By Vanessa Chircop
THE State Opposition has accused the Education Minister of attempting to “gag” the principal of the Western Autistic School.
Shadow Education Minister Rob Hulls said documents obtained by the Opposition had confirmed Education Minister Martin Dixon was bullying and trying to gag school principal Val Gill and staff from talking publicly about their students needs, funding for school upgrades and redevelopments.
Member for Williamstown Wade Noonan told Star Mr Dixon owed Ms Gill an apology for overstepping the mark.
“We were concerned the Minister had written directly to Val Gill in relation to some alleged comments she made,” he said.
“This is an unprecedented move on behalf of the Minister – he is not her direct employer.”
As previously reported by Star, doubts have been raised about whether or not the State Government’s election promise to provide a P-12 autistic school to the West will be realised.
A letter sent from Mr Dixon to Ms Gill said “…it has been brought to my attention by concerned parents and the local MP, Bernie Finn, that some staff at WAS may have made comments suggesting that this commitment (P-12 autistic school) cannot be realised… Needless to say I believe that making such comments is unhelpful… I would also ask that your staff consider the confusion and anxiety they may create among parents by making such comments”.
Member for the Western Metropolitan region Bernie Finn admitted proudly to Star that he spoke to the Minister about the comments Ms Gill allegedly made and accused the principal of upsetting parents and of not wanting the school to go ahead.
“Val thinks she can teach kids everything they need to know in four years – that’s stretching credibility just a tad,” he said.
“She doesn’t want the school.
“She thinks she can do in four years what everybody else does in 12.”
Mr Finn defended Mr Dixon’s actions in emailing Ms Gill and reiterated that the P-12 school will be built – even going as far to promise that it will be built during the government’s first term.
Star attempted to contact Ms Gill but she could not be reached before deadline.
However in an email replying to the Minister, Ms Gill wrote the allegations were inaccurate.
Despite this, parent of two autistic children and spokesperson for Autism Schools Action Lis Websdale said she had heard Ms Gill make comments against the possible P-12 school.
“I’ve been a parent at the school and I’ve heard her deny that autism specific schools even work,” she said.
Mr Noonan said this issue wasn’t so much about the proposed school but a principal’s capacity to speak without worrying about being reprimanded.
“A principal shouldn’t be sanctioned by a Minister,” he said.
