By Justin
Hi my name is Justin, I am 13 years old and I have Asperger Syndrome. I am from USA and my mom is from Australia. I am living in Singapore at the moment and I am about to move to Jakarta. My family has done a lot of moving around the world.
I am quite upset about the international schools they should all act the same as if they were in the homeland. I have now been rejected from 2 American schools and one British. It is very upsetting I think that all international schools should be controlled by the country that they represent and not by the country that they are in. In the USA and Australia it is against the law to reject kids. I wish that law would be used around the world then it wouldn't be such a problem. So there is more the one reason why schools wont accepted kids.
I don't know why countries like the US haven't taken action with this and try and stop it because even their own schools around the world are doing it. The British school I go to now is not what we expected and I wont be going there again because my mom is not happy. I told my mom that would like to contact the United Nations and tell them about it but my mom said that it would not do any good. I also know some friends who have the same problems as me.
To contact Justin or to send suggestions and ideas related to his situation, please e-mail participate@expatexchange.com.
In the coming months, we hope to focus more on educational issues like Justin's. If you or your child has a story that they would like shared, please e-mail us.
July 2002
Dear Justin & ExpatExchange.com,
I am a Mom with a 12 year old son. He is 1/2 American and 1/2 Dutch. Fortunately he speaks the Dutch language and is in the regular Dutch school system, where there are plenty of schools to help kids with handicaps or learning disabilities. He is doing fine in his special education school. I know the stress and difficulties first hand of not being able to function in
a regular school setting. It must be awful for you to not even get the chance to try. Let's believe that this will change! It's important to speak up.
There is some hope though for international students. It has taken twenty years of hard work, but there is since 2000 a school in Rijswijk, near to The Hague, in The Netherlands, especially for children with learning disabilities. The children come from all over the world, and some have neurological disorders, ADD/ADHD or Downs Syndrome, or some other handicap.
It is called Lighthouse Project, and in addiition to the teachers they have a psycholgist, a pediatrician, a social worker, therapists for speech & therapists for motor skills, etc. The school is quite small, so the students get a lot of attention. The Lighthouse Project school hopes it will serve as a model to other international communities for government educational
organisations to start schools to provide learning possibilities for children who can not go to the mainstream schools.
I have been involved with the international schools here for some years, and unfortunately, there is such a shortage of places that often the attitude is international schools can make enough money on the fees of regular students without having to invest in extra remedial or special education programs. (And the fees are often quite expensive.) Sometimes families decide not to accept an assignment overseas because they cannot get proper education for their children, or, they may decide to do home schooling. However, in some countries that is not legal.
I agree with you that it is not fair, and you should speak out on this. Another organisation I am involved with is FAWCO, the Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas. We have a special committe for children who learn differently, and if you go to the website http://www.fawco.org and click under committes to Education Support, you can read a report, and the addendums to the report that was conducted worldwide in all the countries where American expatriates live to find out what is being done (or NOT done) to help all children receive a good education. Our 79 FAWCO Clubs in 38 countries took part in,, and continue to provide information to, the Educational Support Committe. We even have a scholarship award that students with special needs can apply for.
Susan van Alsenoy, who is in charge of this project, went to Washington DC a couple of years ago to testify to the Congress, and to present the report, about how unfair it is to American children overseas, who are protected under US law, and should be eligible for the same education, and NOT be rejected from schools. On the website you will also find information on your
legal rights (more on http://www.ed.gov) and addresses in many countries of organisations or schools that may help, as well as Web site resources. The site http://www.ecic.be for European Children in crisis may also be useful.
This should get you started on some research that I sincerely hope will help you and your parents, and if ExpatExchange.com publishes this letter, also many other parents, find the help they need for their children.
Justin, I hope you get lot's of letters with plenty of good suggestions. Good luck in finding your place. Don't give up! You deserve every chance to become all that you can be!!
Kind regards,
Connie Moser
About the Author
Justin is a 13 year old boy diagnosed to have Asperger Syndrome togther with mild Cerebral palsy and some learning difficulties. He views himself as an American, his father is from USA and his mother from Australia. The family has lived in Japan, Singapore and they are now moving to Jakarta. Connie Moser has also written a reply to Justin's Plea.
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First Published: Jul 23, 2002
