Mary Butterworth: Developmental Disability WA chief slams use of ageing transportables in support schools

A disability advocate has spoken out against the Education Department’s use of transportables, saying kids with disability should not be relegated to decaying temporary classrooms. As revealed in The West on Monday, more than half of Education Support Centres — schools which operate from mainstream sites to offer programs for kids with disability — have a high percentage of transportables. Developmental Disability WA chief executive Mary Butterworth said too many schools were forced to use transportables as a long-term solution. “Students with disability are not second-class citizens,” she said. She backed claims by shadow education minister Liam Staltari that many transportables were “not fit for purpose.” Some were more than 15 years old and frequently reported issues — such as mould outbreaks, rotting stumps, windows rusted shut or air-conditioners that broke down in summer — that had to be rectified by the department. Ms Butterworth said that was “a fundamental system failure.” “We’re not talking cosmetic repairs here, we’re talking about basic health and safety repairs,” she said. “It’s hard enough for kids on a hot day to be in a demountable if the air-con is not working, but you add in kids who are autistic and easily-escalated, it would be impossible for teachers to teach.” Ms Butterworth said she understood that school demographics increased and decreased over time. “Over a decade, the demographics of an area can change considerably,” she said. “But if you’ve got an Education Support school that’s got 15-year-old demountables, it’s a question of what’s going on.” Education Minister Sabine Winton previously said she expected the Education Department to rectify issues with transportables when they were identified. She said the Cook Government had funded 14 new education support facilities to help meet a rapid increase in demand.