School dispute escalates Aargau defies UN order - girl has to go to special school

Despite a provisional UN order, a disabled girl in Aargau is to attend a special school from the coming school year - the case is turning into a political issue.

In the canton of Aargau, a dispute over the type of school a disabled girl should attend is escalating: despite ongoing proceedings before the UN, the cantonal authorities have decided that the child must attend a special school from the coming school year. This was reported by theTages-Anzeigernewspaper.

The parents had campaigned for their daughter to continue to be taught in a mainstream class, but were unsuccessful before cantonal authorities and ultimately also before the Federal Supreme Court. They then took the case to the UN. As part of the proceedings, which are still pending, the UN ordered that the girl be allowed to remain in a mainstream school for the time being.

The Aargau Department of Education is nevertheless sticking to the change. According to the Department of Education, Culture and Sport, a place in a special school has already been organized. The decision has been communicated to the parents via the municipality.

UN proceedings take several years on average

The case is controversial because UN proceedings take several years on average. The provisional order would therefore have far-reaching consequences for the child's school career. The parents continue to oppose the transfer, but are currently not making any public statements, as the Tages-Anzeiger continues.

The Federal Department of Justice is also not commenting on the ongoing proceedings. Federal Councillor Beat Jans had previously said that Switzerland must implement such provisional UN orders as a matter of principle.

Differing opinions

The case has significance beyond the individual case: the disability organization Inclusion Handicap sees this as a possible precedent and fundamentally questions the system of special schools. The NGO argues that the separation of children with disabilities contradicts current law, as the newspaper further reports.

The debate on integration and separation in the Swiss education system is politically controversial. While inclusive schools have been expanded in recent years, middle-class parties are increasingly calling for more separate support structures. The teachers' association also considers complete inclusion to be unrealistic.