WELCOME to the website of the COALITION for BLIND SCHOOL NOW! - www.whitecane.info
This page is a "ROADMAP" to the key elements of this web-site
UPDATE 1 Dec 2008
Very, very well written and considered Letter from Jon Milburn on the issues raised by the closing of the Burwood School and the application of the United Nations - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
UPDATE 29 Nov 2008
Petition for BLIND SCHOOL NOW has over 10,000 signatures - to be delivered to State Govt next week (1st December, 2008).A HUGE acknowledgement and WELL
DONE to the SCORES of supporters who have campaigned to collect
signatures on the Petition for a BLIND SCHOOL NOW! (more...)
UPDATE 18/11/2008 PRESS COVERAGE - THE AGE...TEACHERS at Victoria's only school for the blind fear more than 140 students will be without proper help after it closes at the end of next year. Union representative for teachers at Vision Australia's Burwood school, Michael Donnelly, said he was concerned the closure would mean dumping most blind students into mainstream government schools, a disaster for the students and the schools. (See full article here...) see VIEU website (see VIEU media release)
2. Statement of GOALS - for Coalition of BLIND SCHOOL NOW!
3. Contact DETAILS - Coalition Spokesperson
4. Read About - Petition to State Government
6. On-line SURVEY - PAST BLIND pupil/ STUDENTS
7. On-Line SURVEY - PRESENT BLIND pupil/STUDENTS (Coming Soon...)
I hope that all the people that made the decision to close the blind school actually read what is being said on this web site!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a son that has attended the school on a full time basis and has for the last 3 years.
Taylor being his name has attended this school since he was 5 years old ( 7 years part time)We moved to Melbourne for him to attend this school full time and left family and jobs to do it. Taylor was diagnosed with Battens disease 1 month later....
For those that haven't heard of this it is a brain disease that is fatal. Taylor is now 15 years old and his condition worsens every day. Like many children at Vision Australia Taylor would not be able to function in Mainstream as we tried it for 7 years.
What do we do????????
He once again has to leave his friends!!
Due to this news Taylor had a emotional break down and it is not those people at Vision Australia that have to deal with this, it is us as parents that do.
I also wonder if those that made this decision realise that there will always be children that need this service.
I hope they sleep well at night with this decision because none of us parents and children do..................
Joanne Clay
Posted by: Joanne Clay | December 01, 2008 at 11:27 PM