Line Charlotte Johnsen Rolfsnes and Raymond Rolfsnes from Bergen are currently in battle mode. They recently received a message about their daughter, Mariel (16), which they refuse to accept.

– Our daughter will start upper secondary school after the summer, and she had verbally confirmed that there was a place for her at Fyllingsdalen upper secondary school after a transfer meeting with them in May. But on Sunday, we suddenly received a letter from the admissions office. “Welcome to the transfer meeting in Årstad,” said the letter, Line Charlotte told Dagbladet.

– Completely without warning

She immediately thought it was a mistake and called the admissions office to check with them.

– They replied that they removed Mariel from Fyllingsdalen vgs. and transferred her to Årstad vgs., just before the admission was final. Mariel did not finally enter, quite unexpectedly, says Line Charlotte.

Årstad is one of the biggest schools in Bergen, with around 1,000 pupils. Line Charlotte says her daughter doesn’t know anyone who will start there.

Vestland and Årstad County Admissions Office vgs. comments on this later in the article.

– Mariel has Down syndrome and is very sensitive. This means, among other things, that she cannot cope with a lot of noise around her, and Mariel depends on having someone she knows around her to feel safe, explains Line Charlotte.

– Most important

She says they documented the importance of familiar relationships and a small, light environment, in order to take care of Mariel’s psychosocial needs. That they sent special wishes in a cover letter, as well as documenting her strengths and in what environment Mariel can thrive.

– Suddenly it seems like it’s not important anymore. The admissions office held firm with the “holistic assessment” basis, and conversations with a counselor at the current school also did not yield results. We received the message on Monday afternoon. Mariel was offered a place in Årstad. A school where a very sensitive girl who needs security cannot go at all, says Line Charlotte.

She says it will be irrelevant for Mariel to start in Årstad and fears that Mariel’s schooling will be over if the admissions office does nothing to remedy the situation.

– Sad

– You get bored. It goes to the most vulnerable part of us, because it cannot fight its own battle, and we are its voice and spokesperson. When I heard the news of the school change, I was sad at first, but then the will to fight came. I refuse to let that happen. That she will not have an optimal adult life, because something went wrong in the internship, says Line Charlotte.

She says it’s understandable that mistakes can happen and she doesn’t want to drag anyone.

– Families with children come hungry

– The only thing that matters is that my daughter enters a school with fewer students, where she knows someone. Otherwise, there will be disastrous consequences for Mariel, says Line Charlotte.

Main: – Try to find good solutions

Årstad director Kari Danielsen says they facilitate students with different needs and challenges.

– We always try to find good solutions and we believe we have succeeded to a large extent, Danielsen tells Dagbladet.

She says they find solutions by talking to students and parents.

– We welcome Mariel of course, if she finds herself here, said Danielsen.

The Admissions Office: – Will not comment

The section head for admissions in Vestland, Øivind Høines, tells Dagbladet that he will not comment on individual cases, but that applicants for upper secondary education are entitled to an offer on one of three programs of education.

– Candidates with preferential rights receive offers first. When assessing, we look at both the needs of the individual applicant and the capacity of the county council to provide the best possible offer to all applicants with preferential rights. In some cases, it’s fair to offer a place at a school the applicant hasn’t applied to, but with the same educational program they want, says Høines.

– Who makes these decisions and on what basis do you base them?

– Secondary education is the responsibility of a county municipality according to the Education Act. In Vestland County Council, the decision-making power for admission is delegated to the Education and Skills Department and then to the Admissions, Circulation and Final Assessment section, says Høines.

– Not finally

The admissions officer states that all submitted documents are assessed and discussed with the schools involved in the procedure, in order to find the right offer for the individual candidate.

“Now I’m Dying”

He comments on Line Charlotte’s claim that Mariel had been promised a place at Fyllingsdalen vgs. during one of the transfer meetings they had in May.

– Information meetings between preferential right applicants with parents and the schools concerned are important to ensure that applicants are familiar with the schools that are most likely to be offered to them. During these meetings, it must be specified that admission is not definitive and that modifications will be possible.

Dagbladet contacted the headmaster of Fyllingsdalen secondary school. who chose to refer to the admissions office.