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Here’s the link to page 3 of the comic;
5A5A 2045, Page 3 (PDF)

This placement is increasingly becoming more typical. Thanks to early detection and successful approaches in language development, more and more D/HH children are entering mainstream environments instead of traditional D/HH classrooms or schools. Still, some school placements can be inappropriate for a number of D/HH children, even if they appear to have ‘successfully’ undergone the early detection/language acquisition regimen. It underscores the importance of the IEP in ensuring that D/HH children receive a free and appropriate public education.

Elsewhere, tight state budgets can threaten the health of state-supported Deaf schools nationwide. Declining enrollments (thanks to early detection and language initiatives) do not help our cause in keeping these schools open. Deafness has, and always has, been a low incidence disability. The theory of ”diminishing returns” can be harsh for Deaf schools nationwide; i.e., there can be only so much that can support a Deaf school. Would 50 students total support a Deaf school? 75? 100? Also, Deaf schools have surivived the Great Depression; they can certainly survive the state budget crunches happening now.

Unfortunately, this threat to Deaf Schools is real. The NAD has come out with a position on this issue; NAD Position Statement on Deaf Schools. Their key quote is, “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that educational agencies must make available a continuum of alternative placements to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Among other things, the continuum must include instruction in regular classes, special classes, and special schools. This continuum includes schools for the deaf.”

I still have nagging doubts about this “continuum of alternative placements” legal theory as supported by the NAD. They do have lawyers and may be more authoriative on the subject than they’re letting on in their statement. My view is that this clause is subject to interpretation. A liberal interpretation would definitely ecompass a state-supported Deaf school and mandate its continuing operation. A conservative interpretation could differ considerably, resulting in the closure of the state-supported Deaf school. I do not want to leave this issue up to court interpretation; it is incumbent upon the grassroots political activism to ensure that state-supported Deaf schools remain in operation.

Ironically, Model undermines the “continuum of alternative placements” argument somewhat, as it can take in D/HH students in other states. An uber-conservative court could conclude that since Model is available for D/HH students in their own state, at the high school level, there is no need for a state-supported Deaf school. Yes, it’s a stretch, as Model can be 100 or 3,000 miles away from states all over, as opposed to short distances involved in state-supported Deaf schools.

In this admittedly doomsday scenario, Model is the last Deaf school standing.