Saskatchewan specialized support classrooms isolate students: critics [Video]

The Saskatchewan government is set to expand a pilot program designed to minimize disruptive behaviours in school classrooms, but some are concerned that it will segregate children with disabilities from and harm their development.

Dubbed specialized support classrooms, the initiative started as a pilot in just eight schools, and will soon be expanded to 200 across the province.

The program has drawn criticism from groups like Inclusion Saskatchewan, which warns that isolating children from their peers may harm their development.

“These classes start at Grade 1, which is quite early to start excluding,” said Brittany Acton, director of initiatives at Inclusion Saskatchewan, a group that advocates for greater inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities.

“It sets people up to have that as their norm for the rest of their lives, so when they aren’t able to get a job or be supported in adulthood, that’s the norm.”

While the support …