Deaf commission statewide in Ga

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Aorora111

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The Georgia legislature was very kind to deaf people this session I believe. From what I know, three pieces were passed in favor of the deaf community - the deaf bills of rights, allowing sign language to be a satisfy high school language requirements, and they established a seven person deaf and hard of hearing commission to essentially advocate for the deaf community in the state. Here's a link to the commission bill and others. Just thought I'd share.

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hb655.html.

Link to Deaf Child's Bill of Rights:

Georgia General Assembly - SB 168

Another one passed for deaf-blind individuals:

Georgia General Assembly - SB 49

Foreign language credit for high school:
Georgia General Assembly - SB 206

Foriegn language for college:
Georgia General Assembly - SB 170

SB 10 allows parents of students with disabilities to send a child to any school they want using tax dollars. Before, students could only go to the deaf school if they were referred by the school. Now parents can do it on their own.

Georgia General Assembly - SB 10
 
I was surprised that most of the bills were signed by Governor Sonny.

Speaking of the SB 10 bill, it would be very interesting how this would affect residence and day schools for the deaf here in Georgia. For years, the previous governors had attempted to shut down GSD campus in Cedartown (Rome) and consolidate GSD with AASD (day school for the deaf) in Clarkston (Atlanta). They had backed down after the deaf/hard-of-hearing community in Georgia and Alabama started protesting against the plans.
 
Brian said:
I was surprised that most of the bills were signed by Governor Sonny.

Speaking of the SB 10 bill, it would be very interesting how this would affect residence and day schools for the deaf here in Georgia. For years, the previous governors had attempted to shut down GSD campus in Cedartown (Rome) and consolidate GSD with AASD (day school for the deaf) in Clarkston (Atlanta). They had backed down after the deaf/hard-of-hearing community in Georgia and Alabama started protesting against the plans.
Click to expand...

Prior to SB 10, students had to be referred to a deaf school in Ga. with this new bill, as long as the student attempted one year in public school and had an IEP, the parent could place the student at GSD or AASD without permission from the home school or state, pending acceptance to the deaf school of course.

I don't know a lot of the history, but previous directors at GSD had run the school down. The school now has a new director - Lee Shiver, who is actually hearing, but is learning pretty fast ASL. He was brought in more to handle to running of the school, clean it up and to handle the problems. Essentially, it had become the catch-all and had students there with extreme cognitive disabilities that endangered other students and had other major problems which may have had something to do with it. He's already making changes, and the students/staff seem happy.

I work at a newspaper, so I get some of this info pretty easily, and as education reporter, work to keep GSD included in everything which is something that wasn't done as much before I hear.

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Correction needed

GSD is actually located in Cave Springs, not Cedartown. Cedartown is about 20 miles or so from GSD. I should know because I went to college nearby in Rome. I lived in Cave Springs, while I was attending to college. Our dorm was above the GSD football field. Please make sure the facts that you stated are accurate.:ty:
 
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