Concerned parent Susan Young holds a list of questions at Wednesday's meeting. Move to Hastings Board nixed Whitney parents not interested in transfer Malkowski said through an interpreter the question before the review team is "how best to The Sir James Whitney provide the programs to meet the School community is not interstudents' needs" while, at the ested in having its deaf educasame time, ensuring the finantion program transferred to cial viability of each of the Quinte-area school boards. schools. Instead, it supports maintainThe MPP said the first option ing the "status quo" relationship of maintaining the status quo is with the Ontario Ministry of simply a "risk" since schools will Education and Training or, failhave to rely on future elected ing that, the establishment of a governments for their continued new provincial agency to oversee existence. its seven schools for the deaf, As well, with dwindling govblind and learnernment ing disabled. grants, there That's the concould be major sensus of confunding cuts to cerned their various individuals who operations. attended a public But with the forum Wednesthird option -- day night at the creation of a Dundas Street new provincial West school. Sevbody to oversee eral of the 200 in provincial attendance schools -- voiced opinions schools will not on the three proonly receive posed options on more autonomy the future direcin their operations of provintions but they cial and won't be dedemonstration pendent on fuschools to the ture special ministry governments review team asfor their sursigned to gather vival. MPP Gary Malkowski discusses issues with parents. public input. With that opWednesday's forum was the would cause the eventual demise tion, he said provincial schools first of 11 planned for various of deaf schools, like Sir James could solicit outside funding parts of the province, until Feb. Whitney." from private companies and soShe then asked if the third cial service departments to en17. Cities holding forums include Ottawa (tonight), Milton, Brant- option -- establishing a new pro- hance their programs, rather ford, London, North Bay, Sud- vincial body to look after schools than relying strictly on governbury, Toronto and Thunder Bay. for the deaf, blind and learning ment grants. The three options being stud- disabled -- would mean that stu"Economically, changes have ied by the review team are: dents would still remain at Whit- been forced upon us. The governmaintain the current arrange- ney from pre-school to high ment just doesn't have the ment whereby the education school graduation. Gary Malkowski, parliamen- money it used to," he stressed. ministry directly supports the The review team will analyze seven provincial schools; trans- tary assistant to Education Min- comments from the 11 public fofer deaf and blind programs to ister David Cooke and the only rums and then prepare a final local school boards; or establish a deaf MPP, told the parent, "Yes, report to the education minister. new provincial board or agency the answer is yes. That would A final decision on the future dihappen." to look after provincial schools. Earlier, he reiterated the min- rection of provincial schools will Several parents ruled out the ister's comments that "there is then be made sometime in June. second option of transferring reThe government intends on sponsibility to local school no plan in the works to close any proceeding with the re-structurof the provincial schools. I would boards. ing in September of 1995. Susan Young, parent of a deaf hope you keep that in mind." By Henry Bury The Intelligencer child and president of a stakeholders committee at Whitney, acknowledged school boards are already under-funded and adding responsibilities for deaf education will even make it worse. "I really like the third option. It's the most viable and creative alternative. Option two (transferring responsibility to local school boards) is something most parents aren't interested in," Young said. Said one parent of a junior school student, "Option two