A Hunter Valley mother is at her wits end, after a two-year battle with the Department of Education to keep her 12-year-old daughter at her local primary school.
Sarah Coutts has Down Syndrome and the mental capacity of a four-year-old, but the state government says it’s in her best interest to mix with teenagers.
Click below to see tonight’s news story, with Sue Coutts full length interview.
text will be replaced
My daughter attends the IO class at Maitland High School, she’s in year 9. This class provides education for students that have moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and other medical needs. Currently there are two students that have Down Syndrome and they fit in well. Most of the lessons are conducted in the classroom but there is chances for the students to mix with mainstream students, it’s a fantastic envirnoment my daughter loves it. My daughter also spent Kindergarten to year six at a mainstream school.
I attend Martins Creek Playgroup every Tuesday morning and have seen and met Sarah Coutts. She is a happy child who interacts well with the other students and obviously enjoys going to her school. It warms my heart to see how accepting and compassionate the other children have learnt to become, by helping and mixing with Sarah on a peer level. Sarah and her family have dealt with some enormous challenges over the years and to see Sarah’s smile and love of life is a reminder of the gifts and blessings that we all should cherish. As the saying goes “If it ain’t broken don’t fix it!” Why jeopardise Sarah’s fragile health by making unecessary changes?
I was touched by the story featured tonight. Although Sarah has Down Syndrome I feel as though the main issues are medical related.
I wish Sue luck with her endeavour to keep Sarah at the school
Sue is an untold and unclaiming Australian hero, I am disgusted with each and every beauracrat in this country for making things harder for her. My sister has a similar dissability and I can promise you, if things were to be changed for her by some non understanding pencil pushers you could expect me to raise the greatest hell earth has ever seen! Sue is doing her best for things to remain as they are because she is sacrificing every minute and every breath of her life for her child, it’s called ‘love’ I know that she’s right because I have always thought the same thing for my sister, but if you aint livin’ it, you don’t know. People have lost common sense and decency in this country so bad that “Real People” like Sue have to suffer worst things than their own lifes sacrifice as a love by bond stricken carer who asks for nothing but compasion to having everything she lives for be indignified by proper government ‘Assholes’ (if only they could know her pain) they should be thanking her for being such a great Aussie Lady and for God sake give her this simple wish, change in a situation like hers is not right…..now leave her be, as she said, these people don’t know her or her situation. Where the hell is the hearts in you people when you make these decisions…..?…….Please…..THINK!
I enrolled my children at Martins Creek Primary in 2008 and met Sarah for the first time. Sarah was so happy, excited and welcoming with me and my children. She is always ready with a warm smile and big hug. She is one of the kindest and purest human beings I have ever had the pleasure to meet. It would be a tragedy to remove her from a school and friends who love and respect her and see her for the beautiful creature she truly is.
As Sue says, Sarah has the mental age of a four year old. How can you justify sending a four year old to high school with over 300 students simply because she has reached the required physical age? I believe a high school environment would only terrify Sarah and cause her health problems to deteriorate at a faster rate. Sarah’s time with Sue is already limited.
Please let Sarah stay where she is happy and supported by her friends, teachers and the community. If anything happens to this little girl because of your heartless, ignorant and reckless decision, how would you live with yourselves? Is your pride really worth sacrificing and toying with this family’s life?
It’s time to stop thinking of yourself and think about what truly is best for the child. Reverse your decision Verity Firth. NOW
Perhaps the decision can be changed if Verity Firth were to meet Sarah Coutts and review the situation first hand.
It is interesting to note that the name Verity means “truth”. So be true to yourself and look for the truth in this matter Verity.
To change your mind will not result in mass destruction, terrorism attacks or the start of a World War….
Rather it will give this child, quality of time and quality of life…..
and dare we say it …..”happiness”
Im a year 12 society and culture student. I’m doing a personal interest project on how the perceptions of special education have changed over time. If there is any information you could contribute including the transitions to other schools etc, it would be greatly appreciated. You will remain completely anonymous.
xx
After hearing this story I believe that Sarah should be able to stay at Martins Creek primary school, I have yet to understand the purpose of sending her to high School, apart from the physical age, exactly how will it benefit this child in a developmental sense. As for the department of education, if you are going to make a decision that is going have a major affect on someones life than please make sure that you are well adversed in all the facts, go and meet the family go and see sarah in her current school environment, talk to her teachers, talk to her doctors/specialists as these are all the people who are full of the knowledge you need to be using. Maybe these decision makers should be telling Sarah’s parents their expertise in the area of down syndrome, out of their own mouths.
To Sarah’s parents I wish you all the best.
Sarah was one of my good friends at martins creek public school. she was a kind hearted young girl and will be missed tradicly by everyone, i miss her very much R.I.P Sarah i’ll always remember you