TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The closure of Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) Tucson campus, relocating to a school in Oro Valley, and moving blind or visually impaired (VI) students to public schools has rattled many families and now they are taking legal action.
11 ASDB families have filed a lawsuit Monday against ASDB, the board of directors of ASDB, and Superintendent Annette Reichman.
Melissa Rueschhoff and Jim Bolin with Signature Law Partners are representing the families.
An application for Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and Motion for Preliminary Injunction has been filed, urgently asking a judge to stop the school’s leadership and governing board from voting on the ASDB's closure on Thurs. Feb. 5 in Phoenix.
"We are waiting on the court to schedule an emergency hearing on the TRO. So it is not currently in effect. We're waiting for a hearing on that motion," Bolin said.
Rueschhoff said these families are not seeking any money.
"They simply just want their children to continue in the same education environment that they've been in and that they've been thriving in under the educators and the teachers and the administration that's been working so well for them for the past, well, you see it's been open for 110 years," Rueschhoff said.
According to Rueschhoff and Bolin, ASDB is in violation of many federal and state laws.
"So we're alleging that proper notice was not provided to the parents, that opportunities to discuss these issues were not provided," Bolin said. "We believe that there's a number of issues related to what's referred to as FAPE, which requires school districts to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education to all of their students. We believe that a number of these students will not have the resources that they're entitled to based on their disabilities as a result of these school closures. So there's a number of both procedural and statutory violations that we believe are at play here."
KGUN 9 has reached out to ASDB for comment on the lawsuit but has not heard back.
On ASDB's website, Superintendent Annette Reichman says the reason for campus closure is because for the first time in its 114-year history, the school is facing declining student enrollment and revenues, fewer students are being served by their itinerant services, no funds to fix the deteriorating buildings and infrastructure, and more
"Much time has been devoted to thoughtful and due deliberation over different options. Through all of this I was ever mindful of ASDB’s proud history, culture, and community. But I can no longer wait. I am forced to make difficult, but very necessary, decisions in order to maintain our services and continue to educate our students," Reichman said in a statement released on Jan. 14.
The Arizona Association of the Deaf (AZAD) is hosting a community forum on ASDB's Tucson campus changes Tuesday Feb. 3 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St.
AZAD is inviting the community to share perspectives, ask questions, and discuss next steps.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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