Layoffs at LA School for the Deaf

Louisiana Department of Education Special School District informed several key staff members of the Louisiana School for the Deaf they are being laid off.  These staff members are vital to the education and well being of the Deaf Students in our state.  It appears that the State Superintendent and BESE are not concerned about the education of these special children.  They are more concerned with keeping administrative position within the Special School District and doing away with positions that are key to the education of deaf students.  They do not understand if they continue to appropriately educate these students to become self sufficient and employable citizens they will not be capable of supporting themselves and will depend on the state to take care of them the rest of their lives continuing to be financial burdens on the state's declining budget.  Please contact your State Representative and Senator, let them know what these cuts will do to the education and services to the current and future students of the state as well as the Deaf Community.
 
You can advise your representative and senators that if they were to actually visit the school, talk with students, parents, staff and the deaf community they can see there are cuts that can be made without cutting positions that effect the education of these students.  They need to become educated in what services the school offers and how each function of the school is vital to the future of these children.
 
The Representatives need to be aware of who is running the school  Elizabeth Moore, Interim Director of Special School District is currently doubling as the Interim Director of LSd.  Ms. Moore has no experience with Deaf Education or the Deaf Community yet she is allowed to make decisions that are affecting these citizens of Louisiana.  Ms. Moore recently traveled to visit a deaf school in another state upon her return to LSD she was describing a program she witnessed at the out of state school and said it would be nice for LSD to have this same program.  What she did not know was that LSD has the program and has been utilizing in the classroom everday.  This alone shows she has not interacted with the students and staff to see what actually takes place at the school.  The State Superintendent of Education has someone in charge of the school who is not interested in knowing what and how the students are learning.
 
Ms. Moore appeared before the State's Appropriation Committee to discus the schools budget, she was not completly forth coming with them.  She also gave false statements to them.  She told them that she had stopped to pick up a sandwhich for lunch on her way to meet with them.  While driving there she noticed one of LSD buses and several students playing on the levee.  She told the committee that she stopped and ate her lunch while she watched the children play, she went on to tell them how heartwarming and touching that was.  The truth is that she did stop, she did not eat lunch while watching the children play instead she demanded the teacher return the students back to school immediately.  She ruined the end of the students field trip by making them return to school earlier than they were scheduled to return.  This is the person we have in charge of educating our children.  She is not concerned with the children at LSD, she proved it with this action.
 
The Department of Education continues to hire administrative staff and have outgrown the space they have in the Claiborne Building near the Capitol so they have moved Special School District Staff to LSD campus.  In this move Special School District Staff has taken over the offices and displaced key staff members of LSD that are vital in the education and well being of the student.
 
Please support the education of Deaf Students by contacting you Representative and Senator and let them know that it appears they along with the Department of Education do not think educating deaf students in Louisiana is not important to them.  And it appears they are wanting to completly shut done this facility that offers many valuable resources to not only deaf students but the deaf community as a whole.  Also pass this information on to everyone you know and have them also contact their senator and representative.
 
Link to State Representatives and contact information
 
http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Reps/H_Reps_FullInfo.asp
 
Link to State Senators
 
http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Senators/