An eleven-year-old girl with autism has been expelled from the Santa Maria del Pino private school, in Alella (Maresme). The center makes her responsible for conflicts in the classroom and prohibits her entry until she is accompanied by a night watchman, who she should hire the family to “protect the integrity” of the rest of the students.
The parents deny the accusations and accuse the center of having distorted reality. They assure that the girl was the victim and not the harasser and are considering taking legal action.
The reports from her therapist indicate that the girl’s mood has worsened due to rejection from some classmates. “They always blame me”, “they treat me badly”, “I can’t take it anymore” are some of the expressions repeated in therapies.
The girl’s mother, Manar Dubach, explains in statements to ACN that the episodes of “insults” and “harassment” date back to the end of last year. That is why in September the family already contacted the center to prepare for the start of the course, in accordance with the recommendations of the minor’s therapist. “She is suffering more than anyone else,” says Dubach.
The family also asked to implement the bullying protocol, but the school refused because it understood that this did not occur. However, some other family would support the story and they even informed the principal in early November that his son was explaining how other children in the class “mistreated” the girl with autism.
In the report that was used to justify the expulsion, this is not taken into account, nor is it stated in writing that the girl suffers from various disorders. The girl suffers from ADHD, diagnosed in 2020; social communicative disorder, a part of the autism spectrum diagnosed in 2021, and dyscaulia, diagnosed in 2022.
It is said, however, that the conflicts go back to the 2nd grade of Primary School – the girl is now turning 6th grade. Furthermore, now her behavior would have “worsened,” according to the center’s director, Francesc Serra.
For the family, the story is surprising, because they claim that until now they had never been warned of this conflict. “Why haven’t they done anything in these four years?” the mother asks.
The expulsion finally came on November 22 through an email sent to his family. The decision is based, according to the center, on the fact that the girl with autism is responsible for the conflicts. The school details that the girl cannot return to school for 30 days, and until she is accompanied by a guardian, who should be in charge of the family to “protect the physical and emotional integrity of the students.”
The center says that it does not have this type of professional profile and that there is no “pool” of nightstanders from the public administration for private centers, while the family claims that it cannot bear an additional cost of 1,000 euros per month. “Until now we have been able to resolve the situations, we have done even more, but if you want to return to school you have to come with a candle,” insists the director.
The family also found out at that time that the harassment protocol had been activated against the girl, as the aggressor. The victim, they say, is another girl. The center points out that the autistic girl “hits” and makes “unpleasant comments” to a classmate, with whom she has the main conflicts. The document says this happens “continuously throughout the day.”
However, the same document also points out that the conflicts in which the girl with autism is involved are “very specific.” Also in the interviews with the families, according to the report, in no case is the girl blamed for her behavior and in different emails from the teaching team her behavior in conflict resolution is applauded.
“We have congratulated him for how he has managed the situation,” says his teacher in an email addressed to the family at the beginning of the school year. In fact, during the first weeks, the tutor explains that the case is being carefully monitored, with awareness-raising work in the classroom on aspects related to diversity to “guarantee the well-being” of the girl and her “integration.” her.
In one way or another, both girls end up being victims of the process, according to the different reports and stories given by the parties, which would show a high state of emotional vulnerability. Given this, the school considers that the best solution is to punish the girl with autism: “We love her very much, but we cannot allow her to hit another girl,” says the director.
In this context, the family contacts the Maresme-Vallès Oriental Territorial Education Services to find a solution to the conflict through a change of center. The parents report that they have not received any type of support from the Department and that the Education Inspectorate has sided with the school without knowing the case in detail.
“They are allowing the girl to be harassed and excluded from the educational system,” the parents say in a letter in which they accuse the inspector of “maintaining an unfair situation.” Regarding the search for a new center, the family asked a dozen charter schools of their choice and where there is also a secondary school to avoid a new change of center next year.
However, in all cases they have been told that they were already full and that only authorization from the Department would allow the ratio to be expanded. However, in several writings the Territorial Services reject this point and call on the family to enroll the girl in a public center in the municipality where there are places available.
The Department of Education has declined to make assessments on these efforts, beyond confirming that the services of the Education inspectorate and the Psychopedagogical Care Team (EAP) have been made available to the family. Regarding the events that occurred at the school, Educació refuses to comment on “any praxis” of private centers.
