A MOTHER has shared her frustration with an education system that is letting her child down, after reading the Standard’s coverage of Jonathan Bryan’s story.

The lady, who prefers not to be named due to an ongoing dispute with her local authority regarding her child, said Jonathan’s story resonated only too well.

Jonathan, 10, from Stanton St Quintin, says he was left behind by the system after being diagnosed with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

The mother spoke out in response to the Standard’s request to parents of children with disabilities or special educational needs (SEN) to share their stories about how the system has let their child down.

She said: “I’m guessing [the Standard] may have had a couple of replies but I felt I had to write this to explain why [their] inbox may not be overflowing.

“It is not because there are only a few parents of disabled children whom the education system has failed.

“The reason [their] inbox may not be chock-a-block is because every spare minute, parents of disabled children and those with SEN are fighting the very systems that are meant to be helping them.

“They are learning new vocabularies and acronyms with which to navigate the minefield of the SEN system.

“They are fighting defensive teachers – some teachers are amazing, don’t get me wrong but some are not. Few have the training to teach children with SEN.

“They are fighting local authority staff who either don’t know SEN law, deliberately try to circumvent it or who depend on parents not knowing their rights.

“I’m sure there are some fantastic people in SEN departments of local authorities but that is not my experience or the experience of people I know.

“So, as if it’s not hard enough already having a child with SEN and/or a disability, we have to battle with the very people who are meant to help.

“It’s time consuming to say the least. It’s exhausting. To email a journalist to say exactly how and why you have been let down is a job too far.

“We’re too busy writing 15-page long reports on what our child can’t do, which the local authority then try to ignore to fit in with their agenda.

“We’re too busy researching how to go to tribunal when the local authority refuse to assess or refuse to amend a draft Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan as we’ve requested.

“All of this on top of dealing with the needs of our children.

“We’re too exhausted to tell you about it as well.

“That does not mean our children are not being failed. It means they are being failed too much and too often.”

Jonathan’s petition for a fairer education system now has early 150,000 signatures online and the Standard has supported his campaign.

To sign the petition, visit change.org/teachustoo

To keep up to date with Jonathan’s journey visit his blog at eyecantalk.net and support the campaign by tweeting #TeachUsToo