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http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/15233790.htm
Five driving schools in central Minnesota must provide and pay for sign language interpreters for deaf students, a federal judge has ruled.
Five teenage students and their families sued the schools in the St. Cloud area earlier this year, charging a violation of federal and state human rights laws in their failure to to provide American Sign Language interpreters.
"This case essentially provides notice to all the other schools that if they don't do this, they'll be next," said attorney Rick Macpherson of the Minnesota Disability Law Center.
The schools had claimed that the cost of interpreters is prohibitive, as much as 10 times the cost of the course. But the teens' attorneys claimed that state and federal laws make such accommodations mandatory.
The consent decree and order from U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank reflected an agreement between the parties that the five schools will equally share costs of interpreters and other aids required to teach driving skills to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. It also ordered reimbursement of $1,640 for interpreting costs already incurred by two of the students, Heather Breitbach and Amelia Boos.
While the order applies only to the five schools named in the lawsuit, advocates said it provides a model for sharing costs for other schools.
"There is a great need in the state, and there needs to be a fix," said Mary Hartnett, executive director of the Minnesota Commission Serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing People. "These courses used to be supplied in the public school system. It was clear where the responsibility to pay was. When that changed, the burden shifted. It's hard for small schools to provide those services."
Macpherson said since the lawsuit was filed this spring, he's been contacted by several grouos of deaf and hard-of hearing people who've faced similiar obstacles. He's hopeful for legislation that would make more lawsuits unnecessary.
"What's important is that deaf kids, at least in the St. Cloud area, will have the same opportunity as hearing kids to get their license," said Macpherson. "They'll have opportunities for jobs and social connections. Those things are really important for kids of that age."
Five driving schools in central Minnesota must provide and pay for sign language interpreters for deaf students, a federal judge has ruled.
Five teenage students and their families sued the schools in the St. Cloud area earlier this year, charging a violation of federal and state human rights laws in their failure to to provide American Sign Language interpreters.
"This case essentially provides notice to all the other schools that if they don't do this, they'll be next," said attorney Rick Macpherson of the Minnesota Disability Law Center.
The schools had claimed that the cost of interpreters is prohibitive, as much as 10 times the cost of the course. But the teens' attorneys claimed that state and federal laws make such accommodations mandatory.
The consent decree and order from U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank reflected an agreement between the parties that the five schools will equally share costs of interpreters and other aids required to teach driving skills to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. It also ordered reimbursement of $1,640 for interpreting costs already incurred by two of the students, Heather Breitbach and Amelia Boos.
While the order applies only to the five schools named in the lawsuit, advocates said it provides a model for sharing costs for other schools.
"There is a great need in the state, and there needs to be a fix," said Mary Hartnett, executive director of the Minnesota Commission Serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing People. "These courses used to be supplied in the public school system. It was clear where the responsibility to pay was. When that changed, the burden shifted. It's hard for small schools to provide those services."
Macpherson said since the lawsuit was filed this spring, he's been contacted by several grouos of deaf and hard-of hearing people who've faced similiar obstacles. He's hopeful for legislation that would make more lawsuits unnecessary.
"What's important is that deaf kids, at least in the St. Cloud area, will have the same opportunity as hearing kids to get their license," said Macpherson. "They'll have opportunities for jobs and social connections. Those things are really important for kids of that age."
