At the end of the Netflix movie we were told that Lucca was able to go to school after having treatments and ended up in the same grade as his brother (Chenillo, 2024, 1:31:20). As Lucca was born first we know that he lost time in his education but how much is unclear. The other part that was not shown was if Lucca’s brother missed any school when he went to India with the family. Thurston asserts “The theme running through this Special Issue is that students with disabilities and/or additional support needs, at all ages in different educational systems, are being denied an equitable and equal right to an education” (p. 106).
According to Belson 2.3 million children have a seizure disorder and 500,000 children have cerebral palsy with 5,000 cases prevailing each year in classrooms in the USA (n.s., para. 6).
Where I live in BC Canada, the Cerebral Palsy Association says [Block Quote]
A child with more severe disabilities may require considerable support from resource staff and teaching assistants. Children should have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which assesses the child’s performance, sets goals and specifies which supports are required. The amount of support offered, and the commitment to successful integration, varies widely between school boards and individual schools. A good partnership between parents and educators will help children to achieve their goals. (2006, p. 20).
Lucca’s caregiver was often seen in the background and near the end of the movie when Lucca’s mom said goodbye and left him at school / daycare his caregiver was with him (Chenillo, 2024, 1:20:00). This family struggled with having enough resources to receive the treatments but they also had the privilege of having social support to care for their son. In my community, many parents are not able to provide a caregiver for their child and they are faced with staying home from work or negotiating with the school to provide support. The Tyee asserts “Despite having a Charter right to an education, kids with disabilities are regularly excluded from school in British Columbia” (Hyslop, 2023, para. 1). Hyslop’s article focuses on children with autism but the challenge is similar to families that have children with physical disabilities as she asserts “And experts and advocates say the exclusions could be prevented if the provincial government and school districts provided the needed supports” (2023, para. 6).
In My Learning Environment
The research to write this post and the story shared in the movie taught me ways to make a learning space inclusive to all. The Cerebral Palsy Association shares several ways that an educator can ensure their classroom is accessible, such as placing the supplies that students need at an appropriate level to reach, ensuring field trip facilities are accessible, and connecting with specialized support specialists to ensure the curriculum is achievable (2006).
For my social work practice, I learned to ask clients what they need and to never assume that I know what someone is going through. This movie opened my eyes to the challenges that both genders of parents navigate in finding employment, communicating through difficult decisions, and managing resources.
Return to main post here: [https://ginajohnson.ca/luccas-world-analysis/].
References
Belson, S. (n.d). The special ed wiki. http://sped.wikidot.com/emotional-and-behavoioral-disorders
Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia. (2006). A guide to cerebral palsy. https://www.bccerebralpalsy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/A-Guide-to-CP.pdf
Chenillo, M. (Direcotr). (2024). Lucca’s World. (Netflix). https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81436662
Hyslop, K. (2023, Jul. 12). Disabled kids are still being excluded from education in BC. https://thetyee.ca/News/2023/07/12/Disabled-Kids-Excluded-From-Education/
Thurston, A. (2014). Disability, power and equality in the school. International Journal of
Disability, Development & Education, 61(2), 105-107
