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Pocono News Section
Request Filed to Keep SSSD Open
Request Filed to Keep SSSD Open - Monday, April 27, 2009 at 5:47PM EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- A request was filed in federal court asking a judge to keep the Scranton State School for the Deaf open.
The request comes from a Scranton attorney and asks to keep Scranton State School for the Deaf open while three families sue the state. Those families have students in the school and say closing it violates their special education rights.
Attorney Angela Januski Evans showed Eyewitness News the request for injunction. "For these kids it's especially important because of their significant communication needs, for them to be place in a different school district or different setting, it's going to be very harmful to them," says Evans.
On Monday, this injunction was filed in federal court. Evans says under federal law, students can stay in their school during active lawsuits involving that school.
Scranton State School for the Deaf, or SSSD, is scheduled to be taken over by a private school in Pittsburgh, on July 1st. That's according to a confidential transition plan obtained by Eyewitness News.
School leaders say this is their best option. SSSD Teachers' Association President Ruth Gerrity says, "It's the only way that will buy us some time right now. If we lose our school now, if it closes on June the 30th, we will never get it back again. The judge needs to give us the time to do the study to prove that we need to be here."
This injunction would keep SSSD open as long as the civil suit is active. That could be about two years, but the decision to approve the injunction is ultimately up to a judge.
Evans is hoping this request leads to a hearing within two weeks. “Obviously it's up to the court scheduling and the parents will be able to get on the stand and tell their side of the story," says Evans.
Evans says the state can still go through with it's plans despite this new request.
Funding for that school was cut in the governor's proposed budget. The proposed transition plan says Marywood University will take over the property in 2011. | | |
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