Everyone has a different view on the integration of children with special needs into mainstream schools. Some believe that children with special needs belong in an environment which protects them from ridicule and provides specific care for their specific needs. Others believe that this is segregation and that these children should not be separated from their mainstream counterparts. And still others believe that the mainstream environment is abusive for these children with special needs. None of these theories are 100% right or 100% wrong.
The reason why these theories cannot be completely right or wrong is because, every child is an individual; they all have unique needs and they are all different (that goes for children with and without special needs).
Every parent knows their child and knows what their specific needs are. Any parent, who notices that a school does not meet the requirements of their child, will not put their child in that school. When it comes to integration, the same expectation needs to apply. Some schools are better equipped to teach children with Cerebral Palsy, others are better for children with Asperger’s Syndrome, and others are designed in such a way as to accommodate children in wheelchairs.
If a parent feels that the mainstream environment is not right for their child, they should not be forced in it. Some children really do need a special school environment; mainstream schools cannot supply for the needs of all children. They may need individual attention for the entire school day, some children are unable to speak and might feel outcast, and, there are children who require consistent stimulation in their areas of need.
It is a parent’s right, and obligation to protect their child, and if they believe that this will be achieved by integrating them into a mainstream school, where they will be faced with the challenges of life and the opportunity to be an integral part of society, then they should be allowed to do so, with no interference from members of the public who do not know their child. If, conversely, they choose to educate their child through a special school, where their child’s specific needs will be met perfectly and they will be able to perform to the best of their ability, this too should be met with support from the public.