Durham School Strike Hits Home For Families With Special Needs

Families with kids who have special needs are being hit the hardest by the Durham school strike.

Since the walkout began, Elisabeth Graham, a mother of three, has had to keep her 14-year-old autistic son Zachary at home.

Zach has been working with the same full-time education assistant for five years, but because they’re part of the picketing support staff,  Graham has had to stay home with her son.   

“Until you walk in someone’s shoes you can never understand the emotions that are part of having a child with special needs. I don’t think we could say enough about it what it’s doing to families,” said Graham.

There are 9,000 children with special needs in the Durham Board and many of them have autism.

Although the Board has invited parents to act as volunteers in the schools until the dispute is over, it’s just not an option for many.  They would much rather see the job action come to an end.

“There are parents who are unable to work and are facing loss of income,” said Lisa Wilson the president of Autism Ontario for Durham Region.  “Parents are calling us in need of support.” 

But as bad as things look, there is some potential relief in sight. The Board and its disgruntled workers have agreed to at least start talking again. For more on that, click here.

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