[nfbwatlk] Fwd: [nobe-l] FW: Hearing, NC School for the Blind

[Mike Freeman]

Shades of things to come? Let's hope not.

Admittedly, the situation is different in North Carolina. Methinks it would be a no-brainer to close one of the schools for the deaf since there are two. But the blind, being the smaller minority, appear to be under the gun once again.

To be sure, even under Washington's Governor Gregoire's proposed austerity budget, the Washington School for the Blind seems to be okay as long as Oregon blind students keep coming. But God knows what hair-brained schemes may be floated come January!

It's "Keep your powder dry" time.

Mike Freeman
sent from my iPhone


Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Hyde, David W. (ESC)" <david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us>
> Date: October 28, 2011 6:20:08 PDT
> To: "'nfb of wisconsin (nfbwnews at nfbwis.org)'" <nfbwnews at nfbwis.org>, "'pibe-division at nfbnet.org'" <pibe-division at nfbnet.org>, "'nobe-l at nfbnet.org'" <nobe-l at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [nobe-l] FW: Hearing, NC School for the Blind
> Reply-To: National Organization of Blind Educators Mailing List <nobe-l at nfbnet.org>
> 
> Related
> Hundreds turn out to support Eastern NC School for the Deaf in...
> By:
> Steve Sbraccia
> Published: September 28, 2011
> »  Comments
> |
> Post a Comment
> RALEIGH, N.C. --
> Frustration and anger dominated a hearing over whether to shut down a school for
> the blind in
> Raleigh
> Wednesday night.
> The newly enacted state budget requires
> North Carolina
> to close either
> the Governor
> Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh
> , the
> Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf
> in
> Wilson
> or the
> North Carolina School for the Deaf
> in Morganton.
> The
> closed school
> would then have its students sent to one of the two remaining schools.
> At the public hearing, there were a lot of people furious that blind and deaf students
> are being pitted against each other.
> “This is an abominable act,” said
> James Benton
> , a 1978 Graduate of
> Morehead School
> . “To be quite frank, the state of
> North Carolina
> ought to be ashamed at having put us into this position.”
> “The process that pits the interests of blind students against deaf students is repellant
> and repugnant to me,” said
> John DeLuca
> , who wants Morehead kept open.
> Many at the meeting rejected the General Assembly’s contention that the state can
> consolidate schools for the blind and deaf.
> “Who would mix the deaf and blind community? There is no justification for that,”
> said
> Shane Faircloth
> , who graduated from the
> Morehead School
> in 2008.
> For those who’ve attended the
> school
> , it’s more than a place to learn.
> “The teachers there and the staff there are like your mom and dad,’’ said student
> Wanisha Richardson
> . “I have a dad there, I have moms, aunts and uncles - I have a family.”
> But the public hearings are just part of the process.
> “The public hearings are not a vote, they are not a rally,” said
> Tom Winton
> , who is with the Department of Public Instruction’s committee that will have to
> decide which school will be closed. “We don’t sit around and tally how many people
> spoke on behalf of this school or that school.”
> Winton
> also says it’s hard for
> him
> to be involved in closing a school.
> “I’ve been
> a teacher
> of the visually impaired; I worked with teachers who are deaf. I have friends, colleagues
> who are deaf or hard of hearing,” he explained. “It is an emotional thing; it just
> is.”
> Even so,
> Winton
> must help draft a report by Jan. 15 that will recommend which school to close.
> The Raleigh school was established in 1845
> and is the
> eighth-oldest school
> for the blind in the
> United States
> . It has been at its present location in
> Raleigh
> , not far from N.C. State, since 1923.
> 
> 
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