Mother worries daughter with autism neglected as B.C. reopens classrooms

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Some parents are nervous about sending their kids back to the school as classroom doors are set to open in B.C. Monday.

Shauna, who lives in Sooke just outside of Victoria, says she is angry and is alleging that her 14-year-old daughter is on the autism spectrum and has been neglected by the school throughout the pandemic.

She says for six weeks, her daughter had drastically reduced time with an educational assistant, which is crucial to her daughter’s needs.

She says her daughter has not received proper guidance on using new learning tools which has had a significant impact on her daughter’s progress.

“She really has essentially done pretty much no assignments, her teacher even said don’t worry about doing these assignments. To me, that’s not acceptable. She needs to get the work done, she has a right to education,” Shauna says.

She adds she does not know what to expect when she sends her daughter back.

“I’m not sure what it’s still gonna look like and I think things will still be ever-changing. So I don’t know what the problem is. There’s no promises on paper,” she says.

Shauna adds, School District 62 hasn’t been entirely supportive throughout this ordeal and no promises or expectations have been set for her daughter’s return.

And adds there was a “lot of reluctancy from the school board, and the school.”

Shauna’s daughter will receive support from an educational assistant, but she is not sure to what extent.

-With files from Tarnjit Parmar