Kingsdene Parent Group – Media Release – 9 November, 2009
Disadvantage is not the same as disability so the Education Revolution means
some students will continue to be more socially included than others.
Unlike Brendan Nelson when he was Federal Education Minister, Ms Julia Gillard
has refused to meet with parents of students with disabilities in relation to the closure
of their children’s school.
“In August Ms Gillard met with and listened to students who could put their concerns
to her personally and directly about proposed changes to youth allowance adversely
affecting their ability to attend University. Yet a request to meet the Minister from
parents of students who cannot speak for themselves because of their severe
intellectual disabilities has been refused with no reason offered.” said Vanessa
Browne parent of a student at Kingsdene Special School.
“This brings into question the Rudd government’s high-sounding rhetoric on people
with disabilities and social inclusion “said Ms Browne
Since the 1820s children with disabilities were educated in charity-operated special
schools, government is a Johnny-come-lately in giving educational opportunity to
students with disabilities to learn about the world, gain skills and wherever possible to
eventually gain employment and pay taxes like everyone else. In NSW over 20% of
all students with severe disabilities are still educated in charity-operated schools.
Now Kingsdene is closing and the viability of a number of these schools is precarious
because the students are not funded in the same way as their peers in government
schools; they are funded on a fiction of socio-economic disadvantage rather than the
fact of their disability.
“Equity not charity should be the basis of any funding mechanism for students with
disabilities irrespective of the educational setting.” said Bernadette Moloney.
Vanessa Browne said: “For decades all governments have penny-pinched on the
education of students with disabilities in all sectors and shamelessly toyed with some
of the most disabled students in the country who are educated in small charity-
operated special schools. It is time to end the cheapskate sectoral funding games and
equitably fund, irrespective of the school system, students with disabilities on the
basis of their educational needs having regard to their disability. Kingsdene has been
pushed over the brink and its closure will invariably add greater financial stress to an
already stretched public education sector because the students at Kingsdene have
significant and severe disabilities. The public education sector ill afford more
closures”.
We call on the Rudd government to find the moral courage lacked by all previous
governments to grant specific targeted funds to non-government special schools so
they remain viable and in doing so close the equity gap for students whose disabilities
do not recognise sectoral divides.
Media Contact: Vanessa Browne 0403762111 and Bernadette Moloney 04096602000
NEWS 
