'FAILURE' SUES SCHOOLS FOR pounds 500,000; Boy's dyslexia not spotted, court told.Byline: By PAUL BYRNE Paul Byrne, born in Dublin on 19 May 1986, is a footballer, currently playing with Eircom League side UCD. University College Dublin A.F.C. (current squad) DF Bermingham • MF C. A STUDENT who claims he slipped through the educational net and failed in school when his dyslexia dyslexia (dĭslĕk`sēə), in psychology, a developmental disability in reading or spelling, generally becoming evident in early schooling. To a dyslexic, letters and words may appear reversed, e.g. wasn't spotted is suing two councils for pounds 500,000. Richard Smith, now 27, had literacy problems and was sent to a special school at the age of eight, a court heard yesterday. When he left school at 16 he was illiterate and innumerate in·nu·mer·ate adj. Unfamiliar with mathematical concepts and methods. n. A person who is unfamiliar with mathematical concepts and methods. in·nu and "thought he was stupid, dull or thick". Mr Smith was of above-average intelligence but spent most his education with children who had Down's syndrome, autism autism (ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. , or serious developmental problems. He didn't discover that he had severe dyslexia until 1999 when he was 20, the High Court heard, His lawyer, Nicholas Bowen, said: "They were children with moderate to severe learning difficulties and in the middle of that is a completely ordinary nondisabled boy who, in his own words, is rather at a loss as to why he is there. "Richard Smith plainly fell through the net and unfortunately for him, he was taken out of mainstream, never returned and henceforth forgotten. "He thought he was stupid, dull or thick because he could not read or write." Mr Smith argued that he was "grossly misplaced" by Hampshire county council for his education between eight and 15. He said that when he moved to Knowsley, Liverpool, the education authority there missed the opportunity to keep him in education until he was 19 and make good the damage. Mr Smith is now a student of art and design at Liverpool University but he is still functionally illiterate and has skills equivalent to those of an average six or seven year old. He is suing Hampshire council and Knowsley council for "alarming and gross negligence An indifference to, and a blatant violation of, a legal duty with respect to the rights of others. Gross negligence is a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, which is likely to cause foreseeable grave injury or harm to persons, property, or ". He claims he has been "disabled by the education system itself". The councils deny liability. They argue that Mr Smith should have sued within three years of knowing he had dyslexia. They say his claim was brought outside the time limit and should not be allowed to go ahead. The case continues. paul.byrne@mirror.co.uk CAPTION(S): LOSS: He went to special school |
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