State commission reserves order in autistic child case

State commission reserves order in autistic child case

The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has reserved the order, scheduled to be delivered on November 1, in a case filed by the parents of a 7-year-old autistic child. The child was asked to be transferred to another school by Jamnabai Narsee School. In the final hearing on Saturday, the commission heard both parties. A report submitted by an expert committee recommends that the school should try accepting the student with a shadow teacher for six months. However, the school has requested the commission to ask the experts to observe the child in a classroom environment, instead of the 20 minute-clinical observation on which their report is based. Pradeep Havnur, the advocate representing the parents, said, “The child’s IQ is much higher than any other student in the class as observed by experts. The report has clearly said that the child can improve. The shadow teacher will help him cope with regular school.” The school argued that the kid can be accompanied by the mother, instead of a shadow teacher. The parents of the child want to adhere to the shadow teacher system. “The former principal of this school had been very supportive to the kid, during who's tenure, the child was granted admission to the school,” said Havnur. Psychiatrist Harish Shetty said, “Denying a shadow teacher is sheer ignorance and lack of awareness.” Commenting on the school’s request to the expert committee to observe the kid in a classroom environment, Shetty said, “The observations are not going to differ to a great extent. Instead of a 10-member-committee coming to a classroom, the school should try and learn from other schools where special kids are part of mainstream education system. The school principal, Sudeshna Chatterjee, was unavailable for comment.