Steven Shaw Comments to the CBC on the Rise in School Absenteeism
In an article titled "School absenteeism is growing across Canada and skyrocketing in these Quebec districts", Professor Steven Shaw talks with journalist,聽Paula Dayan-Perez, on the lack of resources in the education system that makes youth susceptible to absenteeism.聽He says it鈥檚 important for kids to feel safe at school, but there aren鈥檛 enough people who can help create safe environments 鈥斅� like school nurses,聽counselors聽and psychologists.聽Shaw says the system is especially letting down kids who need more support, including kids with disabilities.
Information obtained from Quebec鈥檚 Education Ministry by Quebec鈥檚 Liberal Party and shared with CBC shows that聽thousands of students with different types of disabilities聽across the province are experiencing what鈥檚 called a 鈥渂reak in services鈥� due to a lack of resources. That means they are kept home if schools can鈥檛 provide the services they need.
鈥淩ight now, without the resources, the teachers are so burdened, the children simply do not have any support that they need, and they really let them sink or swim,鈥� Shaw says.聽Shaw likes that community organizations are getting involved.聽鈥淲hat it really means is that education is not just the responsibility of school teachers, it's families, it's community, it's businesses, it's government,鈥� he says.
