Doog, I have two autistic grandsons and 30 years of paediatric nursing so I do have some experience in this area.
Pauline is not wrong, albeit she could have been a little more sensitive with her presentation.
Firstly, she wasn't just referring to kids with autism, she was meaning all disabilities. As yes, some can be integrated into mainstream with a bit of classroom help, but many many kids struggle and find school incredibly traumatic.
Even those who aren't disruptive still require a lot of the teachers time, plus which, no manner of extra classroom help is going to turn classrooms into quiet, dimly lit, highly structured places that many autistic kids prefer.
Some, like my oldest grandson, who is high IQ, can sit quietly in class, absorbing nothing because they are too busy trying to keep emotionally calm, then go have a meltdown at home that lasts for hours. These kids hate school! Many end up being homeschooled.
I asked my now adult grandson about this. His response was that he would have loved a very small, quiet class with a few other nerds like himself, with the opportunity to socialise during non core subjects like sports and art and music.
As it was, despite being incredibly bright he totally failed school and only managed to stay till the end of year 12 because he went into the low IQ disability class and spent his last year building gardens and doing cooking.
Thankfully he has found a workplace that suits his needs and is really happy now.
But he suffered dreadfully for years and I wouldn't wish that in any child.

Despicable hag. Only ever attacking the weakest and those unable to fight back.

Milk,

'Bear of Little Brain', show us where Hanson attacked anyone, let alone autistic children, who she believes are as entitled to an education as much as any child.

As Pauline was relating the views of her constituants to Parliament I wonder how many other politicians have had the same views expressed to them by parents and why they have not seen fit to inform Parliament. It seems an ideal time when education and funding is being debated.

I suggest it is because other politicians are not as forthright or as honest as Pauline, they may have told the concerned parents they would raise the issue but, when the opportunity was there, they squibbed it. Have no doubt that Pauline is not the only politician to have heard these concerns from parents and teachers.

Pauline has shown she is not afraid to voice the parents views on their behalf. We need more politicians like her that will speak the truth, whether some like it or not.

mikk - It is with great pleasure I award you A - Hole of the week award for your above comments, you have managed to break a record as no one even came close to your winning this award.

To quote you. "Despicable hag. Only ever attacking the weakest and those unable to fight back."

You will be able to collect your award next time you go to the WC.

"Despicable hag. Only ever attacking the weakest and those unable to fight back.
Posted by mikk, Saturday, 24 June 2017 11:39:10 AM"

Good grief! what a sad, sexist, un-interesting and totally non-intelligent remark. Not to mention rude and stupid.

I have a low level autistic grandson, it was first noticed when he was 7 and only ever 'parallel' played which meant he played alongside other kids and copied what they were doing, but never with them. He was also nowhere near keeping up with even the lower grade kids, there were concepts he just didn't grasp.

They had special schools back then and he ended up going there..he's 24 now and not long finished his apprenticeship as a cement renderer and moved out with his girlfriend 3 months ago. He has plenty of mates, is a very quiet but happy young man, plays footy, surfs and parallel plays no longer. I can only put this down to the special attention he received at his school..+ of course his great parents, his 2 older brothers that watched and protected him like hawks and his grandparents on both sides.

One interesting fact is that he was a twin but his twin died at birth as his lungs just weren't developed properly.