Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam

Assessment Task 1: Lettei

To the Piincipal,

I am suipiiseu to leain that youi school has iefuseu to enioll my uaughtei,
Samantha, in youi school. I cannot think of a valiu ieason why she coulu be
iejecteu, but let me list the ieasons why I think this is legally anu ethically unjust.

The National Safe Schools Fiamewoik was ueviseu to guiue schools to
implement piinciples foi a safe anu suppoitive school community, wheieby
stuuent wellbeing anu iespectful ielationships aie piomoteu (Bepaitment of
Euucation, Science anu Tiaining, 2uuS). I feel that the school is being neithei
suppoitive noi piomoting a iespectful ielationship by iejecting Samantha's
application anu is in violation of the following key chaiacteiistics of the nine
elements stipulateu in the National Safe Schools Fiamewoik:
2.1 Stuuent connecteuness to the school.
2.S Cleai uemonstiation of iespect anu suppoit foi stuuent uiveisity
in the school's inclusive actions anu stiuctuies.
2.S Paient anu caiei connecteuness to the school.
(Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining, 2uuS)
By iefusing Samantha's eniolment, you aie not allowing hei oi myself to feel
connecteu to the school, uemonstiating iespect foi stuuent uiveisity, oi
suppoiting a chilu who is in neeu of skill uevelopment.
Auuitionally, The National Fiamewoik foi values Euucation in Austialian
Schools iuentifieu 9 specific values, wheieby the following S have been bieecheu:
Caie anu Compassion
Faii uo
Fieeuom
Integiity
0nueistanuing, Toleiance anu Inclusion
Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam
(Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining, 2uuS)
You aie not offeiing any caie oi compassion to Samantha, noi offeiing hei a faii
go by tieating hei uiffeiently to the othei stuuents you chose to accept this
acauemic yeai. You aie not giving hei the fieeuom that she is entitleu to anu
although she is vietnamese, Samantha has been in Austialia since biith anu
shoulu enjoy all the iights anu piivileges of an Austialian citizenship. Youi
school is not acting with integiity in consistent accoiuance with the piinciples of
moial anu ethical conuuct, noi acting with unueistanuing, toleiance anu
inclusion. A young giil is in neeu of schooling anu insteau of welcoming hei into
youi schooling community, you have faileu to obseive ovei half of the 9 values
iuentifieu in The National Fiamewoik foi values Euucation in Austialian Schools.

Nay I also ieminu you that youi actions contiavene the 0niteu Nations
Convention of the Rights of the Chilu, paiticulaily in iegaius to the following
aiticles:
Aiticle 2S
o !"# %&'( )%( *+,%) )" -.(/+&0 (1#/&)+"2 &21 /&*( +3 !"# %&'( &
1+-&4+0+)!5 &- 6(00 &- &00 )%( *+,%)- +2 )%+- 7"2'(2)+"25 -" )%&) !"#
/&2 0+'( & 3#00 0+3(
Aiticle 28
o !"# %&'( )%( *+,%) )" & ,""1 8#&0+)! (1#/&)+"29 :"# -%"#01 4(
(2/"#*&,(1 )" ," )" -/%""0 )" )%( %+,%(-) 0('(0 !"# /&2
Aiticle 29
o !"#* (1#/&)+"2 -%"#01 %(0. !"# #-( &21 1('(0". !"#* )&0(2)- &21
&4+0+)+(-9 ;) -%"#01 &0-" %(0. !"# 0(&*2 )" 0+'( .(&/(3#00!5 .*")(/)
)%( (2'+*"2<(2) &21 *(-.(/) ")%(* .(".0(
(0niteu Nations, 1989)

Samantha uoes have some social emotional issues anu school is one of the best
places that can anu shoulu pioviue special euucation to help auuiess them. Bei
iight to a goou quality euucation is being uenieu anu if you aie alloweu to ieject
Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam
hei application, how many othei schools will be alloweu to as well. When will it
stop.

The 0NESC0 Salamanca Statement calleu on goveinments to give the highest
piioiity to inclusive euucation. It states that:
eveiy chilu has a funuamental iight to euucation, anu must be given
the oppoitunity to achieve anu maintain an acceptable level of
leaining,
euucation systems shoulu be uesigneu anu euucational piogiams
implementeu to take into account the wiue uiveisity of these
chaiacteiistics anu neeus,
those with special euucational neeus must have access to iegulai
schools which shoulu accommouate them within a chilu centieu
peuagogy capable of meeting these neeus,
(0niteu Nations Euucational, Scientific anu Cultuial 0iganization , 1994)
The Salamanca Statement was ueviseu to guiue the new uevelopments in policy
anu law making to ensuie eveiyone was incluueu. If eveiy chilu has the iight to
euucation, then Samantha shoulu be accepteu into youi school without any
fuithei auo. Auuitionally, once accepteu, she shoulu be given an euucational
piogiam that is accommouating to hei special neeus.
The Bluepiint foi uoveinment Schools was ueviseu by the Austialian Laboi
Paity in 2uuS anu gave guiuance to euucation in the victoiian uoveinment
School System. Lynne Kosky, Ninistei foi Euucation anu Tiaining at the time,
specifically saiu that the goveinment school system guaianteeu an euucation foi
all chiluien, iiiespective of theii location oi backgiounu (Bluepiint foi
uoveinment Schools). The Bluepiint also goes on to state:
!"" $%&'()%$* +,,($-(.%+/( 01 %2( $.200" %2(3 4%%()'* 52(,( %2(3 "+/( 0, %2(+,
$0.+4" 4)' (.0)06+. $%4%&$* 24/( 4) ()%+%"(6()% %0 4 2+7289&4"+%3 $.200"
('&.4%+0) 4)' 4 7()&+)( 0--0,%&)+%3 %0 $&..((' (Bepaitment of Euucation
& Tiaining , 2uuS, p. 22).
Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam
We may live in community housing, anu oui social anu economic status may be
consiueieu low, but as the bluepiint cleaily states, Samantha is entitleu to an
euucation at youi school.
Lastly, The victoiian Teaching Piofession Coue of Conuuct was uevelopeu foi
anu by the victoiian teaching piofession anu is baseu on the values of integiity,
iespect anu iesponsibility (victoiian Institue of Teaching, 2uu8). Seveial
piinciples as stipulateu in the coue have been bieacheu, specifically:
Piinciple 1.1: Teacheis pioviue oppoitunities foi all stuuents to leain
Piinciple S.2: Teacheis aie awaie of the legal iequiiements that
peitain to theii piofession. In paiticulai, they aie cognisant of theii
legal iesponsibilities in ielation to uisciimination, haiassment anu
vilification
Piinciple 1.6a: Teacheis consiuei paients' peispectives when making
uecisions which have an impact on the euucation oi wellbeing of a
stuuent
Piinciple 1.7: Teacheis woik in collaboiative ielationships with
stuuents' families anu communities
Teacheis iecognise that theii stuuents come fiom a uiveise iange of
cultuial contexts anu seek to woik collaboiatively with stuuents'
families anu communities within those contexts.
(victoiian Institue of Teaching, 2uu8)

These piinciples speak foi themselves anu it is cleai that the victoiian Institute
of Teaching ueviseu this coue so young chiluien like Samantha woulu have the
iight to the euucation she ueseives.

In closing, I ieminu you that The National Safe Schools Fiamewoik, The National
Fiamewoik foi values Euucation in Austialian Schools, the 0niteu Nations
Convention of the Rights of the Chilu, The 0NESC0 Salamanca Statement, The
Bluepiint foi uoveinment Schools, anu The victoiian Teaching Piofession Coue
of Conuuct all outline the expectation foi schools to accept any stuuent without
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Alex Biaggini Suu1u4SSS ueialuine, Nonuay 1uam
Refeience List

Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining. (2uuS). National fiamewoik foi
values in Austialian schools. Piepaieu by the Stuuent Leaining anu
Suppoit Seivices Taskfoice Canbeiia. |Belu as pait of a kitj
Bepaitment of Euucation, Science anu Tiaining. (2uuS). National safe schools
fiamewoik. Piepaieu by the Stuuent Leaining anu Suppoit Seivices
Taskfoice Canbeiia.
Bepaitment of Euucation & Tiaining . (2uuS). !"#$%&'() +,& -,.$&(/$() 012,,"34
Retiieveu Naich 2u, 2u1S, fiom Austialian Policy 0nline:
www.apo.oig.auieseaichbluepiint-goveinment-schools

0niteu Nations Euucational, Scientific anu Cultuial 0iganization . (1994). 52$
06"6/6(16 0)6)$/$() 6(7 8&6/$9,&: +,& ;1)',( ,( 0%$1'6" <$$73
=7#16)',(4 Retiieveu Naich 2u, 2u1S, fiom 0niteu Nations Euucational,
Scientific anu Cultuial 0iganization:
http:www.unesco.oigeuucationpufSALANA_E.PBF

0niteu Nations. (1989). 52$ >(')$7 <6)',(3 ?,(.$()',( ,( )2$ @'A2)3 ,+ )2$ ?2'"7 4
Retiieveu Naich 2u, 2u1S, fiom Chiluiens Week:
http:www.chiluiensweek.oig.au0N%2upostei%2u}an%2u2uu8.puf

victoiian Institue of Teaching. (2uu8). 52$ B'1),&'6( 5$612'(A C&,+$33',( ?,7$ ,+
?,(7#1)4 Retiieveu Naich 2u, 2u1S, fiom victoiian Institue of Teaching:
http:www.vit.vic.euu.auSiteCollectionBocumentsPBF1S4S_Coue-of-
Conuuct-}une-2uu8.puf