Silent Does Not Mean Stupid. Part 2

Photo by Mina-Marie Michell on Pexels.com

Happy new year friends. If you are reading this before Part 1, may I humbly request that you click on this link in order to catch the backstory?

This post has been created because if you’re anything like me, you struggle with long, wordy posts. I did not want to make Part 1 too long, and so the promised excerpt from Jonathon Bryan’s book, ‘Eye Can Write’ is featured here.

“I received the Legacy Award in recognition of my Teach Us Too campaign for all children to be taught to read and write, regardless of their label.

It was an immense honour to receive this award remembering Princess Diana, who so often went out of her way to show solidarity with those society would rather forget about.

Her legacy ward has given me a stronger platform on which I am a voice for the voiceless. My dream is a special education system where academic competence is assumed, rather than assumptions about academic ability based on physical disability.

Unfortunately, current education policy is tipping the other way, with proposals from the Rochford Review that schools will no longer need to report to government on children labelled with profound and multiple learning difficulties (as I was). This is against a backdrop where special schools are increasingly opting for non-subject-specific learning; i.e. literacy teaching is no longer required.

This lack of accountability signals that the education of children like me is of very little importance. Imagine Ofsted was abolished in mainstream education, because no one really cared what children were taught in schools. Yet this is what is happening to children like me in education.

If my mother hadn’t removed me from special school for a few hours a day to teach me to read and write, I would not be able to write this for you today. For a non-verbal child, learning to read and write is not just a life skill. It unlocks our voice. It gives us life in all its fullness. I am not unique. there are more children like me in special school who need an education system that believes they are worth teaching too. Then my story of learning to write and communicate will not be as unique either.

I don’t have much time left, so I am asking you to get behind my campaign and use your influence to ensure there is accountability and aspiration for children who are often marginalised and judged. My body is very weak, but my desire to make a difference for children like me is very strong. With Diana’s legacy I am building my own.”

© Jonathon Bryan. Eye Can Write (pages 160 -162) Written at the age of 12 years old.

To sign the petition, go to https://www.teachustoo.org.uk/our-story

or:

link to land directly on the petition page.

All other relevant links can be found in Part 1.

Thanks for your time!