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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| School settles disabled girl case | School settles disabled girl case |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The South Eastern Education and Library Board (SELB) has admitted causing a disabled girl from County Down upset and distress. | The South Eastern Education and Library Board (SELB) has admitted causing a disabled girl from County Down upset and distress. |
| The SELB denied Michaela Hollywood access to Down High in Downpatrick because of her disability. | The SELB denied Michaela Hollywood access to Down High in Downpatrick because of her disability. |
| The 18-year-old who has spinal muscular atrophy was prevented from changing schools to study her chosen A-levels. | The 18-year-old who has spinal muscular atrophy was prevented from changing schools to study her chosen A-levels. |
| As part of a settlement, the board has agreed to put special measures in place. | As part of a settlement, the board has agreed to put special measures in place. |
| Michaela sat her GCSEs, and passing nine exams wanted to go to Down High to study chemistry at A-level. | |
| She needed a school with wheelchair access and disabled toilet facilities. | |
| Her application was delayed for a year because the SELB asked for a lengthy assessment. As a result Michaela had to stay at her old school. | |
| "I decided that I wanted to pursue genetics at Queen's University. | |
| "On going to the school of my choice I had a very positive meeting, only to be told the following day I wouldn't be allowed to go, having been led to believe I would be OK," she said. | |
| "I've wasted a year." | |
| Ann McKernan from the Equality Commission said that year should never have been lost. | |
| "The board has a clear responsibility to make a reasonable adjustment to facilitate disabled pupils having access to educational provision," she said. | |
| "What the board has done is that they've agreed to provide her with a tutor in chemistry in the school that she attends at the present and that will rectify the situation for Michaela." | |
| Michaela, although happy the situation has been sorted, said it had taken its toll. | |
| "Something needs to be done so that other families don't go through the stress that we did," she said. |