A tribute to Micheline Mason
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Micheline Mason. She is known to many as the Founder of ALLFIE and an indomitable force in activism for inclusive education, not to mention the wider Disabled People’s Movement and beyond. Rest in love and power dearest Micheline
Dear ALLFIE Members and supporters,
It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of ALLFIE’s Founder and lifelong friend, Micheline Mason. In particular at this time, our thoughts and love go out to Micheline’s family.
This is also a huge loss to the inclusive education movement, the Alliance for Inclusive Education which honors Micheline as its founding member, and the wider Disabled People’s Movement.
Micheline was a remarkable activist who dedicated her life to campaigning for inclusive education and the rights of all Disabled people to be educated in mainstream settings. As a Disabled mother of a Disabled child, Micheline was determined that her daughter, Lucy, now an adult, would attend her local mainstream school rather than be segregated from society, as this was her own experience within the education system.
In this video, filmed for ALLFIE’s 30th Anniversary in 2020, Micheline explains how she formed ALLFIE around her kitchen table, alongside a group of parents determined to ensure their children were educated equally, and formed the pivotal inclusive education group, Parents for Inclusion:
“I started the Alliance for Inclusive Education 30 years ago now. At the time I was a parent of a Disabled child who was 4. Who was coming up to school age. Having been educated myself for 14 years at home on the sofa and then 3 years in a special boarding school which brought great problems to me when I left. I was so determined as a mother that my daughter wasn’t gonna follow the same path as me. And ever feel excluded from her local community. I felt she deserved to have all the same opportunities as any other child, possibly even more because she needed, she would have limited choices because of her impairments.”
All her life, Micheline, alongside other activists, drove forward the inclusive education movement, it is now a global campaign that remains one of the most powerful tools in combating societal inequalities and discriminatory practices. Micheline played a crucial role in supporting other parents of Disabled children in advocating for their child’s right to attend a mainstream school. She was instrumental in introducing national policy changes and reshaping the language around inclusive education.
Micheline was not only a passionate campaigner but also a talented poet and author, with several published works. The legacy of her work will undoubtedly continue to influence and guide the Disabled People’s Movement globally and other social justice movements. Her contributions will be celebrated and cherished as we continue to carry forward the work she began.
Let us take a moment to remember and honour Micheline Mason’s extraordinary contributions. We will continue to gather Micheline’s work and dedicate ourselves to the power she brought to this movement, with care and love for everyone.
With love and solidarity, ALLFIE Team
