Pocono News Section

New Budget Drops Funding to Scranton School for the Deaf

New Budget Drops Funding to Scranton School for the Deaf - Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at 9:40PM EST

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- One of the biggest local impacts is the loss of state aid to the Scranton State School for the Deaf. It s an announcement that shocked school officials and students.
For 129 years the Scranton State School for the Deaf has been teaching students from all across northeastern Pennsylvania. Now its future is in jeopardy. School Superintendent Dr. Monita Hara told Eyewitness News, It is beyond me, why this governor would choose to want to close this school. It s a fantastic school."

A total of 107 students currently attend classes here. The school serves kids from birth to age 21. Many also live at the school on weekdays. Dr. Hara said, You don't learn from 8-3. You learn 24 hours a day, and even more so, if you're a deaf person."

Administrators learned of the plan late Tuesday night. A team of about 12 people from the governor's office and the Department of Education spent all day in Scranton breaking the news to students and staff. The students were told that their school could lose its state aid in an early afternoon assembly that was full of anger, tears and sadness.

Branden Wilmot is just one of the 107 students who rely on the Scranton State School for the Deaf. I'm shocked. I'm devastated. I wish they had given us some heads up," he said.

He can't understand why the state wants to pull its funding. I don't understand why the legislators are doing this. I want the governor here. I want to talk to him face-to-face and ask him questions," he said.

For the students who live on campus and attend classes, they say they're family. Carla Kiser said, I can't disconnect from here. I am bonded here. This is my home. This is my family."

Kiser is about to go to college. She owes it all to her education at the state's only school for the deaf. I'm so unbelievably upset, because I was in a mainstream "IU" program before -- and I learned nothing. I came here and -- oh my god -- I learned so much," she said.

Fred Rosetti, Executive Director of the Northeast Educational Intermediate Unit, confirms his agency has been asked to take over programming at the school if the budget is adopted as is and the state pulls its funding. My expectation is that the task that they gave us, was to provide both day academic services, as well as residential services," said Rosetti.

Under the plan students over seventh grade could be sent 6 hours away -- to Pittsburgh. It s only a proposal. That's all it is. We intend to fight this proposal anyway we can," said Dr. Hara.

Students, staff and administrators say they'll do anything to keep the doors of this school open. They're considering a letter writing campaign or even a bus trip to Harrisburg. Wilmot added, We want the governor to look us in the eye. We think our emotions are not two-dimensional. We can't portray them in a piece of paper. We want to know why he wants to close this school."

And it s a fight school officials hope the community will help with. I would appreciate it if they would send letters to the governor, legislators, the Secretary of Education and let them know this is not acceptable," added Dr. Hara.