By Linda Prpic

Public education is a human right, but is it truly accessible for all? Research from the Ontario Human Rights Commission states that “students may be unable to attend their local school due to lack of physical accessibility. Many schools are multi-level and the installation of elevators may be impractical or too costly” (OHRC, 2018, p. 15). This was the exact issue at the last elementary school that I worked at. It currently still has only one ramp for access to the school; a ramp leads from the parking lot to the basement of the school. Students with mobility aids do not have the ability to enter the school from the playground with their peers and there is no opportunity for students with mobility aids or concerns to access any of the three other floors of the school. As the student progresses through grades, educators shift classrooms to accommodate the learner in the lower-level classrooms. Sadly, the student will never have the ability to visit any other classrooms or the office.

It is disheartening to know that not all children have the ability to access every school based on their choice or their needs and some “parts of the school may be inaccessible due to lack of ramps, heavy doors, site elevation or playground features. Many schools do not have washrooms suitable for students with disabilities (wide doors, higher toilets, grab bars, change tables, hoists or lifts),” (OHRC, 2018, p. 15). Reflecting on the course content, compiling images and information for my collage, and reflecting on my own personal experience as an educator has made an impact on me; we as a community must continue to work towards creating an inclusive and equitable environment and ensure that “human rights education [remains] an integral part of education” (UNESCO, 2022, p. 15).

References

Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2018). The opportunity to succeed: Achieving barrier-free education for students with disabilities. Consultation Report. https://www.ohrc.on.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/The_opportunity_to_succeed%3A_Achieving_barrierfree_education_for_students_with_disabilities.pdf

Rick Hansen Foundation. (2023). Inclusion matters! [Website]. Rick Hansen Foundation. https://www.rickhansen.com/schools-communities/inclusion-matters

UNESCO. (2022). The right to education in the 21st century: Findings from the international seminar on the evolving right to education. UNESCO Digital Library. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381108