Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Confused about Merger of the Virginia School for the Deaf & Blind

Is there already the official merger of the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (VSDB) of Stauton and the Hampton Roads School for the Deaf and Blind and Multi-Disabled (HRSDBMD)or what?

After reading the MSNBC's news report on the increasingly school budgets across the country to be heavily slashed and reduced, ex. school transportation cost and fuel. The article is written by Alex Johnson of MSNBC.

Johnson mentioned the fine example of the merger of the VSDB and HRSDBMD as part of the widespread trend to save the cost of state educational budget spending. He wrote:

"To save money, Virginia officials decided to merge the state's two school for
students with disabilities.

As a result, parents of students at the Hampton Roads School for the Deaf
and Blind and Multi-Disabled in Hampton, will have to decide whether to send
their children hours away to the state's only other facility in Stauton"

I checked out the Internet to find out more accurate information on the current status
of the VSDB and Hampton Roads School for the D/B/MD. The latest information comes from the Office of Governor Kaines of Virginia in 2006 about Kaines' proposal for the renovation of the VSDB buildings and continuted funding to the VSDB in Stauton and create the regional program in Hampton Roads within his budget request.

Another information said that the state school board put off the votes for the new site of the
VSDB.

Any accurate and latest information regarding the VSDB out there? I always feel connected to the VSDB whenever I go there. The VSDB have a lot of history.

ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)

9 comments:

  1. You may contact me. I graduated there in 1990. I will tell you about VSDB. Yes, there are a lot of history to tell about.

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  2. My understanding is that plans for merging the two schools were abandoned and Stauton will stay in Stauton and Hampton will just close. Hampton's dormatories closed last June 2008 leaving just the day program and then the entire school will close in June 0f 2009 and the campus will be sold to the local school district to become a voc-tech school.

    I'm probably wrong with some details but I can ask around and get back to you if someone else doesn't have more accurate information.

    Star

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  3. Here's a link to download some articles about it:

    http://gallyprotest.org/va.pdf

    If you have trouble downloading that one (above), then try this RTF file:

    http://gallyprotest.org/va.rtf

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  4. CLICK HERE to read another article:

    ReplyDelete
  5. Star,

    Thanks for the info. I truly appreciate it very much.

    Hedy,

    FYI, I never have your email or pager addy anyway.

    That would be really nice if you post your VSDB history recollection on your blog/vlog.

    Everyone will enjoy your VSDB "ASL-narration". ;) Thanks again, Hedy.

    To my own surprise, there is a lack of official information regarding what is the updated development with the VSDB.

    Mr. Johnson of MSNBC gave the wrong impression about the latest development with the VSDB as part of nationwide trend with educational budget crunch.

    The considilation of VSDB and Hampton Roads came back to last 20 years, not really the latest trend.

    BR,

    Many thanks for enclosing the attachment for the Shendahoh Valley Report, but this news report did not enclose the date of publication. *puzzling*

    Thanks again for your contribution to the DeafRead. :)

    RLM

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  6. Robert,

    It was August 11, 2008.

    Don't forget to look at all the other articles (that I posted at 11:10 pm on August 12.

    ReplyDelete
  7. BR,

    Which blogsite you are talking about?

    Thanks anyway for letting me know about the date of publication. :)

    RLM

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  8. For more than 30 years, the state Board of Education has been engaging in a discussion about the consolidation of two deaf schools and build a new location.

    many deaf people preferred the consolidation to remain in Staunton. You see, the Hampton school was founded as a part of segregation for Deaf AFrican-Americans. But years later, VSDB-H has gathered powerful connections in Hampton Roads which stalled the consolidation of two deaf schools until last year, the state Department of Education finally broke the stalemate and voted to close the school in Hampton and make Staunton the only deaf school in the state.

    Too bad, VSDB is declining in terms of Deaf Education due to the fact that the administration is overrun by hearies.

    R-

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  9. Ridor,

    What we could do about the diminishing quality of Deaf Education at the VSDB?

    D a m n hearies or paternalistic hearing VSDB adminstration and school faculty!

    I am a current resident of Virginia right now. I want to get involved to improve the quality of education.

    Of course, the school leadership and selective school faculty and staff have to go.

    That's my point about Mr. Johnson's MSNBC article being inaccurately mentioned about the status of VSDB as part of nationwide trend in cutting educational budget.

    We could turn the VSDB issue into the nationwide issue to take another look at the quality of deaf education across the country.

    Thanks, Ridor for your reply. Yes, the WV School for the Deaf and VSDB used to be the main rivals before the mid-1980s. Kinda stupid for the rivalry between the WVSD and VSDB. Of course, VSDB have several good rivals beside the WVSD.

    VSDB always had been the good host to the WVSD sport teams while came to play at the VSDB. I never forgot the "Old Southern charms" like the dining room servants for each table. How unique!

    Of course, this dining room servants had no longer existed to the changing time and budget issue.

    Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

    RLM

    ReplyDelete