Government Accused of Misleading Public on School for the Deaf Closure
VOCM.COM|Government Accused of Misleading Public on School for the Deaf Closure | Article
The Liberals are accusing government of misleading people over the closure of the School for the Deaf. The facility will close at the end of this month as government says there is no projected enrolment for the next five years. Education Critic Marshall Dean says if government wasn't committed to the facility, they should have been up front with those affected. Dean says some students have told him that they have been pressured by government to enter the mainstream classroom setting. Dean says they questioned the minister about the school's future in the legislature in May, and the minister gave every indication that closure was not in the plans.
Irene, who had a child at the school, does not think the facility should close. She told VOCM BackTalk with Bill Rowe that kids in the mainstream are not getting the support and the help they would at the School for the Deaf.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Darin King says students made their own individual decisions, in consultation with their families, to enter the public school system. He maintains the students will receive the same services. He says while the facility itself will be closed, it does not mean a reduction in services for deaf and hard of hearing students, and that government is committed to offering the best possible educational opportunities to these students. He wants to assure the deaf and hard of hearing students currently in the school system that they will continue to provide all the same services and supports to them.
The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association says the Education Department will have to be well aware of the individual needs of each child in the school system. President Myrtle Barrett says they look forward to continued advocacy with government to assure the initiative is successful and a win-win situation for all.
Lorraine Michael says the closure of the School for the Deaf is giving the illusion of inclusion. The NDP leader says the deaf population has unique needs, both culturally and linguistically. She says deaf children should not be forced to make do in a regular classroom.
The writing may have been on the wall for years for the School for the Deaf, but NAPE says employees were still taken by surprise. About 25 people will be out of a job, 22 of whom are represented by NAPE. Union official Bert Blundon says they'll hold discussions with government about their future. However, he says their "bumping" options are limited.
The NLTA is not taking a position on the closure of the School for the Deaf, but officials are monitoring the situation. A spokesperson says they have been told the eight teachers affected have been reassigned to schools under the Eastern School District.
Meantime, King says the building will be temporarily transferred to the Eastern School District for the next three to four years. He says this will ensure that the school facility can be integrated as a part of the school district's infrastructure plan. He says students from Paradise will continue to use the facility until the community's new school opens. King says they also intend to use the school for students of St. Theresa's, while their new school is under construction
