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Tue May 26 01:07:48 UTC 2009

The NFB of Oregon is sending a press release out to the major papers around the state. I am placing it on this list so you can all see it. It's been included both as a Word document attached to this message, and within this message. Thanks.

National Federation Of The Blind Of Oregon
 NFBO

Art Stevenson, President, 1616 5th Street N.E., Salem, OR.97301 (503) 585-4318, in Oregon (800) 422-7093, Fax (503) 763-6884

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CONTACT:

Art Stevenson

President

National Federation of the Blind of Oregon                             

1616 5th St. NE 

Salem, Oregon 97301 

(503) 585-4318

H.B. 2834: Closing the Oregon School for the Blind, Closing the door on the future of blind children

The State Does Not Have Clear Title to the Property It Plans to Sell:

The Oregon School for the Blind is located on property given to the state specifically for the purpose of operating a school for blind children.  The deed is restricted and the property may not be sold and the proceeds used for other purposes. The legislature is well aware of this limitation.

Nevertheless the legislature plans to close the school, assuring parents and others that funds from the sale of the property will be available to support educational services to blind children in their local schools. This is a clear "bait and switch." Once the school is closed and the blind children moved to their local schools, and it is found that the property may not be sold, there will be no funds to backup the legislature's promises. Why then would the legislature move forward with a plan to close the school without knowing whether the property can be sold? Could it be about money?

Denying Blind Children an appropriate Education:

The legislature persists in saying that local schools will provide the educational and related services needed by the students currently enrolled
at the School for the Blind, yet they have no answer as to how.  There is already a shortage of trained teachers in the state.  Still the legislature continues to say that cost-saving is not behind the closure of the school. At the same time, the legislature has made no promise regarding helping the local districts meet the cost of educating these children beyond the hoped for proceeds from the sale of the school. In other words once the school is closed and the students moved to local schools, and it is found that the property may not be sold, the local schools will be on the hook, and blind children will be left high and dry. The only winner will be the legislature since funds will no longer need to be appropriated to run the school.

It's All About Money:

On Thursday, May 21, in a meeting of the Ways and Means Education Subcommittee, the chairman made reference to "virtually unlimited funds" being available to provide needed services from the sale of the property, yet when a question was raised about whether children at the Oregon school would have the option of being educated at the nearby Washington School for the Blind, the subcommittee members were told that placement decisions would have to be made on a case-by-case basis.  Why? It has already been determined that the students at the School for the Blind require the array of services available at the Oregon School for the Blind.  Why would placement at the Washington School for the Blind not be an automatic option afforded students who will be displaced by the closure of the Oregon School for the Blind.  Could it be the cost? Placement at the Washington School for the Blind is expensive so no promises are made about placing displaced blind children at the Washington school, but remember "it's not about money." Or is it? Parents whose children attend the Oregon School for the Blind should
be given the immediate option of enrolling their children at the Washington School for the Blind--a well-regarded, comprehensive program.  Instead, they are told that local districts that have never before been able to meet their children's educational needs will somehow be ready to provide the full complement of needed services by the first day of school in September.

No Serious input Allowed:

Two years ago, the Oregon Legislature created the Oregon School for the Blind Board of Directors.  The board was charged with developing a blueprint to serve as a Master Plan for the school. In developing the Master Plan, the board consulted with blind and visually impaired K-12 students, parents, teachers, and district and regional staff. Yet despite the work of the board and the involvement of stakeholders, the Oregon legislature has set aside the plan and is moving forward with plans to close the school. At the May 21 meeting of the Ways and Means Education Subcommittee, no public testimony was allowed, not even from the statutorily created Oregon School for the Blind Board of Directors. In fact the subcommittee refused to allow written testimony to be submitted for the record.

The National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, the American Council of the Blind of Oregon, and everyone else involved, knew there were many problems with the educational system for the blind students of our state.  The Department of Education and the Oregon Legislature have been provided an opportunity to create a system that all Oregonians could be proud of.  Our recommendations would have accomplished this goal by producing a better working relationship with the regional programs and the Oregon School for the Blind.   If any one believes that given the current economic outlook for all schools in Oregon, that the educational environment for all blind students is going to get better, they just don’t live in the real world.  House bill 2834 is a tragedy waiting to happen if it becomes law.
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