I see a real irony here. Australian society is a very bigotted scene. However it is not Pauline Hanson who presents the most bigotted of views. Rather it is those who sit high in their ivory towers, perched aloft on self-righteosness and preaching their idealisms who are the real biggots. Their views on any given subject are steeped in political correctness and in their minds encapsulate the only acceptable beliefs that a modern progressive person should hold. Our media and political landscape is filled with such people. Anybody who presents a differing view is condemned as some sort of depraved moron who must be mocked with venom and shut down promtly.
Over this past week, Pauline Hanson has been crucified by media and social commentators for suggesting that children in Australian schools may be served better if some separation existed between children who have autistim (or special needs) and those who do not. She suggested it might be an idea worth concidering if special needs children were to spend some learning time in separate classrooms with special teachers.
Unfortunately this view is not supported by the political correctness people and she was quickly attacked and quoted out of context in all the normal ways. Instead of debating her suggestion with any form of respect or intelligence, Hanson's critics automatically took up their default position and with contempt attacked her as a retrograde.
A more balanced perspective however allows a person to see that she has a valid point which is backed by experiences and opinions of many parents and teachers. The idea of segregated learning streams deserves at least some mature concideration without all the hatred and emotional hyperbole that has gone along with this week's social commentry.
How bad is it really to suggest that children with special needs may have those needs met more effectively in a learning environment that is taylored to their needs? And is it so wrong to suggest that kids without special needs may also benefit if their teacher was free to focus on academic advancement rather than meeting the special needs of others?
Despite the startling increase in children currently being diagnosed as autistic, there is still a majority of children in schools who are not autistic and do not have special needs. These kids however seem to have been pushed aside by this political correctness assult. Another silent majority. These kids don't even get their own politically correct label- is 'normal' ok to use?
I am the father of seven children. Four of whom are in primary school and none of whom are considered as being 'special needs'. (So I guess they can be considered as normal.) A few years ago an autistic boy started attending their primary school. It was soon obvious that he could not integrate into the classroom environment without causing constant disruption and upheaval. His regular 'meltdowns' and violent disruptions meant that he often spent time removed from the classroom under special supervision of the principal. The upheaval was so great that a number of parents removed their children from the school. It is hard to see how the educational needs of any of the students were properly met in that attempt at inclusive integrated learning.
Despite this, in the minds of many outspoken biggotted social commentators in the Australian community, the only acceptable opinion a person is permitted to have is one that is in line with their own inclusive idealism. Anybody who dares to publically voice any other persective will soon come under heavy fire for being non-conformist. It seems Hason has held the 'wrong' view on a number of topics and has come under fire once again for daring to offer a counter perspective.
So although it is not alright for Pauline Hanson to suggest that autistic children have no place in the mainstream classroom, it is alright for the politically correct class to insist that she has no place in Australian politics.
Irony or hypocrisy?