Suit Over School Closing

Parents of students at the South Dakota School for the Deaf are suing to keep it open. The governor wants to close the campus to save money and points to dropping enrollment as justification for the move. Only a couple of dozen students were taught at the campus last year, though more than 400 received services at other local school districts. Parents point out that the state constitution requires education officials to run a public school for the deaf and federal funding from the Department of Education obligates state officials to provide an education for students with disabilities. The govenor has proposed an alternative plan but the parents say it won’t work because there are not enough interpreters in rural areas to meet the needs of students. The Board of Regents will offer a recommendation on closure but the final decision rests with the South Dakota Legislature.