Graduation Turns Controversial Over Autism Treatment Claims
What should have been a joyful day for proud families has instead sparked anger and heartbreak in Belize City. A graduation ceremony at the Anglican Diocesan Preschool is now under scrutiny, with relatives alleging that children with autism were pushed to the sidelines, literally. They say three students, including a four-year-old graduate, were placed out of sight, away from the spotlight where their classmates proudly marched. For one family, the moment meant to celebrate a milestone instead raised deeper concerns about inclusion and respect. They claim repeated requests for accommodations were ignored, and now, the issue is gaining traction after a relative took to social media, calling attention to how children on the spectrum are treated in the classroom and beyond.
Fern Foster, Aunt of Graduate
“They have a first set of chairs da the front wa aisle, wa second set of chairs, right? So she set up the baby ney at the front of the first set of chairs on top of, like, the lee step thing, and then they come out into the aisle. But when you reach the three autistic child, their chairs were not in the aisle. Their chairs were behind the last chair for the front section. So if you sit at the front, you don’t know that a graduate is behind you, and if you sit at the back, you have to stand up to see that a graduate is sitting there. Immediately I’m upset because weh you di try do, weh you di try say, what da di message you di send to the parents who work hard for send their pickney to school? Yes, I get, I get da just preschool, but for some it’s some, it’s huge. When da time fi march up, the parents of the other students, of the separated students, stand up in the aisle where the graduate fi come. By the time ney parents stand up fi tek picture of ney pickney, you could not see that a graduate would’ve sit there because the chair deh way da the end, and my niece noh like problem either, so she just cool with that. So I say, Hey, hey, hey, wa graduate fi come sit down in ya enuh. Unu npoh know this some miss lady say, “Well, by the time we move, by the time fi we pickney done pass, we will move, because they had all the autistic kids at back.”
We reached out to Anglican Diocesan Preschool for a comment, however, we have not received a response.
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