Deaf Children are students also. What about that "No Child Left Behind"? Why are they being left behind? They deserve a decent place which ti be taught in as well. So come on get with it and stop denying them what they need!!!

Unfortunately, NCLB is weak on special education, especially with the "residential school" education. They need to rewrite improvisations for these things, specifically for the Deaf residential schools across the US. Residential schools are normally funded by the state, not school districts so the funding issues are somewhat different. NCLB works favorably with the public schools, like mainstreaming and such, not residential schools. How can we fight for this? Of course, what they did at the Capitol! That's a good step ahead toward the betterment of Deaf education. Kudos to these kids!! All Hands UP!

Because of my personal experiences growing up being deaf, Deaf and Hard of Hearing children should not ever become casualities because legislators need to understand it is akin to spending ten dollars to buy one dollar when these students don't have a permanent building. If legislators "fail to plan, plan to fail" a viable future for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing children who will become adults. I do not just believe, but know that we should continue to crusade for a home that will become a truly significant investment - spending one dollar to buy ten dollars for a lifetime!

I believe Utah should be a national leader when it comes to education. I feel the state is a leader is post-secondary education; however, I am puzzled why Deaf and Blind children through elementary and secondary education are not given the same priority. Isn't it shameful that our state's Deaf and Blind children appear to be ignored, forgotten, overlooked, or placed low in on a list of priorities for education? I know that a fine and superior education is being obtained by many of our state's hearing students. Please know that these children are desiring an equitable education. Give these students a proper and permanent educational setting!

this is NONE NEW about it. my parent been tried for more than 30 years in State of Utah. we need kick State of UTAH a-- to wake up. all they care is brain wash oral issue. I have two deaf Sister/Brother and myself been fight for many year since 1970's and USDB is doing NONE but greedy poeple who dont support ASL Lang as thier main lang. I am support all DEAF Children's need. it is serious need for them.

HUH to Stae of Utah.

The state of Utah should value all children, and find these children a stable quality school that they can be proud of.

Utah really needs a new school for the DEAF since I know how it is and I feel that the younger children should recieve a better school system to call their own school instead of being bounced around. That is no pride to say I graduated or went there since we bounced around and have nothing to show about to their children.

We do need a DEAF school here in Salt Lake City Valley big time. I am concern for the younger siblings below me since I had good education and wasnt bounced around like those children who needs a stable place to call Thats my SCHOOL I went to...... I feel that they need more sports educations needs.... I know they dont get much but the Blind gets more benefits which its understandable but the DEAF needs some NEEDS!!!

A long ago, First Utah teacher, Henry C. White taught a deaf class at University of Utah campus. At the same time, Utah Governor and legislators discussed about permanent school building in Salt Lake City area, but a few years later, they build school in Odgen. Sad. No one want their child there cuz of language, values, rules, behaviors, religion, communication skills, etc. at home. Today there is no permanent school in SLC area yet cuz of the population is larger number than in Odgen. Daef students need a new home now. They can feel good to have "home" and good education for their future. It will be good succssful. Trust them.

I never had similar negative yet struggling experience. I was raised in Nation's best Deaf school(s), California School of the Deaf, Fremont (SF Bay Area). I was happily and fully educated and everything exactly just like hearing students entitled to have. Why cant Utah Deaf kids entitle similiarily? We pay hefty taxes for nothing, dont we? No! State Legislators and people of Utah, please help thousands of cute Deaf kids to earn their true Home, a permanent school just like I had (as well as millions other Deaf kids had, also). Admittingly, Utah is ironically the worst state in Deaf Education in the U.S. along with Hearing school system. Very disappointing and shameful! DO SOMETHING FAST or our degrading society and community degrade faster than you think... so will our economy (welfare, ssi unemployed if not educated properly nor no permanent settings). Thank you!

Hearing Students Have their PERMANENT "Homes" Why Cant Deaf Students At Least Have One (or so)? I am in awe how insenestive Utah Legislators and such politicians have NOT done a bit for these thousands Deaf students with much-need permanent "Home" at least I already witnessed more than several relocations and politics struggles between money-waster, USDB and JMS for 9-long years. JMS was formed on my birthday, August 30, 1999. I except the best Birthday news for JMS by this coming August 30, 2008, period! Your immediate response AND FAST ACTION are deeply appreciated. Thank you.

I attended the Utah school for the deaf in Ogden from 1937 to 1949. At that time, it was a good school which fulfilled most of the needs of deaf and blind students. Almost everyone in Utah went to that residential school and I had many positive experiences there. We had teachers who knew sign language. Sign language is the natural language of the deaf and they respond so much better to an education taught in sign language. Some years later, someone had the notion that speech and lip-reading should be the norm for the deaf and that deaf students need to be mainstreamed with hearing students but this did not always work out. The Legislature needs to listen to the DEAF who are better judges of a good education for themselves and they need to understand that they need a good, well-maintained building to carry out these objectives. Moving various groups from one dilapidated building to another is plain wrong. Please be sensitive to the needs of deaf, blind, and deaf-blind students for a permanent and safe building. They are as deserving of safe buildings as hearing students.

Oral education always did me a world of good in lipreading and oralism. I have made a huge impression on university professors and in my workplace. I learned how to communicate in the oral mainstream program and now I am a ceo of a national company. If parents would take responsibility to reach out to their children then there would be no need to send kids across town to some deaf school.

My school was just a block and a a half away... and I have rich memories of my hearing friends. I rechoice in seeing my old friends at my high school reunions. It really is good to grow up in my own neighborhood.

To "Duh huh", If you are what you say, then you are in a small minority. You spelled "rechoice" for the word "rejoice". Guess your school put a strong emphasis on phonics where one spells words on the way they sound or in the way they appear on the lips while lip-reading. In my experience, there are several words that can appear to look the same while lip-reading so lip-reading is not an exact science. Eventually, they had to use sign language interpreters in the mainstream program because many of the students could not keep up without them. I would love to know more about you, your name and where you went to school and college and what company you are working for. The parents you are referring to are trying to do what they think is best for their child (children). They want them in a school where they can really be educated and that the school be in a safe environment.

It is tru that No Child Left Behind leaves behind our special ed kids. I am am mom of a successfully mainstreamed deaf child. Our large school ditstrict always made an effort to develope strong programs at stable highly sought after school sites. Residential schools need to be ocated near school districts where mainstreaming and special day class options are all available. Speech reading and speech session need to be offerred as each child is able to benefit. Money spent in the early years to develop sign language as a bridge to the English language and strong total communication/oral communication programs must all be offerred. Each child and family effort is different. Language is what builds the bridges we all have to learn to cross. Utah Legislators shoudl be ashamed of the legacy they are leaving these kids. Without education deaf and deaf bilind become a dead weight for our society. With education and support they become a rich resource. Come toyour senses and offer the choices in a stable setting that encourages improvement and growth. Disabilities like deafness and blindness require a lot of adaptation to education processes and only through time are these adaptations improved upon.