Art student was failed by ‘ableist institution’
‘She was treated with contempt, and NCAD needs to ref lect on that’
THE National College of Art and Design (NCAD) has been accused of forging documents relating to students with disabilities.
Senator Tom Clonan made the damning claim in the Seanad this week when he raised the case of a student with intellectual disabilities who was failed by examiners in her first year at the NCAD.
The student was the first person with a disability of her type to attend the college and was studying fine art.
She previously featured in a Government-sponsored ad campaign for inclusion in the arts.
But both she and her parents said she was given no supports to be able to succeed in her course of study at the college.
She was the only student to have been failed in the module.
It has been claimed a Profile Of Needs Summary (PONS) –required to be made for every student with a disability attending the college – was forged, and that its contents had never been agreed with the student’s parents.
The student, who does not wish to be named but is keen for her story to be shared, cannot now progress through the arts college without repeating the entire module, something she would have to do on her own.
She is a successful artist and two pieces of her work were bought by former Minister of State, now Minister for Higher Education Patrick
O’Donovan, for inclusion in the State collection. Like all other students, she was accepted into the NCAD through the CAO system.
Raising her case in the Seanad this week, Senator Tom Clonan said that it was not the student who had failed, but rather that it was the NCAD that had failed in its duty to her.
He said: ‘Unfortunately, despite this student having an amazing portfolio and having exhibited and sold paintings successfully in galleries – despite those qualifications, the supports she would have expected [to receive] in one of our universities were not evident when she arrived.
‘This student was failed. She did not fail; she was failed. She was proactively failed by the National College of Art And Design in so many ways.
‘She was failed in her first module on the course, despite the fact that the NCAD proclaims on its website to be a champion of diversity and equality.’
The disability campaigner described the NCAD as ‘an ableist institution’. He added: ‘While our universities would never accept behaviour towards categories of citizens on the basis of sexism, racism or homophobia, they are very proactive in their practice of discriminatory behaviours towards disabled citizens, which is ableism. This practice is reprehensible.
‘This student was given a Profile Of Needs assessment by [someone] who forged the student’s signature on the document and then circulated it to all the members of staff, even though it is a confidential document.
‘I want a debate in this House with the minister, Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, to fully rehearse the responsibilities of institutions such as NCAD in terms of their commitment and supports for our disabled citizens.
‘We should not be failing a talented artist who wants to have visibility as a disabled artist in this way. It is a most reprehensible series of incidents.’
Senator Clonan continued: ‘As a father, a parent and a carer to a university student such as this one, to me it beggars belief that we would treat a citizen in this way.’
The Irish Mail on Sunday has learned from three sources connected with the college that a staff member there has now made a protected disclosure regarding the forgery of PONS assessments in the college.
Sources say up to 170 students could be affected by the ‘systemic failures within the college’.
Regarding the student with intellectual disabilities who was failed, one source said: ‘In regards to this student, no appropriate supports were put in place for this student to thrive or succeed.
‘I found it quite alarming that basic learning supports were not in place nor any real plan to support the student in the varying areas of her course.
‘If anything, it was as if actual barriers were being placed in the student’s way, and I feel the student’s life was actually made as difficult as possible.’
In response to queries from the MoS, the college said: ‘NCAD is aware of the comments made by Senator Clonan in the Seanad on Tuesday afternoon, April 23, under parliamentary privilege. There are a number of serious inaccuracies in the comments made by Senator Clonan and NCAD has written to him in this regard.’
Asked about the alleged forgeries of the PONS and the impact on those students who were affected, a spokesman said: ‘NCAD is reviewing this matter in detail and in the circumstances is not in a position to make any further comment at this time.’
Senator Clonan confirmed the college had written to him stating there were inaccuracies in his Seanad statement, but that they failed to point out what part of his statement was wrong.
He told the MoS: ‘I stand by everything I said in the Seanad because I know it to be true.
‘They said there were serious inaccuracies but at no point did they point out what they were, which I thought was strange.
‘Also I was quite surprised by the tone of the letter which was combative and adversarial.
‘Tellingly, it expressed no concern at all for the welfare of the young student I spoke about in the Seanad, or any of the students who have been affected by this,’ he added.
Mr Clonan concluded: ‘This student was treated with contempt by NCAD and that contempt is reflected in all their correspondence about this matter.
‘The management team there needs to reflect on that.’
‘We should not be failing a talented artist’
‘It was as if barriers were being placed in her way’