Neli Novitski, the mother of a child with special needs, said her son was discriminated by the administration of a private lyceum. According to her, this happened because the administration of the educational institution regards this activity strictly as a business and does not apply the declared moral principles. The woman calls on the authorities to intervene with legislative proposals to penalize the discriminatory behavior of the managers of educational institutions.

In a news conference at IPN, Neli Novitski said that her son remained hearing-impaired at the age of a year. They made considerable effort to restore the child’s hearing. He ultimately got a cochlear implant by a surgery performed abroad. To help him integrate and have a good standing, they enrolled him at a private lyceum that promised multilateral support. They paid large sums of money, but the child was expelled after two years of teaching negligence because the child is special. The rights of the child were violated as the school is managed to suit the administration’s needs.

“I speak about “Davinci” Lyceum that refused to accept my child to study further for the reason that he has hearing impairments. I ask civil society, those parents who were forced by the lyceum’s administration to transfer their children to other institutions to speak out. Let’s bring this business that treats our children disrespectfully to an end. These persons do not do their job and do not educate the children according to common sense standards and children’s rights, but only do business at the expense of children,” said Neli Novitski.

She also said she filed complaints to the Ministry of Education, the Office of the People’s Ombudsman and the Nondiscrimination Council. “The Ministry told me that it is my child and my problem. The Nondiscrimination Council, by its attitude and approach to the situation in which we and our child found ourselves, made it clear that it actually hates children with disabilities. The Ombudsperson issues conclusions that are ignored by all the state institutions. Why should it do this then?” asked the mother.

The woman said she was shocked by the reasons for which her child was expelled. When she went to enroll him at the lyceum, she discussed with the administration and informed them about the boy’s state of health and no problem appeared then. The boy was admitted to the first grade and the managers assured that the teachers have experience of work with such children. But when she went to pay the next part of the contract, she was told to take the child and teach him at home or at a special school. The child suffered a psychological trauma as he had to leave the educational institution to which he adjusted himself.

The woman submitted complaints to different institutions, but no one bears responsibility. “Why do I make this case public namely today? Because on International Children’s Day, I want to be heard by the authorities of the state that should intervene and deal with such outrageous situations,” stated Neli Novitski.

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