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

[Mike Freeman]

It certainly is. But deaf schools have a higher population than do schools for the blind -- at least that's the case here in the state of Washington.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nobe-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nobe-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Beth
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2011 1:09 PM
To: National Organization of Blind Educators Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nobe-l] FW: Hearing, NC School for the Blind

This is so sad.  People would rather just sit there and close blind schools, but not deaf schools.  That's ridiculous.
Beth

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Hyde, David W. (ESC)" <david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us
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
Date sent: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:20:08 -0500
Subject: [nobe-l] FW: Hearing, NC School for the Blind

Related
Hundreds turn out to support Eastern NC School for the Deaf in...
By:
Steve Sbraccia
Published: September 28, 2011
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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.
?쏷his is an abominable act,??said
James Benton
, a 1978 Graduate of
Morehead School
. ?쏷o be quite frank, the state of
North Carolina
ought to be ashamed at having put us into this position.??
?쏷he 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?셲 contention that the state can consolidate schools for the blind and deaf.
?쏻ho 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?셶e attended the
school
, it?셲 more than a place to learn.
?쏷he teachers there and the staff there are like your mom and dad,?쇺€?said student Wanisha Richardson . ?쏧 have a dad there, I have moms, aunts and uncles - I have a family.??
But the public hearings are just part of the process.
?쏷he public hearings are not a vote, they are not a rally,??
said
Tom Winton
, who is with the Department of Public Instruction?셲 committee that will have to decide which school will be closed. ?쏻e don?셳 sit around and tally how many people spoke on behalf of this school or that school.??
Winton
also says it?셲 hard for
him
to be involved in closing a school.
?쏧?셶e 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. ?쏧t 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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