[nfbwatlk] Governor Sacrifices the Blind for Short Term Politics

[T. Joseph Carter]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Art Stevenson,
president National Federation of the Blind of Oregon
Tel: 503-585-4318
Email: president at nfb-oregon.org

Governor Sacrifices the Blind for Short Term Politics
May 16, 2009
Salem, Oregon ­
In a swift, one-two-three punch, Governor Ted 
Kulongoski proposes to eliminate services and 
support to Oregon’s blind whether they're born 
blind, become blind, or lose their vision late in 
life. The first punch was delivered by House Bill 
2834, sponsored by Rep. Sarah Gelser 
(D-Corvallis), with support of the Governor.  The 
bill would close and sell off the Oregon School 
for the Blind to private land developers.  Their 
argument is that the school’s services should 
be provided by local Educational Service 
Districts. The second punch came when the Oregon 
Senate Education Committee reorganized the 
Educational Service Districts, reducing the 
number from 22 to 13.  These agencies employ 
itinerant teachers whose case loads are already 
so large that they spend nearly as much time 
driving between schools as they do teaching 
students. The final blow was delivered Friday, 
May 15th, when Governor Kulongoski proposed total 
abolition of the Oregon Commission for the Blind, 
which currently provides job training and 
rehabilitation to blind adults and seniors.  In 
his attempt to cover up his own lack of oversight 
of administrative misjudgments by his appointees 
who run the Commission, the Governor sacrifices 
the quality of life and future potential of the 
blind of Oregon. Without a competitive education 
and training in the skills of blindness, Oregon's 
blind face the kind of life they lived in the 
19th century.  "It's like they want us out there 
with tin cups and pencils, begging for money," 
said Art Stevenson, president of the Oregon 
Federation. Oregon’s blind face an approximate 
70% unemployment rate.  Under the current plan to 
reduce services and education, that number is 
likely to increase.  The result will be greater 
dependence on welfare and social security by 
people who want nothing more than a chance to work and live a normal life.
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