Girl with Down syndrome turned away from Vancouver art class, mom says

The mother of Kenzie Jameson, a nine-year-old with Down syndrome, is calling for greater accessibility after her daughter was refused access to an arts class in Vancouver. (Courtesy: Katie Jameson)

Kenzie Jameson is a blond, nine-year-old girl from Vancouver with a vibrant personality and a love for soccer, music, and art. She is, according to her mom Katie Jameson, sassy, a huge Taylor Swift fan, and an avid painter.

Kenzie also has Down syndrome, autism, and is non-verbal. Jameson says she prefers to mention her daughter’s conditions last, almost as an afterthought, because often, once somebody becomes aware of her disability, they form a preconceived notion of who she is and what she is capable of.

A few weeks ago, Jameson says Kenzie was refused entry to a painting workshop at the Kitsilano branch of 4Cats, an arts studio with multiple locations across Canada, based on her disability.

“We were just looking for a space that would welcome her and let her sit next to kids her age for a couple hours a week,” says Jameson, touching on how community programs that are open to including children with Down syndrome are often hard to come by.

Jameson says she listed Kenzie’s support needs in the online registration. The mother assured that it would be “very easy,” and only require that she be allowed to sit beside her daughter, quietly, and help her paint.

“I expressed how excited we were,” Jameson explains.

“I wrote that Kenzie has a huge affinity for art and painting and colors, and this was going to be an extension of expression for her, because she is non-speaking.”

In emails shared with CTV News, 4Cats Kitsilano told the family its policy was to have no outside observers in class.

“Unfortunately, we can’t make exceptions to this policy and cannot have you in the class,” the email read.

In a later email to Jameson, the company said, “To clarify, 4 Cats is not equipped or trained to support children with specific needs in our regular classes. As part of our policy, we don’t allow adults during class, as we’ve found that the presence of an extra adult can sometimes disrupt the experience for the other children.”

Jameson was redirected to another weekend class, for parents and children, but said it wouldn’t have offered the same opportunity for Kenzie to create alongside children her own age.

Jameson offered to remain outside of the class and have a staff member stay within and support her daughter, but she was told that the 4Cats studio was not equipped to support kids with additional needs.

“I was creating the possibility for them to include a child with a disability free of charge, with nothing done on their end, no policy change, no reshaping, no staffing differences, nothing was required on their behalf,” Jameson says.

“Disability is framed in such a way that people think that it is so hard to incorporate, and it’s really not. It’s just an adult, sitting next to a kid, helping them use paint in an art class.”

In a brief statement to CTV News, founder and CEO of 4Cats Joey Simon said she was “deeply sorry” about the incident involving Kenzie and wanted to “make it right.”

Simon said she has spoken with the Kitsilano studio but has not yet had the opportunity to directly speak with Jameson. Plans are in place to discuss the incident, and inclusion policies will be updated and shared via their website “as soon as possible,” she said.

“As an inclusive art studio, we welcome students of all abilities and developmental needs,” Simon said in the statement.

“We will be meeting with the mother and an inclusion consultant to better understand their perspectives and explore ways we can improve.”

Beyond the incident with 4Cats there is an issue surrounding accessibility that is still sweepingly systemic, says Jameson, and it continues to take its toll on both parents and children alike.

“To be told, ‘No,’ over and over and over again, to be told that your kid is not allowed to join, is not allowed to have an opportunity to be with peers, is not allowed to learn and enrich and grow through childhood like all other kids do, that does something to a person over time,” Jameson explains, fighting back tears.

Kenzie already spends summers alone, she doesn’t participate in camp and is regularly turned away from community programs, according to her mom.

“Allowing a community art class to maintain a policy that openly discriminates against my daughter and denies her access to opportunities for fun and friendship, further ensures a life in which my daughter is more easily disregarded as an adult,” she says.

“When we uphold the notion that individuals with developmental disabilities are less deserving of a life rich with experiences and connections, we are cementing a future marked by isolation and loneliness.”