The issue of separate classes for students with disabilities has returned to the centre of the Italian educational debate, raising profound questions about the educational model we want to build for the future.

A concerning signal comes from the survey “The Voices of Inclusion”, conducted by the Erickson Research Centre last November among 833 teachers from all levels of education. The data speak clearly: 1 in 4 teachers (27%) declare themselves in favour of reopening special classes, a figure that has increased by 10% compared to two years earlier. This position is more widespread among teachers working in upper secondary education and among those with greater years of professional experience.

This result is particularly thought-provoking, especially in light of what has been achieved over recent decades. Law no. 517 of 1977, which abolished differentiated classes, represented a milestone: the outcome of battles fought by associations, teachers and professionals, which transformed Italy into a European reference model for inclusive education.

Today, Italian schools welcome approximately 325,000 students with certified disabilities, representing 4% of the overall school population. However, the system shows clear weaknesses: only 36% of support teachers hold permanent positions, and only 41% of schools use adequate technological aids. These challenges are compounded by overcrowded classrooms, bureaucratic burdens, limited resources and training that is often insufficient.

As Daniela Mignogna, Emilia-Romagna representative for the National CFU Coordination Network, points out: “the problem is not students with disabilities, but a school system that receives insufficient investment”. Proposing separation as a solution means disregarding decades of social progress and shifting the burden of systemic shortcomings onto the most vulnerable individuals.

Inclusion is not an ideology, but a right and a shared value. The findings of the Erickson survey should therefore not lead us to question this principle, but rather encourage us to urgently strengthen investment in key areas: staff stability, adequate training and accessible technologies. Because the school of the future is built through inclusion, not separation.