Australian parents of autistic children are appalled that One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson won't apologize for saying those kids should be removed from mainstream classrooms, an opinion that isn't supported by any evidence.  One of those mums is Labor MP Emma Husar, who let Hanson have it in Parliament.

"I have come out here today because I am angry and I am upset but most of all I am disappointed," said the MP from Lindsay, NSW.  "I am disappointed that in 2017 we have got people like Senator Hanson sitting over there in the Senate making ill-informed comments about kids that are autistic that they don't belong in a mainstream class and calling for them to be segregated."

Emma Husar's ten year old son Mitch is on the autism spectrum.  She tweeted a photo of him with the caption, "My son Mitch.  Much loved cared for and included making incredible progress.  More funding not less in mainstream matters.  So does inclusion."  Ms. Husar says mainstreaming has helped Mitch exceed his doctor's expectations when he was diagnosed at 18 months.

Hanson on Wednesday said, "These kids have a right to an education, by all means, but, if there are a number of them, these children should go into a special classroom and be looked after and given that special attention," adding, "We can't afford to hold our kids back."  Instead of getting the message, Hanson doubled down on the on Friday.

Autism Awareness Australia has slammed Senator Hanson's comments as "appalling, archaic, and cruel".  But Hanson isn't just morally wrong, she's factually wrong.  Hanson's attitude bears no relation to reality.  Education experts say the philosophy of inclusion had been influential in changing Australian education for the better.

"All children, with and without disabilities, have a legislated right to be educated in their local neighborhood school, and Senator Hanson's comments show a disregard for Australia's legislative provisions and international human rights obligations," read the joint statement from Professor Lorraine Graham, senior lecturers Shiralee Poed and Lisa Mckay-Brown, and lecturers Sharon Klieve and Kate Leigh, all from the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education.

Experience has shown that instead of holding other kids back, inclusion gives everyone a boost.

"Children with a disability may have a deficit in one area, but will often and regularly have an asset in the other so they can support other children in the classroom who aren't good with language or literacy, who aren't good with maths, and see an alternative way of doing something," said David Roy, from the University of Newcastle's school of education to Fairfax Media.

Crossbench senator Jacqui Lambie agrees the other kids aren't held back at all, and they build necessary life skills:  "They learn compassion.  They learn how to deal with these matters.  It gives them coping mechanisms for the rest of their lives.  Everybody wins out with this," Ms. Lambie told Parliament.