South Shore mother says autistic son denied suitable school transport

A woman on Montreal's South Shore says the Riverside School Board is denying her 10-year-old autistic son appropriate adapted transit twice a week to a nearby school because of what it would cost.

Carmelina Nicoletti told CBC Montreal her son, Massimiliano Renda, has been attending a gradual inclusion program at Boucherville Elementary School for the past four years.

"They all love him. He's doing very well. He's showing a lot of potential," she said.

Adapted transit to the school for her son has always been provided by the English-language board — until this year, when Nicoletti said the board told her it was no longer an option for her son because of the cost.

Meanwhile, other children in her son's position are being provided with transit that meets their needs, Nicoletti said.

"Every child has transport, except for my son."

Options offered

The board has offered Nicoletti other options, including transportation on a regular school bus, but that would be too stressful for Massimiliano, given his disability, she said.

"He's hyper-sensitive," Nicoletti said. "He would arrive anxious and unable to concentrate at school. We avoid him being in hallways and the cafeteria."

The board also offered to pay for a cab for Massimiliano to and from school, but Nicoletti said she would need to accompany him, and her work hours make that impossible.

Nicoletti said the only adapted-transit option she's been offered would require Massimiliano to wait two hours at the school's daycare centre after classes.

The situation is now at the point that Massimiliano doesn't want to be a part of an inclusion program at Boucherville Elementary any longer, Nicoletti said. 

"He thinks nobody wants him," she said. "It's very frustrating, because they held him back. They practically sabotaged his year."

Riverside School Board told CBC News that they have other options for Nicoletti, but they want to discuss them with Nicoletti first.