Updating News: North Carolina School for the Deaf
I wanted to let you know what is going on with North Carolina legislatures who discussed about closing two schools at Wilson and Morganton. They wanted to merge three schools into one school at Govenor Morehead school for the Blind in Raliegh.
“State lawmakers have proposed slashing the Department of Health and Human Services budget by $1.4 billion next year to help erase a projected $4.5 billion shortfall.”
Here is the link: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5243599/
If you want to fight with DHHS over Deaf Schools. Here is the direct contact: http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/
NC Legislatures Homepage: http://www.ncleg.net/
May 30, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Here is another link NC DHHS’s budget which it proposed by NC Governor Bev Perdue (D).
Please look up page 181 to 202.
http://www.governor.state.nc.us/library/pdf/budgetFiles/Book3-HealthHumanServices-web.pdf
May 30, 2009 at 3:28 pm
PLEASE KEEP OUR DEAF SCHOOL AT MORANTON N C IT IS OUR HISTORTICAL PLACE WHERE IT HAD STARTED AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE OUR SCHOOL OPEN FOR DEAF CHILDREN AND THEIR EDUCATION AND OUR CULTURE AND IHAVE SEE MANY CHILDREN THAT MAINTREAM AT PUBLIC SCHOOL FEEL ISOLATED AND NOT INVOLVED WITH HEARING WORLD I HAD A GOOD CHILDHOOD WITH GOOD SCHOOL I CHERSIHED IT AND WANT THE BEST FOR THE DEAF CHILDREN YOU WOULD NOT KNOW HOW WE FEEL UNLESS YOU ARE INDEAF WORLD
May 31, 2009 at 12:50 am
More than 100 years ago a few caring people decided that deaf people were not getting an education in public schools. They set out to change that. They did so by opening Deaf Schools. It did not take long for each state to open their own deaf school. Why did each state do that? Because they realized it was the best way for a deaf person to receive an education. Going to school, living in dorms, gave the deaf a culture of their own. They were no longer isolated like they were in a hearing society. In public schools the deaf are still isolated, even with interpreters. Once school is out they are once again isolated.
There are a few deaf people who can handle public school without any problem. There are a few who can do ok with the help of interpreters. However, during recess, or lunch, or going home on the bus these students are all alone. If a student can make it in public school it should be his/her choice, not someone sitting in an office hundreds of miles away.
I realize most hearing people do not understand this. Therefore, I suggest each of you (hearing) go to China for a week without an interpreter. Go to meetings, visit their schools, see how much you understand.
I suggest keeping the Deaf school in Morganton open. At the same time close Gov Morehead and move Gov Morehead students students to Wilson for five years. After five years revisit this situation. Keep in mind, Morganton is where it all started. It is a much loved school. It would be a terrible mistake to close the Morganton School.
It is very sad that hearing people make decisions that have a life long affect on the deaf community without knowing what they are doing. The only thing some people know is money. Once they cut the budget and close schools the damage has been done.
Unfortunately, those that make such a decision pat themselves on the back, for a job well done, then give themselves a hefty pay increase, or at least a bonus. All at the expense of those with disabilities.
Charles R. Howell
May 31, 2009 at 2:16 am
PLEASE KEEP OUR DEAF SCHOOL STAY STRONG AT MORGANTON ..WE DEAF NEED HAVE GOOD EDUCATION FOR THEIR FUTURE….IF YOU OR YOUR FAMILY BECAME DEAF …WOULD YOU DONE TO SHUT THEIR DEAF SCHOOL ,,HECK NO WAY I KNOW YOU RATHER FOR THEM GO RIGHT SCHOOL AND LEARN THEIR EDUCATION WHAT TO DO THEIR FUTURE,,PLEASE KEEP OUR DEAF SCHOOL STAY STRONG …IT SURE HURT OUR MEMORIES LOST WHEN HAPPEN…..KEEP FIGHT HARD TO KEEP SCHOOL 4 EVER….
May 31, 2009 at 4:34 am
from the governor’s report: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/library/pdf/budgetFiles/Book3-HealthHumanServices-web.pdf … under OES…
3. Eliminate Vacant Positions
This recommendation eliminates the following vacant positions: five at
Western North Carolina School for the Deaf; 11 at Eastern North Carolina
School for the Deaf; 14 at Governor Morehead School for the Blind; and two atthe Governor Morehead Preschool (GMS). Of these positions, eight have beenvacant for six to 12 months, and 19 have been vacant for more than a year.Enrollment at residential schools has declined in recent years, from a total of311 students in 2006-07 to 265 in the current school year. At GMS preschool,669 children and families were served in 2006-07 compared to 657 in thecurrent year. Overall children and families served have declined approximately5.9% since 2007. Eliminating these vacant positions reduces overall staff at theschools and preschool by 5.6%.
Rebuttal: The Office of Education Services (OES) put a cap on the limit of students entering the residential schools for the deaf. Many LEAs would not allow many deaf children to go to the schools for the deaf. If these were stopped, I believe the numbers will go up drastically.
June 1, 2009 at 1:12 am
It is easy for the Government to recommend the closing of schools for the Deaf because we are the minitory and it is true that basically, the Government in most states do not want to keep or have schools for the Deaf. We, the Deaf are the easy target they can choose to close schools for the Deaf just like the white mankind want to change the Indians into the “white mankind”. It will be a big mistake for lifetime if the Government decides to close a school for the Deaf to save money. I remember that Dwight Pearson’s words: he supports to keep schools for the Deaf and now he wants to close them because he does not care about deaf students for the future and we (who work with them) don’t. We care about them because we are responsible for them. Nothing is new as we fight to keep schools for the Deaf and they (Government or whoever works at the State) fights to close scvhools for the Deaf. When I was a student, i never hear of this kind and now I see what becomes of our precious schools for the Deaf. Are you trying to rid of deaf students?????