Utahns protest lack of funding for school for deaf, blind students
July 10th, 2008
From the [Salt Lake City] Deseret News and ABC News 4 in Salt Lake City:
Nearly a hundred parents and students protested at the Utah state capitol after lawmakers denied funding for a permanent facility for the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind. Four hundred and ten students are without a permanent school for the tenth year in a row, and advocates expressed frustration about the poor conditions at temporary facilities.
The building used for the past two years has no playground, a leaking roof, no heating, and no air conditioning. It will be demolished this fall.
“Right now we have students who get moved from one broken-down building to another almost annually,” said Amy English, mother of triplets, two of whom are deaf.
Marci Bottomly, mother of a deaf child, said, “It is frustrating. It makes me emotional to think of all the privileges that other kids receive.”
Privileges such as a permanent building that is safe, comfortable and familiar.
(ABC News 4 photo)


