School Is No Good For You

Behind all the fuss around teacher ratios that is  burning more and more of National's political capital (which is, ultimately, a one seat majority in parliament), is the proposed changes to special schools.
Today, CCS Disability Action came out in favour of the proposal to have fewer special schools.  And I thought to myself that CCS Disability Action's spokesperson, David Matthews, should consider being careful what he wishes for.  His press release says:

Currently, there are a number of Residential Special Schools where a small number of students with special needs can attend for up to two years. While these schools provide significant support, they also take students away from their families, homes, and communities and are expensive to run.

Many of the students at special schools are dysfunctional or from a disadvantaged background, rather than disabled.  The intensive intervention provided by a special school attempts to address this, and is quite different to the wrap-around community care model proposed by the Minister.  The difference is that special schools address acute issues, whereas wrap-around care manages chronic issues.  It is apparent she has a particularly poor grasp of her portfolio.

Able Tasmans - Somebody Ate My Planet, 1992