PLEASE READ: Deaf Education Program at MSU

This week, I decided to write about an education topic that has been personally upsetting to me. As some of you may know, due to budget cuts, they have decided to eliminate the deaf ed major at MSU. However, we are one of only two programs in the entire state of Michigan to educate teachers of the deaf. The other program, at Eastern Michigan, only focuses on teaching children in an Auditory Oral setting. However, there are many other deaf children who are educated in Total Communication, SimCom, and mainstreamed settings, etc. In state teachers will not have the option to teach in a Bilingual/Bicultural setting, and out of state teachers will be highly unlikely to move into our state, which has one of the lowest economies an highest unemployment rates in the entire United States. Where will the teachers of these children be educated? All children deserve qualified teachers.

These are the children that are already behind when the reach elementary school. Without qualified teachers, they are going to be victims of the system, continuously falling behind because of their teacher's lack of education about how to teach them. I worry that if we have a lack of teachers in these types of settings, eventually anyone will be able to get their deaf education certification, simply by taking a test. This would be a shame for the children who are counting on educated teachers to assist them and to recognize and address their needs. No Child Left Behind maintains that we need to have Highly Qualified Teachers!

In addition, MSU has just revamped their deaf education program in order to better prepare teachers for the type of setting that they would like to work in. As a teacher you can follow one of three tracks, Bilingual/Bicultural track, itinerant/consulting teacher, and Auditory/Oral. We are in the first year of this new program, and it seems like a shame that we will have to get rid of it before it even kicks into full swing.

There has been an extremely large outpouring of support from colleagues around the nation on this topic. Everyone is trying to figure out what they can do to make a difference. So far, I know that there is a petition that can be found on the "Keep Deaf-Ed Major at MSU" facebook group. There is also a letter writing campaign going on to the dean, Dr. Carole Ames (cames@msu.edu). Thanks for taking the time to read this. As you can see, it is an issue that I am extremely passionate about. Anything that you can do would be appreciated, even if its just joining the facebook group or signing the petition. We have to do everything that we can to try to make it so that this program is not canceled.