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Time Out
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Young Mothers
It's been 30 years since Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes traded social realist documentary filmmaking for narrative fiction. Active since the 1970s, the Belgian brothers are now well into their seventies, having built up an impressive body of work, largely from intensely naturalistic stories of the poor and dispossessed. Their closest British analogue would be Ken Loach, but it isn't too much of a stretch to say the rawness and compassion of their narratives, often populated by non-professional actors, can make Mike Leigh look like Michael Bay. With the brothers' latest – their thirteenth feature and first ensemble piece – the two-time Palme d'Or winners bring their tried-and-true methodology to a diverse quintet of teenagers temporarily housed in a residential shelter for young mothers in the directors' native city of Liège. We cannot help but root for every one of their characters, even when they inevitably fuck up. Ariane (Janaina Halloy Fokan) has resolved to place her newborn with a well-off foster family, against the wishes of her own troubled mother, who wants the baby for herself. Perla (Lucie Laruelle), like the hapless Bruno in the Dardennes' breakthrough film The Child (2005), is not ready for the responsibility parenthood brings, and no wonder – she is, after all, 'a kid with a kid'. Pregnant Jessica (Babette Verbeek), desperate to reconnect with the parent who abandoned her, recalls Cyril in 2011's The Kid with a Bike. Hairdressing apprentice Julie (Elsa Houben) dreams of moving with her baby's young father into their own home, but struggles to resist the heroin addiction her boyfriend has managed to kick. Naima (Samia Hilmi), meanwhile, proves that positive outcomes are possible, as she prepares to leave the shelter for a job on the railways she loves. Winner of the Best Screenplay prize at Cannes, Young Mothers brings nothing new to the Dardennes' canon, but there's comfort in the familiarity of their methodology. They've always had a knack for coaxing tremendous performances from even the youngest of actors, and the cast here is uniformly excellent. As always, the Dardennes paint with a bleak brush, yet invariably succeed in finding light in the darkness, their empathy for those from the lowest rungs of society ultimately shining through. It's a testament to their compassionate lens that we cannot help but root for every one of their characters, even when they inevitably fuck up.
Indian Express
08-08-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Private schools can't deny admission to children with disability. They are legally bound to admit them
By Somya Jain In July 2025, the Delhi High Court directed a private school in Delhi to re-admit a Class I student with autism who had previously been denied admission due to her disability. While the child was enrolled, the school raised concerns about her behaviour and repeatedly urged the family to withdraw her, which eventually led to her exit. However, when the parents later sought re-admission, the school refused, again citing her behaviour, despite being aware of her disability. In this current case, the Court not only ordered the child's re-admission but also directed the school to provide her with the necessary support to access her education (Aadriti Pathak vs GD Goenka Public School). The instances that led to the case show that the legal protections for children with disabilities remain poorly understood. The private schools continue to violate these rights with little accountability, and parents, often unaware of the protections available, are left to navigate the consequences. This also happens due to the misconception that the responsibility to support children with disabilities lies solely with government schools, and not private institutions. This assumption doesn't stand the legal scrutiny. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPWDA) is a dedicated legislation for the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities in India, which includes the right to inclusive education. In particular, Section 16(i) of the RPWDA mandates that all schools — both public and private, recognised by government and local authorities — admit children with disabilities without discrimination. Section 16 also requires all schools to make their premises and facilities accessible and provide necessary accommodations based on the child's individual needs. Thus, private schools have binding obligations towards children with disabilities. Another widespread misconception is that children with disabilities are meant to study only in 'special schools' designed exclusively for them. The RPWDA firmly rejects this idea. It establishes that every child with a disability has the right to inclusive education, which means a system where children with and without disabilities learn together. Therefore, schools do not have the discretion to direct parents towards special schools or suggest that children with disabilities do not belong in 'regular' classrooms. In fact, Section 12(c) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, mandates that private schools reserve 25 per cent of entry-level seats for children from disadvantaged groups. While these legal provisions exist on paper, their violations are common. Numerous complaints filed by parents reveal how routinely schools deny admission to children with disabilities. In The Child vs State of Tamil Nadu (2023), a case similar to that of Aadriti Pathak, the Madras High Court directed a school to admit a child with autism after it had initially refused admission due to the unavailability of a special educator. Complaints submitted to the Chief and State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities also highlight the scale of the issue, where schools continue to cite lack of infrastructure or trained staff as reasons for denying admission. To put an end to such rampant violations and ensure that the law is meaningfully enforced, both parents and schools must be aware that these legal provisions are non-negotiable. Failure to comply can lead to consequences such as fines, loss of recognition of the school and judicial directions to comply with the law. Interestingly, remedies for denial of admission have also been observed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. In Sneh Lata vs Bal Bharti Public School (2023), the Gurgaon District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed the school to pay compensation of Rs 25,000 to parents for denying admission to their child with a hearing impairment. When legal rights are not widely known, violations go unchallenged, and those responsible remain complacent. This is especially true for children with disabilities, many of whom, particularly those with invisible disabilities like autism, go unidentified, and their entitlements are never exercised. As the law and policy landscape gradually shifts toward inclusion, it's time for the public to do its part: Stay informed, demand accountability, and ensure that no child is left behind simply because no one knew their right ever existed. The writer is a research fellow at Vidhi Legal Centre
