Eva Bos Delgado openly admits that around eight years ago, she was not supportive of Enclave classrooms for students with autism. Now, she is embarking on a new campaign against the Ministry of Education to expand these classrooms (AE) to Secondary level. Her youngest son, David, who is 14 years old and has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has been attending Enclave classrooms during his education at CEIP Adeje due to his challenges with communication, social interaction, and repetitive behaviors.
Enclave Classrooms (AE) are special education units within regular schools that provide tailored support to students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). These students require significant adaptations to the curriculum in most or all subjects and extra resources that are not easily available.
According to Eva Bos, the journey began eight years ago when she reluctantly agreed for her son David to attend an Enclave Classroom at CEIP Adeje. She recalls that years prior, during his first year of Kindergarten, the authorities did not provide necessary support, leaving her with no other choice than to opt for the Enclave Classroom. Eva describes this decision as a frustrating acceptance of a system that, in principle, should have been working towards aligning with the UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities ratified by Spain in 2007. Currently, Spain is under scrutiny for failing to meet the obligations outlined in the convention, as its regions tend to interpret educational inclusion rights differently, often segregating students with special needs against their parents’ wishes – a fate that may await her son.
She further explains that David will have to relocate to a special education centre in Guarguacho, San Miguel de Abona, as the authorities believe he will benefit more there than in an Enclave Classroom. Eva questions this decision, highlighting the recurrent false promises made by administrations about enhanced resources in the next level of segregation. She argues that there is no tangible improvement, innovation, quality, or progress for students like David in such settings.
Recalling the education laws in the Canary Islands that stress on inclusive education, Eva voices her disappointment in the prevalent segregating practices in the region. She criticises the mindset that seems to favour isolating students with disabilities at lower educational levels to avoid disturbances, neglecting the principle of inclusivity.
Expressing her concern as a parent, Eva insists that the exclusion of a person’s social environment should only be determined by a court, not a territorial management decision prioritising resource centralisation over the rights of minors. She advocates for an Enclave Classroom in a secondary school for her son, emphasising the importance of his integration into society. She questions the easy accessibility of explicit content for adolescents in schools, contrasting the fear of witnessing an autistic crisis.
Eva Bos Delgado resolutely points out the gradual depletion of resources along with the passive stance of the administration, especially when confronted by legal challenges from parents. She argues that resources should be allocated based on the needs of children, not the other way around. Prepared to take legal action, she vows to fight for students with disabilities in the Canarian public education system, not just for David but for future generations. Seeking equality, she acknowledges that this battle may be necessary to secure the basic rights that many children deserve.
