Dr Michael Bezzina of Sydney CEO told 29 front line specialist teachers recently that the 30-year program would not continue “as we know it” beyond the end of the school year.
In the lead up to Christmas the CEO is providing no gifts but in fact support is being taken away.
The following letter from a SIP Teacher shows the human impact of this:
“We have a student who is undergoing surgery any day now and may lose the sight in his remaining eye. He has tactile dysfunction and his main input will be through Braille. He loves technology.
“His mum asked us if we could tell him about next year as she didn’t have the heart, given what’s going on. So we promised we would tell him today.
“As I told him what was happening to the service the tears were rolling down his face. He said: “It’s OK Miss” and “I had a dream, Miss, and it has just been taken away. Why are they doing it”?
“When I said that the teachers will help him he just looked my direction and said: “What’s the point”?
“At this point I went and dragged the Leader of Learning out of a meeting as I felt that they needed to see the depth of despair this student was in.
“She arranged for the school counsellor to see him.
This is my reality of our situation. I feel beaten. This is hard. . .”
The IEU Council unanimously passed the following motion at the AGM on 18 October:
“IEU Council rejects the Sydney CEO’s decision to remove specialist itinerant vision and hearing impairment teachers from its schools.
This decision will adversely impact on the employment choices of the teachers concerned; the students and their parents, and their school communities.”
The Bethlehem Ashfield Chapter passed a motion in support for the Sensory Impaired Program members during their stop work on November 10.
In 2014 SIP vision and hearing teachers and assistants have worked with students, teachers, principals and families in 24 Sydney CEO schools. They will be missed.