling exclusion requires halting and reversing exclusionary policies
and practices, not only countering their effects”, according to Tomasevski
(2006, p. 44). A complete paradigm change in schools is needed to imple-
ment and reaffirm the rights of the child: difference should not be seen as
3 All data provided in this paper are chosen according to their accessibility and scientific
relevance. When possible, aggregated data are chosen to provide a broader overview of the
issue at stake. If such data are unavailable, data from specific, randomly chosen, nations or
regions, and confirmed by at least another source, are presented. Yet most studies focus on
Western countries or regions since most of the published scientific research is conducted
there (see Quennerstedt and Moody, 2020).
16
