Montreal mother says $570M Quebec cuts could take away her sons special education services

For Montrealer Karine Desruisseaux, her son is her world; he receives care and education from his school’s support staff – which is crucial in giving him the help he needs to prosper. Earlier this year, Ben was diagnosed with autism and ADHD. Now, Desruisseaux worries the province’s $570 million education budget cuts could take his support away.

“I’m concerned that those services would disappear or decrease, and it would mean it would be significant for him in terms of being able to thrive at school, being able to love school, like just the basic stuff,” she said.

“The specialists help him one-on-one reading as well. If he didn’t have the support from the specialist for reading, I don’t think he would be reading now at the level he’s reading,” said Desruisseaux.

She ads that while at school, he’s happy and feels supported thanks to the specialists that work with him. Ben attends Rose-des-Vents, an alternative public school of the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal, which has 150 students.

Desruisseaux says like many families, it was a slap in the face when she heard about the recent budget cuts.

“I already took a sabbatical to be more involved at school and support Ben in this kind of transition year from kindergarten to first grade and to pre-diagnostic to post-diagnostic,” she explained. “[But] if the technicians are going away, I’m even thinking, can I go back to working if it means that he will need more of me because nobody else will be there at school.”

Previously, Education Minister Bernard Drainville asked that cuts impacting direct services to students be limited, though some say it’s impossible given the scale of cuts requested.

Desruisseaux added, “Schools are already doing a lot with not enough money. This is the future of our province, right? Kids will be the ones taking care of it later, they will be the future journalists, the future teachers, doctors, plumbers, like we need to educate them, we need them to thrive not just survive.”

Recently, a coalition called “Together, United for Schools,” which consists of various parents’ and school committees across Quebec, opened a petition against the cuts, which has since garnered over 156,000 signatures.

Desruisseaux is among those who signed it and encourages others to do the same.

“I think all the other political parties are all in agreement that this doesn’t make sense. So it’s not political at all. There’s only the CAQ that thinks it’s a good thing. So really, all of us are united against this bad decision,” said Desruisseaux.

Earlier this week Katherine Korakakis, the president of the English Parents’ Committee Association President (EPCA) emphasized that special education technicians will be affected by these cuts which would ‘inevitably’ impact students. Adding from her own experience as a special needs mother, she said despite the tireless efforts that schools go through — students don’t always get the support they need as more cuts would detriment this further.

“Special needs children will be affected,” added Korakakis. “But so will the entire class because then the teacher’s focus shifts on one student. And then, you know what I mean? It’s not the whole class, right? So there’s a reason why we have these technicians in place.”

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Desruisseaux ads that if the specialists would be leaving, the teachers wouldn’t have the energy and the space to take care of the other kids as well. She refers to numerous discussions where teachers have reported burnout or stress.

In an email response to CityNews, the CSSDM says they’re working to identify and meet the Ministry’s budgetary request. Adding that student success is at the heart of their mission, and they promise to ensure the impact on student services is minimized.

CityNews reached out to the Ministry of Education but has not heard back at this time.

Desruisseaux says Ben loves being with the specialists, and if that is taken away, the effects would be significant and painful.

“Everybody’s very frustrated and anxious and the students of 2012 are now parents so we have the same vision, we have the same priorities, we have the same values,” she said.

“The government doesn’t seem to be still aligned with us, but we’re not going to stop fighting.”