S F I D A Sindacato Famiglie Italiane Diverse Abilità
Family Union for Italian Families Children with Special Needs

www.sindacatosfida.it e-mail: tel.(39) 3384520976
fax (39) 0882-991017


To the Minister of Education

To the Minister of Social Services

To the Minister of the Family Services

To the Minister of Justice

To the Minister of the Treasury


SCHOOL SYSTEM: S.O.S FAMILIES WITH DISABLED CHILDREN
Rome September 1, 2006



NEW YORK : ( August 25, 2006) The U.N. approves the Convention Act fot
the rights of people with disabilities.

ROME: (September 2006) Millions of families will be obliged to ask the
court system to guarantee the rights of their disabled children


Honourable Ministers,

For the academic year 2006/2007 is about to begin, but the reduction of
Special Needs Teachers worries us. This signifies that millions of
disabled and special needs students will not be guaranteed their right
to education; therefore again this school year families will have to
ask the courts to assure them their right to the hours of teacher
support for their children.

We are seeking answers to these questions:

-Why the Minister of Education, in spite of the decisions of the court
that confirm the illegality of the reductions of hours of special needs
teachers for disabled students, continue to reduce the quantity of
special needs teachers?

-Why the Minister of Social Services does not intervene in defending
disabled students that pertain to the so called "social disadvantaged
groups" whose families haven't the means to turn to the courts?

-Why hasn't the Minister of Family Services intervened in defending
these parents who must take time away from their children and work to
go to lawyers' offices and courts to defend their denied rights?

-Why should our Courts be swamped with claims regarding this matter in
Rome, Syracuse, Agrigento, Bologna, Venezia, Ancona, Napoli,
Campobasso, Brescia, Salerno, Cagliari, Reggio Calabria, L'Aquila,
who all confirm the illegality of this reduction of Special Needs
Teachers?

-To site an example - Why hasn't the second grade class in Bianco,
Reggio Calabria been divided into two classes when four out of the 23
students are disabled (by law this should have been done)?


Perhaps to save money on the backs of our disabled students and to make
the state budget look better?


Honourable Ministers

It is already difficult with the daily problems these families face
with disabled children. To add having to deal with and fight with the
State Agencies is an ethical issue that must be resolved.

Denying the right to a good education to disabled students provokes a
sense of solitude and of living apart from the rest of society for
these families.

The Union for the academic year 2006/2007 is organizing a legal support
group for these families.
SFIDA wants to be a social-type union progressive rather than a
conflicting one, for now we ask only :

a) Your direct intervention so that for the 2006/2007 academic year
special need students will be assigned the hours of support requested
by the school heads.
b) A round table to guarantee the right to proper education for Italian
Disabled Students



The National Italian Secretary,

Doctor Andrea Ricciardi