Former Ballarat Specialist School principal John Burt said the One Nation leader’s remarks showed a total lack of understanding of what children with disabilities are capable of as well as the nature of autism.

Senator Hanson said on Wednesday autistic children were holding back their peers in mainstream schools and should be removed.

“It’s an ignorance that is generally within our community and for anyone to make a statement like she’s made is one of ignorance because there’s no understanding of what they’re capable of doing,” Mr Burt said.

“Each individual child needs to be considered on whatever their disability may be - whether it’s autism, whether it’s Down Syndrome.

“To come out and say all autistic children should be taken from mainstream schools is in my opinion totally wrong.”

Wendouree MP Sharon Knight said the Queensland Senator’s comments were “like a knife going through your heart”.

Ms Knight’s 27-year-old son Tom has severe autism and lives in supported accommodation. 

She said the comments framed people with autism – and any person with disabilities – as being without value. 

“I don’t know what experience she’s based her comment on but her comment is wrong and it's offensive and she should be ashamed of herself and she needs to take responsibility for the hurt she has caused a whole lot of people,” Ms Knight said. ​

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday night Senator Hanson said: "But if there is a number of them, these children should go into a special classroom and be... given that special attention because most of the time the teachers spend so much time on them.”

Her comments have been roundly condemned, with parents of autistic children – including Labor MP Emma Husar, whose 10-year-old son has autism – demanding she apologise. 

- with Fairfax Media