[il-talk] today's Journal-Courier article about ISVI

[Bill Reif]

This article was posted earlier today.  While it's too early to relax, it 
seems there may be less reason to panic.

Bill

Budget issues remain, but officials remaining optimistic
June 19, 2009 - 12:29 PM
BY KATIE ANDERSON
Journal-Courier
Illinois School for the Visually Impaired Superintendent Reggie Clinton told 
60 nervous faculty and staff members gathered Friday in the Joshua Rhoads 
Auditorium to relax.

"I'm here to dispel rumors," he said, "I'm not here to hand out pink slips."

Gov. Pat Quinn's office announced Tuesday that the Illinois School for the 
Deaf and the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired will be closed if 
state lawmakers cannot get past a $9.2 billion budget impasse.

The news drew a quick response. By mid-afternoon Tuesday, there were about a 
hundred students, staff and supporters of the two schools rallying for 
action in front of the Illinois School for the Deaf. There were similiar 
rallies Wednesday and Thursday.

Since then, students and employees from the two schools have been holding 
their breath.

Rumors ranging from that the schools will be shut down as early as July 
first to the announcement was just a legislative scare tactic have been 
floating around. Mr. Clinton told the group he had spoken with his superiors 
in Springfield about 10 a.m. and was told there are a number of different 
budget scenarios being discussed, but so far none include shuttering the 
School for the Visually Impaired.

"We fall in an area where they are looking for about $33 million in cuts," 
Mr. Clinton said, adding that the bulk of that will be shifted away from the 
school.

"I was told we are a long way from closing either school," Mr. Clinton 
continued.

He said that although he did only ask specific questions about the future of 
the School for the Visually Impaired,  his superiors from Springfield spoke 
about the Illinois School for the Deaf in answering some of his questions.

Mr. Clinton told the crowd that while the news he heard today was good, what 
was true Friday might not be true tomorrow or next week.

"I'm sure we'll take some type of hit," he said, "but if it the Legislature 
keeps its promise, schools won't be harmed."

During a question-and-answer session at the end of Mr. Clinton's 
special-called meeting, staff asked the superintendent if he had heard about 
plans to consolidate Jacksonville's two state schools.

He said that neither he nor the superintendent at the School for the Deaf 
had been contacted about consolidation.