I haven't seen the article in question but it was about a little boy with Down's syndrome being banned from his local swimming pool and his mothers successful fight to overturn this decision.
In response to the article that the Daily Mail ran on this my mum wrote in to them with the following letter.
They are now going over to my mums tomorrow to take a picture of her and Lottie to run with it as their lead letter!
MY MUMS LETTER:
Daily Mail letters page
Your article (14/1/05) about the little boy with Down?s syndrome being refused swimming lessons by the Trust that runs Hoyland swimming pool for Barnsley Council, has left me feeling furious.
Does the Trust responsible for the pool, or Barnsley Council for that matter, know what Down?s syndrome means? Do they think children with this genetic condition have two heads, that the children are uncontrollable, that they are all disruptive and have behavioural difficulties? They are acting with sheer ignorance. Down?s syndrome occurs because of one extra chromosome. That is all. With it comes a degree of learning difficulty, the children are a little behind their peers in their development. But they catch up eventually and are wonderful members of our society. Oh, and by the way, they learn to swim the same as other children!
Lots of children without Down?s have behavioural problems; some children with Attention Deficit Disorder, for example, can be disruptive. In these circumstances, understandably, the situation would need to be reviewed.
But please, all you officials out there who have the power to make the decisions such as those who have treated little Samuel Doran so unfairly ? get educated. Don?t jump to the conclusion that because a child has Down?s syndrome, or any other specail needs, that child will ?be a risk?. Judge childen on their merits, not on their looks, please.
And I'm qualified to say these things. My 3 year old granddaughter, Charlotte, has Down?s syndrome. Yes, she?s behind with walking and speech ? but she?s ahead of her peers with her social skills and her concentration span. She?s an asset to her mainstream pre-school ? all she needs is a little more help with some aspects of her life.
Congratulations and good luck to Elaine, Samuel?s mum ? there are lots of people who support and admire you for standing up for your son?s rights.