MORGANTON — The crowd that gathered to watch State Superintendent June Atkinson’s news conference in Raleigh regarding the state’s three residential schools watched intently, hanging on seemingly every word that was spoken and signed.
In the end, there was no great applause or waving of hands. Kathleen Jensen, a mother of two North Carolina School for the Deaf students, perhaps best summed up the mood of the crowd. Cautiously optimistic.
“While they discuss what’s best for the children, that’s what we need to focus on,” Jensen said through an interpreter. “That’s our primary concern.”
The group of NCSD’s supporters that gathered to watch the online stream of the news conference was pleased with North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s report. Yet they also knew there was more to be done to make sure the school in Morganton remains open.
“I hope our schools will continue to have support,” said Debi McNally through an interpreter. “It’s hard to predict what will happen in the future. But I hope it will stay open for now, and we need to increase our student enrollment.”
Jensen communicated the importance of NCSD, not only for the area but also for the students.
“For the economy, (NCSD) is important,” said Jensen. “For the deaf community and the children, it’s more important because it’s the children’s second home. It’s their life.
“They need the children need the school to learn language and socialization. Where would they get that? They wouldn’t get it from their home communities, so they need to take advantage of the opportunity here. They need the school to enrich their lives.”
For those who argue that it’s simply too expensive in difficult economic times, Jensen had her own ideas.
“It’s cheaper than going to public school,” said Jensen. “At public school, you have to pay for the interpreter and note-taker costs, the equipment, the extra services. At the deaf school, everything is already there. All the services are there. The services don’t cost that much more.”
And for Jensen, it’s not just dollars.
“While they’re in the deaf school, they get more education, more exposure to what they need,” said Jensen. “At public school, from 8-3 it’s not the best, because being deaf is 24-7. For their future, they need the deaf school to help them become a better citizen in the future. If they go to public school in a mainstream situation, after they graduate they’re not really as productive. They don’t always go to college. They don’t always get what they need. They can do better out in the world after they graduate from the deaf school.”
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