[Missouri-l] [leadership] Save the Oregon State School for the Blind

[peter altschul]

The following is a press release drafted by the National 
Federation of the
Blind of Oregon.

This press release has been sent to major news media throughout  
our state
and says how we feel here.

The National Federation of the Blind of Oregon
and the American Council of the Blind of Oregon along with others 
have been
working very hard to forestall the closure of the Oregon School 
for the
blind which would occur prior to September 1, 2009, should House 
Bill 2834
pass the House and Senate.  The bill has passed the Ways and 
Means Committee
as of Friday, May 22, 2009.  It's next headed to the House, 
possibly this
week and then on to the Senate.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Art Stevenson, President
National Federation of the Blind of Oregon
1616 5th St.  NE
Salem, Oregon 97301
(503) 585-4318

H.B.  2834: Closing the Door on the Future of Blind Children

May 24, 2009

The State Does Not Have Clear Title to the Property It Plans to 
Sell:

The Oregon School for the Blind is located on property given to 
the
state specifically for the purpose of operating a school for 
blind
children.  The deed is restricted and the property may not be 
sold
and the proceeds used for other purposes.  The legislature is 
well
aware of this limitation.

Nevertheless the legislature plans to close the school, assuring
parents and others that funds from the sale of the property will 
be
available to support educational services to blind children in 
their
local schools.  This is a clear "bait and switch." Once the 
school is
closed and the blind children moved to their local schools, and 
it is
found that the property may not be sold, there will be no funds 
to
backup the legislature's promises.  Why then would the 
legislature
move forward with a plan to close the school without knowing 
whether
the property can be sold? Could it be about money?

Denying Blind Children an appropriate Education:

The legislature persists in saying that local schools will 
provide
the educational and related services needed by the students 
currently
enrolled at the School for the Blind, yet they have no answer as 
to
how.  There is already a shortage of trained teachers in the 
state.
Still the legislature continues to say that cost-saving is not 
behind
the closure of the school.  At the same time, the legislature has 
made
no promise regarding helping the local districts meet the cost of
educating these children beyond the hoped for proceeds from the 
sale
of the school.  In other words once the school is closed and the
students moved to local schools, and it is found that the 
property
may not be sold, the local schools will be on the hook, and blind
children will be left high and dry.  The only winner will be the
legislature since funds will no longer need to be appropriated to 
run
the school.

It's All About Money:

On Thursday, May 21, in a meeting of the Ways and Means Education
Subcommittee, the chairman made reference to "virtually unlimited
funds" being available to provide needed services from the sale 
of
the property, yet when a question was raised about whether 
children
at the Oregon school would have the option of being educated at 
the
nearby Washington School for the Blind, the subcommittee members 
were
told that placement decisions would have to be made on a 
case-by-case
basis.  Why? It has already been determined that the students at 
the
School for the Blind require the array of services available at 
the
Oregon School for the Blind.  Why would placement at the 
Washington
School for the Blind not be an automatic option afforded students 
who
will be displaced by the closure of the Oregon School for the 
Blind.
Could it be the cost? Placement at the Washington School for the
Blind is expensive so no promises are made about placing 
displaced
blind children at the Washington school, but remember "it's not 
about
money." Or is it? Parents whose children attend the Oregon School 
for
the Blind should be given the immediate option of enrolling their
children at the Washington School for the Blind--a well-regarded,
comprehensive program.  Instead, they are told that local 
districts
that have never before been able to meet their children's 
educational
needs will somehow be ready to provide the full complement of 
needed
services by the first day of school in September.

No Serious Input Allowed:

Two years ago, the Oregon Legislature created the Oregon School 
for
the Blind Board of Directors.  The board was charged with 
developing
a blueprint to serve as a Master Plan for the school.  In 
developing
the Master Plan, the board consulted with blind and visually 
impaired
K-12 students, parents, teachers, and district and regional 
staff.
Yet despite the work of the board and the involvement of
stakeholders, the Oregon legislature has set aside the plan and 
is
moving forward with plans to close the school.  At the May 21 
meeting
of the Ways and Means Education Subcommittee, no public testimony 
was
allowed, not even from the statutorily created Oregon School for 
the
Blind Board of Directors.  In fact the subcommittee refused to 
allow
written testimony to be submitted for the record.

Oregon's Blind Stand Together:

The National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, the American 
Council
of the Blind of Oregon, and everyone else involved, knew there 
were
many problems with the educational system for the blind students 
of
our state.  The Department of Education and the Oregon 
Legislature
have been provided an opportunity to create a system that all
Oregonians could be proud of.  Our recommendations would have
accomplished this goal by producing a better working relationship
with the regional programs and the Oregon School for the Blind.   
If
any one believes that given the current economic outlook for all
schools in Oregon, that the educational environment for all blind
students is going to get better, they just don't live in the real
world.  House bill 2834 is a tragedy waiting to happen if it 
becomes
law.


Kae L.  Seth

Immediate Past President:  American Council of the Blind of 
Oregon,

Member of Board of Directors of Oregon School for the Blind



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