Arizona Deaf activists & Troy Kotsur speak out about bills affecting ASDB
Over the past three weeks there was activism among the Arizona Deaf community and the NAD who spoke out in opposition to a bill, SB 1402, that would affect the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB). The bill aims to broaden the school to serve students with all disabilities — not just those who are deaf and/or blind.
The text of the bill shows that it is aimed at changing the ASDB’s services to remove its purpose for “sensory impaired persons” — meaning those who are blind or deaf — and broaden it to “children with disabilities.”
NAD CEO Howard Rosenblum said in a letter on February 26 that the “amended version of Senate Bill 1402 would eviscerate the purpose and quality of the education at ASDB… ASDB has specialized staff that are uniquely qualified to teach deaf and/or blind students, and they are not equipped to teach students with other disabilities.”
Deaf actor Troy Kotsur, an Arizona native, spoke out in support of ASDB on his Instagram account a few days ago by encouraging Arizona lawmakers to support another bill, HB 2456, which would ensure ASDB continues to stay for another eight years. He said ASL saved his life, that because he had access to education in ASL, he succeeded as an actor and became an Oscar winner, and that our deaf children’s lives can also be saved by ASL. He told lawmakers to make the bill a priority.
So there are two bills here, SB 1402, which is a “bad bill” because it would end ASDB’s place as a deaf and blind school, and HB 2456, which is a “good bill,” because it would extend ASDB for another eight years. I’ve included information on both bills in the transcript.
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There is some good news, because the Arizona Association of the Deaf (AZAD) said in an eBlast and Facebook post on Monday that “Deaf and blind community advocates for ASDB showed up… to watch the Arizona State Senate vote on SB1402. In introductions, the Senate recognized us in the gallery; many waved hands at us. To our surprise, Senator Wadsack withdrew SB1402! Instead, she moved to send it to an Ad Hoc Committee.”
The AZAD said they suspect that it is a “political tactic to hold SB1402 for now in order to bring it up later.” They said they gathered in a room with ASDB official Maria Murphy and ASDB Supt. Reichmann to discuss next steps.
Deaf activists hope the Arizona legislature will take action on HB 2456 so the school can get funding to operate on July 1 and beyond.
A few days ago I reported that Deaf activists in Texas spoke out against a bill that would allow the Texas governor’s office to appoint new members to the Texas School for the Deaf’s board and decide who would be the president. So it shows that deaf schools need constant vigilance on legislation that could affect their future.
Troy Kotsur:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpqo0PDPv5t/
SB 1402:
https://legiscan.com/AZ/text/SB1402/2023
HB 2456:
https://legiscan.com/AZ/supplement/HB2456/id/310225
AZAD: