Epress.am News from Armenia
"National Disability Advocacy Coalition" Legal Entities' Union is concerned over the statements by deputy mayor of Yerevan Aram Sukiasyan on inclusive education, the Union said in an open letter addressed to Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan.
“On August 29, during the meeting with school headmasters ahead of the new academic year, deputy mayor of Yerevan Aram Sukiasyan, speaking on inclusive education, found it disturbing that children without disabilities would have to attend school alongside their peers with disabilities.
“Recall, the deputy mayor said in his speech: 'Do you think it's right that a healthy first-grader has to go to school and see his classmate in such a condition – a condition you are all well aware of. Doesn't this 6-year-old suffer psychological trauma? Isn't this disturbing? Or do we only think about the disabled child? We have to also worry about the psychological trauma of the healthy child.'
“Taking into account that the official speech of the deputy mayor cannot be regarded as a personal opinion, “National Disability Advocacy Coalition" Legal Entities' Union expresses its concern over the issue.
“We highly appreciate the involvement of Yerevan City Hall in the development of inclusive education, in particular, in the process of training and providing professional assistance to the teachers of Yerevan schools. However, the speech of the deputy mayor gives cause for bewilderment since it not only contradicts the state policy of the Republic of Armenia, but also offends the hundreds of children with disabilities and their parents, calling into question their right to receive education alongside their peers,” the Union of Legal Entities wrote.
Such behavior by a City Hall official is unacceptable, the Union added, and called for Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan to state the official position of the Municipality on this matter, as well as “review the appropriateness of the person for the position, prioritizing children's rights and the legislation of Armenia.”