Simpson: Closing schools for the deaf can add new costs

[Miss-Delectable]

Simpson: Closing schools for the deaf can add new costs

As past teacher and administrator at the Morganton school I would like to discuss the role of schools for the deaf as related to federal laws and placement options, especially school assignments between local programs and those of schools for for the deaf.

There are five federal placement options starting with the top placement, or "the least restrictive environment," down to the bottom placement or "the most restrictive environment." The top placement refers to placement in programs within a local public school. The most restrictive refers to placement in an institutional setting, such as a school for the deaf.

Parents need to know that when a school for the deaf is closed all current students need to be reassigned again. Parents can insist that their child be assigned to a school for the deaf in some other state. The fact is that federal laws cannot be terminated by a state.

The Tennessee School for the Deaf, the South Carolina School for the Deaf or the Virginia School for the Deaf would be appropriate locations if North Carolina closed its schools for the deaf. However, out-of-state placement has certain costs. How much for tuition? Dormitory fees? How much for transportation that would be best served by air transportation bringing the children home every weekend? Nebraska and California have done this. Can North Carolina do the same?

Let North Carolina keep its own people in the very places where they can best be served — its own schools for the deaf.

 

[shel90]

not only it would cost more but the negative impact on the emotional/social development of these children would be even more costly.

 

[sequoias]

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Yep, when Neb school for the deaf closed in 1997 and many flocked to Iowa School for the Deaf which isnt far from NSD.

 

[KarissaMann05]

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If there are so few deaf schools in future, I hope someone helps more...

If I have deaf kids, I would homeschool mine and, seeking deaf families and/or hearing families who have deaf kids. I don't trust mainstream schools... I prefer to see my kids hang out with deaf/hoh kids so they won't be lonely or whatever reason is.

I read AD'ers' stories sometimes made me sad... I hate to see deaf schools closed...

 

[Buffalo]

And we see the school for the deaf as the least restrictive.... quite the opposite of what the hearing people see.

 

[rockin'robin]

I'll miss the closing of NCSD at Morganton!...Beautiful campus.

 

[Juli-terp-to-be]

OK I am taking Psychology and the 'exceptional' child. In this course we have been told that because of the ADA we as new teachers...(even though I won't be one) will be getting a higher ratio of 'exceptional' students. I asked the Professor if this means that more deaf children would be in 'regular' classes. She answered "That is what the ADA has ruled that we must comply with, yes." I in turned asked her, 'Don't you think those students will suffer?' She looked at me weird and said simply "No" Again I asked "I how can you be so sure?" She took a minute and said "Cause teachers will be highly trained to deal with deaf students." I said "I wish I could be as sure about that."

LOL I don't think she likes me very much anymore.

 

[shel90]

And we see the school for the deaf as the least restrictive.... quite the opposite of what the hearing people see.

Yes, that is the BIG problem with LRE...saying that Deaf schools are the most restrictive. What a JOKE! What I see at my job daily, the students are definitely not in a restrictive environment at all. :roll: I swear..some hearing people have really screwed up perspectives.

 

[Lighthouse77]

OK I am taking Psychology and the 'exceptional' child. In this course we have been told that because of the ADA we as new teachers...(even though I won't be one) will be getting a higher ratio of 'exceptional' students. I asked the Professor if this means that more deaf children would be in 'regular' classes. She answered "That is what the ADA has ruled that we must comply with, yes." I in turned asked her, 'Don't you think those students will suffer?' She looked at me weird and said simply "No" Again I asked "I how can you be so sure?" She took a minute and said "Cause teachers will be highly trained to deal with deaf students." I said "I wish I could be as sure about that."

LOL I don't think she likes me very much anymore.

highly trained to deal with deaf means: put them in front rows, use FM system, write on boards/projector/whiteboard with many notes you can write down, etc. If that don't work, then put them in Learning disability class (instead of using ASL or other communication method) and the problem will be taken care of.

I promise you, once they closed down deaf schools, and put them in mainstreamed school (without a deaf program), Learning disability class will be heavily loaded with deaf students. Why? because deaf children do have a difficult time keeping up with hearing school, so it put them behind. When they are behind, the school feels they need to be in LD class (they don't want deaf students to fail school). I know because I've been there.

 

[Lighthouse77]

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Yep, when Neb school for the deaf closed in 1997 and many flocked to Iowa School for the Deaf which isnt far from NSD.

I wonder if states get in a fight over this. "HEY, our taxpayers are paying for YOUR local citizens because you shut down your school.. This is not a free ride, your taxpayers should help us pay for this "

 

[deafdyke]

Cause teachers will be highly trained to deal with deaf students."

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, but even most mainstream SPECIAL ED teachers do NOT know how to teach kids with classic disabilites. That is why achievement levels haven't risen even though most kids with classic disabilites are mainstreamed. People think that a "trickle down" theory will work. Sorry but it doesn't.
The kids just get minimal accomondations, and if they don't suceed with those they get lumped in with the " Ummmm who's President Obama?" types who are LEGION in Resource Rooms.
Some kids (espeically those with post and perilingal losses and late dx who didn't even need speech therapy) can do well in the mainstream, but most dhh kids would be better off in a formal sizable dhh program.
Heck even blind kids or just physically handicapped kids experiance the same thing in the mainstream. What hearing people don't understand is that the mainstream is TOO "one size fits all" and kids with classic disabilties aren't getting what they NEED in mainstream to the max with an IEP and minimal accomondations placement!

 

[Buffalo]

Yes, that is the BIG problem with LRE...saying that Deaf schools are the most restrictive. What a JOKE! What I see at my job daily, the students are definitely not in a restrictive environment at all. :roll: I swear..some hearing people have really screwed up perspectives.

Big time!