Parents sue to keep SD School for the Deaf open

**Kalista** · 07-27-2009, 10:28 AM

Parents sue to keep SD School for the Deaf open - KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The parents of 8 deaf or hearing-impaired children from South Dakota and Minnesota have filed a federal class-action lawsuit in an effort to keep the South Dakota School for the Deaf open.

Gov. Mike Rounds tried to close the Sioux Falls campus to save $2 million and shift funding to outreach programs that educate deaf and hearing-impaired students in school districts across the state.

Federal stimulus money allowed the Legislature to restore the funding for the next year while officials come up with a plan on how to improve services to the students.

The lawsuit was filed against the state and related parties, and claims the plan to close the school violates the state constitution, which mandates a public school for the deaf.

**shel90** · 07-27-2009, 11:06 AM

Good for these parents!!!!

**Foxrac** · 07-27-2009, 12:14 PM

If enrollment is very low then state couldn't afford to maintain the deaf school with low enrollment, for me, it should up to state or judge in matters.

yizuman · 07-27-2009, 05:16 PM

Our Indiana Deaf School is in disarray due to cuts of funding that is causing building structures to collapse because there's no funding to repair them. Any funding they receive goes to mostly staffs and lawn maintenance.

I've been in there and saw ceilings that looks like they're ready to fall off.

It's sad really. Our local Government don't see much value in educating the deaf.

Yiz

**Bottesini** · 07-27-2009, 05:23 PM

The money spent to keep these archaic old campuses open would pay for a lot of TOD's in the public schools.

That is where the trend is going, and SDSD does much consulting and sending of support to the public schools.

SnAzZyStyLe2002 · 07-27-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yizuman

Our Indiana Deaf School is in disarray due to cuts of funding that is causing building structures to collapse because there's no funding to repair them. Any funding they receive goes to mostly staffs and lawn maintenance.

I've been in there and saw ceilings that looks like they're ready to fall off.

It's sad really. Our local Government don't see much value in educating the deaf.

Yiz

Been there at ISD before, and yeah I agree.

**shel90** · 07-27-2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yizuman

Our Indiana Deaf School is in disarray due to cuts of funding that is causing building structures to collapse because there's no funding to repair them. Any funding they receive goes to mostly staffs and lawn maintenance.

I've been in there and saw ceilings that looks like they're ready to fall off.

It's sad really. Our local Government don't see much value in educating the deaf.

Yiz

My friend is a teacher there and two of her daughter go there. I will ask her about that. She is happy there and loves her job and her daughters are thriving. Interesting...

**Daredevel7** · 07-27-2009, 07:00 PM

But... the money is STILL going to be for the deaf students..

"Gov. Mike Rounds tried to close the Sioux Falls campus to save $2 million and shift funding to outreach programs that educate deaf and hearing-impaired students in school districts across the state."

Maybe it's more cost effective this way?

**Bottesini** · 07-27-2009, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daredevel7

But... the money is STILL going to be for the deaf students..

"Gov. Mike Rounds tried to close the Sioux Falls campus to save $2 million and shift funding to outreach programs that educate deaf and hearing-impaired students in school districts across the state."

Maybe it's more cost effective this way?

It is also emotionally healthier for the children to stay in their own communities with their own families.

Buffalo · 07-27-2009, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daredevel7

But... the money is STILL going to be for the deaf students..

"Gov. Mike Rounds tried to close the Sioux Falls campus to save $2 million and shift funding to outreach programs that educate deaf and hearing-impaired students in school districts across the state."

Maybe it's more cost effective this way?

Save the costs on transportation, bed and board, SDSD teacher's salaries, only to parcel out the money to school districts for interpretering costs. My feeling is that the interpretering costs may be much more than what they are paying to keep SDSD open since the deaf kids are all spreaded out, thus more interpreters. Any thoughts, disagreements, or agreements on this???

**shel90** · 07-27-2009, 07:37 PM

Guess some people want to shut down deaf schools. What a shame.

**Bottesini** · 07-27-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shel90

Guess some people want to shut down deaf schools. What a shame.

Actually it would work to your advantage since more TOD positions will exist .

**shel90** · 07-27-2009, 07:48 PM

Iam not thinking of my own needs. I am thinking of the children because deaf schools are probably the only place where most of them have full access to language and communication at all times and they will have direct communication with everyone not just the terps only.

Besides I have wrked at a public school before and it is isolating for me as well. I prefer to work someplace where I can effectively communicate with every child and every coworker. Call me a baby or whatever but after being isolated constantly growing up, it is nice not to be in that situation anymore.

**Bottesini** · 07-27-2009, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shel90

Iam not thinking of my own needs. I am thinking of the children because deaf schools are probably the only place where most of them have full access to language and communication at all times and they will have direct communication with everyone not just the terps only.

Besides I have wrked at a public school before and it is isolating for me as well. I prefer to work someplace where I can effectively communicate with every child and every coworker. Call me a baby or whatever but after being isolated constantly growing up, it is nice not to be in that situation anymore.

I had grandparents with the phenomenon of institutionalization which is what you get with those boarding schools.

I am incredibly glad I had the opportunity to stay home and attend my local school.

So are others who I know who had the same situation.

I know you are not, but many other people are.

**Daredevel7** · 07-27-2009, 07:53 PM

Can't make them all happy. What's the best solution? Choose the cheapest avenue that will give SOME benefit to all. And I think that's what's being done here.

**shel90** · 07-27-2009, 07:54 PM

That's fine if u feel that way.

I am entitled to feel that way about working at a deaf school and I know many people, including former students who feel blessed to attend a deaf school. I used to be happy with the idea of going to public school instead of the deaf schools until I started working at several of them.

**Bottesini** · 07-27-2009, 07:56 PM

I also know people who went to deaf schools who say the deaf schools suck and that I was lucky to get to attend public school.

souggy · 07-27-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bottesini

I also know people who went to deaf schools who say the deaf schools suck and that I was lucky to get to attend public school.

That is dependent on the actual programs at the schools more than the school itself. I know one Deaf school in Canada is looked down upon, because they use scribes to help students pass their English exams thus low literacy rate, while another Deaf school have high reputation because they teach BiBi.

Every school is different, so you can't paint them all with the same brush.

dreama · 07-27-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shel90

Good for these parents!!!!

I totally agree with that. I wish I had gone to a deaf school.

It saddens me when so many schools are being closed down for specialized eduction.

I hope these parents win their case.

I also think that in some cases children are better off away from their parents.

Bebonang · 07-27-2009, 09:36 PM

If the Deaf schools are going to be close down. Then I have the dread thought that every deaf child have to go through the oral-only mainstream schools just because the government are cutting down the cost of having an interpreter for the Deaf or special accommodations or just not have this special accommodations to get the deaf child a good education at all. Then we are back where we start all over again like in the early 20th Century.

Going to the Deaf school is not all that bad. Any child can choose to go to any school, if they prefer. I really don`t want all Deaf schools close at all. As for the parents of Deaf children, I am cheering them to file to sue to remain stay open at the South Dakota School for the Deaf. Good for them, right on.

deafdyke · 07-28-2009, 02:51 AM

Quote:

I had grandparents with the phenomenon of institutionalization which is what you get with those boarding schools.

I am incredibly glad I had the opportunity to stay home and attend my local school.

Botte ....Not quite. The boarding schools are insistutions, but not ......Victorian asylum places. Nowadays, the boarding school is more of a home away from home. Exactly like what you get with prep boarding schools.
Plus I mean, not every kid has the advantage of a healthy middle class home life. For a lot of kids the "home life" at the schools for the deaf can provide stability or a sense of home.

**KarissaMann05** · 07-28-2009, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shel90

Guess some people want to shut down deaf schools. What a shame.

There you go. Like I said, nobody will care except the supporters for Deaf Culture.

Indeed, it sucks when people don't give a crap if deaf schools are going to shut down. It just prove me enough to know Deaf Culture is not really important to people. Don't forget this, your thread had a poll and there was one option who voted yes on closing deaf schools.

Honestly... I'm so sick of anti-deaf, anti-deaf community, anti-deaf culture, and anti-deaf anything, and all BULL! Give a ****ING rest!

I hope parents win the case...

Well, if they lose and I guess deaf schools are not really that important anymore as if it is stupid idea.

... ... ... And, nobody will care.

**shel90** · 07-28-2009, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarissaMann05

There you go. Like I said, nobody will care except the supporters for Deaf Culture.

Indeed, it sucks when people don't give a crap if deaf schools are going to shut down. It just prove me enough to know Deaf Culture is not really important to people. Don't forget this, your thread had a poll and there was one option who voted yes on closing deaf schools.

Honestly... I'm so sick of anti-deaf, anti-deaf community, anti-deaf culture, and anti-deaf anything, and all BULL! Give a ****ING rest!

I hope parents win the case...

Well, if they lose and I guess deaf schools are not really that important anymore as if it is stupid idea.

... ... ... And, nobody will care.

Not only that, lots of people would be put out of a job especially deaf people and do we want more people collecting SSDI or SSI, do we? Finding jobs out there is hard enough for anyone .

**KarissaMann05** · 07-28-2009, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shel90

Not only that, lots of people would be put out of a job especially deaf people and do we want more people collecting SSDI or SSI, do we? Finding jobs out there is hard enough for anyone .

What you said is... true...

I forget about that one...

**Bottesini** · 07-28-2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deafdyke

Botte ....Not quite. The boarding schools are insistutions, but not ......Victorian asylum places. Nowadays, the boarding school is more of a home away from home. Exactly like what you get with prep boarding schools.
Plus I mean, not every kid has the advantage of a healthy middle class home life. For a lot of kids the "home life" at the schools for the deaf can provide stability or a sense of home.

Obviously you don't know what the term means.

**shel90** · 07-28-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deafdyke

Botte ....Not quite. The boarding schools are insistutions, but not ......Victorian asylum places. Nowadays, the boarding school is more of a home away from home. Exactly like what you get with prep boarding schools.
Plus I mean, not every kid has the advantage of a healthy middle class home life. For a lot of kids the "home life" at the schools for the deaf can provide stability or a sense of home.

A small percentage of students live in the dorms. Most of them are daily students but when they go home, there is almost no interaction with them and their families due to communication barriers. That's why many of our students beg not to get sent home sick or stay at the dorms. However, with the younger children, it is improving because the families are getting more opportunities to learn ASL than before so more children are now coming from hearing families who can communicate with them easily. It is nice to see that.

**Bottesini** · 07-28-2009, 09:19 AM

And if deaf education goes to the public schools, and parents receive this training, you keep nuclear families together and it is a winning situation.

If you have kids growing up at home and forming a normal attachment to their parents, you will see them begging not to be taken away from home.

**shel90** · 07-28-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bottesini

And if deaf education goes to the public schools, and parents receive this training, you keep nuclear families together and it is a winning situation.

If you have kids growing up at home and forming a normal attachment to their parents, you will see them begging not to be taken away from home.

Do you honestly think all public schools will provide ASL classes for free to the parents and have an early childhood intervention geared for deaf students only? Maybe in the richer counties but I dont know. I cant imagine Baltimore City public schools providing that! That school system is so poor. Historically public schools tend to put deaf children under the special education umbrella and it can be confusing which is why there are stories of deaf children placed in classes for children who have other special needs.

My friend has a deaf 3 year old daughter and she was deciding whether to place her daughter at the public school or at the deaf school. She visited the public school and said that the deaf program there was so horrible ..they had like 20 kids ranging from preK to 8th grade all in the same classroom. She like like, "Huh Huh no way" and made her decision to place her daughter at the Deaf school where she will be in classes with the same age peers like hearing children are at the public schools.

**shel90** · 07-28-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffalo

Save the costs on transportation, bed and board, SDSD teacher's salaries, only to parcel out the money to school districts for interpretering costs. My feeling is that the interpretering costs may be much more than what they are paying to keep SDSD open since the deaf kids are all spreaded out, thus more interpreters. Any thoughts, disagreements, or agreements on this???

As for the costs, I am not sure but I definitely would prefer to see students to be in an educational environment where they can communicate with almost everyone they come into contact with instead of relying on an interpreter solely especially in social situations.

**Bottesini** · 07-28-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shel90

Do you honestly think all public schools will provide ASL classes for free to the parents and have an early childhood intervention geared for deaf students only? Maybe in the richer counties but I dont know. I cant imagine Baltimore City public schools providing that! That school system is so poor. Historically public schools tend to put deaf children under the special education umbrella and it can be confusing which is why there are stories of deaf children placed in classes for children who have other special needs.

My friend has a deaf 3 year old daughter and she was deciding whether to place her daughter at the public school or at the deaf school. She visited the public school and said that the deaf program there was so horrible ..they had like 20 kids ranging from preK to 8th grade all in the same classroom. She like like, "Huh Huh no way" and made her decision to place her daughter at the Deaf school where she will be in classes with the same age peers like hearing children are at the public schools.

That is what I would like to see. I feel it would be well worth fighting for.

Historically does not mean it has to be that way now. In some places you get what I want from the public schools.

Historically schools for the deaf and blind served as warehouses. I truly believe deaf can do anything and deserve a place in greater society.

So yes I think it could happen to have my vision take place.

07-27-2009, 10:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
Kalista Premium Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 8,112	Parents sue to keep SD School for the Deaf open Parents sue to keep SD School for the Deaf open - KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The parents of 8 deaf or hearing-impaired children from South Dakota and Minnesota have filed a federal class-action lawsuit in an effort to keep the South Dakota School for the Deaf open. Gov. Mike Rounds tried to close the Sioux Falls campus to save $2 million and shift funding to outreach programs that educate deaf and hearing-impaired students in school districts across the state. Federal stimulus money allowed the Legislature to restore the funding for the next year while officials come up with a plan on how to improve services to the students. The lawsuit was filed against the state and related parties, and claims the plan to close the school violates the state constitution, which mandates a public school for the deaf.

07-27-2009, 11:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
shel90 Let It Snow!!!! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: A place where crabs are popular Posts: 40,271 Blog Entries: 3	Good for these parents!!!! __________________ "Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it." --- Anonymous

07-27-2009, 12:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
Foxrac Need Stormtroopers? Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Zaphias Posts: 32,400	If enrollment is very low then state couldn't afford to maintain the deaf school with low enrollment, for me, it should up to state or judge in matters. __________________ In Moto We Trust

07-27-2009, 05:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
yizuman Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,370	Our Indiana Deaf School is in disarray due to cuts of funding that is causing building structures to collapse because there's no funding to repair them. Any funding they receive goes to mostly staffs and lawn maintenance. I've been in there and saw ceilings that looks like they're ready to fall off. It's sad really. Our local Government don't see much value in educating the deaf. Yiz __________________

07-27-2009, 05:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
Bottesini Joe's Friend Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: With Owl Sock Posts: 37,513 Blog Entries: 1	The money spent to keep these archaic old campuses open would pay for a lot of TOD's in the public schools. That is where the trend is going, and SDSD does much consulting and sending of support to the public schools. __________________

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07-27-2009, 07:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
Daredevel7 Adrenaline Junky Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 4,341	But... the money is STILL going to be for the deaf students.. "Gov. Mike Rounds tried to close the Sioux Falls campus to save $2 million and shift funding to outreach programs that educate deaf and hearing-impaired students in school districts across the state." Maybe it's more cost effective this way?

07-27-2009, 07:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
shel90 Let It Snow!!!! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: A place where crabs are popular Posts: 40,271 Blog Entries: 3	Guess some people want to shut down deaf schools. What a shame. __________________ "Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it." --- Anonymous

07-27-2009, 07:48 PM	#13 (permalink)
shel90 Let It Snow!!!! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: A place where crabs are popular Posts: 40,271 Blog Entries: 3	Iam not thinking of my own needs. I am thinking of the children because deaf schools are probably the only place where most of them have full access to language and communication at all times and they will have direct communication with everyone not just the terps only. Besides I have wrked at a public school before and it is isolating for me as well. I prefer to work someplace where I can effectively communicate with every child and every coworker. Call me a baby or whatever but after being isolated constantly growing up, it is nice not to be in that situation anymore. __________________ "Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it." --- Anonymous

07-27-2009, 07:53 PM	#15 (permalink)
Daredevel7 Adrenaline Junky Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 4,341	Can't make them all happy. What's the best solution? Choose the cheapest avenue that will give SOME benefit to all. And I think that's what's being done here.

07-27-2009, 07:54 PM	#16 (permalink)
shel90 Let It Snow!!!! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: A place where crabs are popular Posts: 40,271 Blog Entries: 3	That's fine if u feel that way. I am entitled to feel that way about working at a deaf school and I know many people, including former students who feel blessed to attend a deaf school. I used to be happy with the idea of going to public school instead of the deaf schools until I started working at several of them. __________________ "Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it." --- Anonymous

07-27-2009, 07:56 PM	#17 (permalink)
Bottesini Joe's Friend Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: With Owl Sock Posts: 37,513 Blog Entries: 1	I also know people who went to deaf schools who say the deaf schools suck and that I was lucky to get to attend public school. __________________

07-27-2009, 09:36 PM	#20 (permalink)
Bebonang Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Manitoulin Island on Lake Huron in Canada Posts: 7,007	If the Deaf schools are going to be close down. Then I have the dread thought that every deaf child have to go through the oral-only mainstream schools just because the government are cutting down the cost of having an interpreter for the Deaf or special accommodations or just not have this special accommodations to get the deaf child a good education at all. Then we are back where we start all over again like in the early 20th Century. Going to the Deaf school is not all that bad. Any child can choose to go to any school, if they prefer. I really don`t want all Deaf schools close at all. As for the parents of Deaf children, I am cheering them to file to sue to remain stay open at the South Dakota School for the Deaf. Good for them, right on. __________________ I HAVE BEEN DEAF SINCE BIRTH, AND IT IS STILL AWESOME TO BE . (thumb up) (very happy)

07-28-2009, 09:19 AM	#27 (permalink)
Bottesini Joe's Friend Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: With Owl Sock Posts: 37,513 Blog Entries: 1	And if deaf education goes to the public schools, and parents receive this training, you keep nuclear families together and it is a winning situation. If you have kids growing up at home and forming a normal attachment to their parents, you will see them begging not to be taken away from home. __________________

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