Pocono News Section

Officials Mum on Reason for Surprise Visit to SSSD

Officials Mum on Reason for Surprise Visit to SSSD - Monday, May 4, 2009 at 5:23PM EST

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- Scranton State School for the Deaf got some unexpected visitors Monday. Representatives of the State Special Education Department and others paid a surprise visit on campus. In a story you'll only see on Eyewitness News, Mark Hiller shows us how the unannounced visit has the school staff on edge.
William Murphy won't even reveal his name and he's definitely not saying why he's at Scranton State School for the Deaf. Murphy's with the State Bureau of Special Education.

He's among 10 surprise visitors who showed up Monday morning on campus. School Superintendent Monita Hara said, "They're asking for a tour of the campus."

But Hara was told by the state not to discuss the situation. Then another spokesman makes a hasty retreat into the building where others have gathered behind closed doors.

Eyewitness News has learned 3 of the visitors are from Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. That's the school to where Governor Ed Rendell proposes sending S. S.S. D. students as part of budget cuts.

And nearby Marywood University is also represented, rumored to have its sights on the S. S.S. D. campus.

This sprawling 9 acre campus is as beautiful as it is valuable -- easily worth millions of dollars.. But the question remains what's going to become of the students here and this prime piece of real estate.

It's a question John Tommasini, the Director of Pennsylvania's Special Education Bureau, will not answer on camera after the 2-hour campus stop.

The unannounced visit has the S. S.S. D. staff looking for answers. Ruth Gerrity, President of the S. S.S. D. Teachers' Association said, "If there is an honest agenda what is the need for all these clandestine surprise meetings? Why haven't we been brought to the table to discuss a transition plan for these students?"

There are still more questions than answers at this landmark school. A Marywood University spokesperson acknowledged the visit.

She said no deal is in place for Marywood to take over the Scranton State School for the Deaf campus. She referred any more questions to the state.