Letter to the Governor of Oregon

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March 7, 2007

Governor Ted Kulongoski
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, Oregon 97301-4047

Honorable Governor Kulongoski,

I am writing this letter on behalf of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) to express our concern for the Oregon School for the Deaf and its students. Historically, OSD has provided a quality educational option for many of Oregon’s deaf and hard of hearing children and we are concerned about its future. The abrupt termination of Jane Mulholland as OSD’s Director has sent a powerful and negative message to the students, their families and the profession of Deaf Education and suggests that the Department of Education does not value the strength of the program that she and her staff have developed. Ms. Mulholland is considered an outstanding educator and administrator within our national organization and our profession as a whole. She has served in leadership positions within CEASD and has served on accreditation site visit teams throughout the country. During these times we’ve witnessed her dedication, commitment and knowledge. In addition, at a recent accreditation team visit to the OSD campus, several of our members had the opportunity to observe the program and facility and were uniformly impressed with what they observed. Consequently, her termination is inexplicable to us (as it is to the deaf local and national communities).

Our specialized field of education is experiencing a serious national shortage of qualified administrators. Many center schools such as OSD, have experienced great difficulty in finding applicants who are willing and qualified to assume these difficult CEO positions. Some states have used this dismal situation as an excuse to hire an individual to lead the school who does not have experience and knowledge related to deafness. They have disregarded the specialized skills necessary to be an effective leader of a special school for deaf children. In short, they have used the situation to effect changes in the structure of the school which have been detrimental to the education and development of deaf and hard of hearing children.

CEASD is concerned about the future of OSD as a viable comprehensive educational option for deaf children in Oregon. As part of the continuum of services offered to families under IDEA, the school provides a unique placement for those students seeking a barrier free, comprehensive educational program. The turmoil caused by the sudden mid-year termination of Jane Mulholland, the somewhat unrealistic time frame that the Oregon Department of Education has published related to the search and selection process for a new Director and the tremendous shortage of experienced and qualified applicants are all reasons for our concern . The continued viability of OSD depends upon a strong relationship between the school and the Department of Education and the support of the state of Oregon. We sincerely hope that the Oregon Department of Education truly understands and values the role of this special school. It is deserving of the very strongest and most qualified leader available.

Sincerely,

James E. Tucker
President, CEASD (www.ceasd.org)
Superintendent, Maryland School for the Deaf

C: CEASD Board of Directors
    Jane Mulholland
    Susan Castillo, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
    Statesman Journal
    DeafRead.com

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