More than 400 sign petition calling for changes at Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and Blind

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Disappointing and frustrating.

That’s how one mother describes her daughter’s experience at the Mississippi School for the Blind

She’s one of hundreds calling for changes at the school, including new leadership.

A petition with more than 400 signatures is circulating with concerns about the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and Blind.

Students, families, alumni, former educators, staff and stakeholders accuse the school of not having enough certified teachers.

They also say teachers are not able to properly teach deaf and blind students, which they say is causing students to fall behind academically.

“These kids have a right to a full and an appropriate education,” Dani Baisden, whose daughter was enrolled at the Mississippi School for the Blind, said. “The only ones who are hurting in this situation are the kids. We need to make sure they are getting the education they need to be able to thrive.”

Baisden said her 14-year-old daughter, Lakshmi, attended the Mississippi School for the Blind from kindergarten through fifth grade, and Lakshmi described parts of her time there as challenging.

“I’m dyslexic and they didn’t help me with any of that,” Lakshmi Baisden said.

Dani Baisden said she withdrew her daughter from the school after the fifth grade.

“When she got to the sixth grade she was two and half years behind in math, about a year behind in English Language Arts,” she said.

Baisden said the school lacked specialized resources her daughter needed.

She said making it mandatory for teachers to be certified to teach deaf and blind students would help address some of the concerns.

“The understanding when I put my child at the (Mississippi) School for the Blind is that she would be taught by a teacher that was visually impaired, that all the teachers would have a TVI (Teacher of students with Visual Impairments) certification, so that every classroom that she went into was prepared for her,” Baisden said. “There were teachers who had never taught blind children before. They did the best they could with what they had, but they didn’t have the experience, not the experience that I expected and was told my child would get.”

Octavia Carson, who graduated from the Mississippi School for the Blind in 1993, said she has concerns about what she is hearing from parents about the school.

“The school that I grew up with, the educational services I received are not what we’re seeing today, and that has me with a very heavy heart to hear parents not pleased with the school,” Carson said.

Carson, an advocate at the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center, said the current concerns are a “far cry” from her experience more than 30 years ago.

“I’ve heard of students having to go online for a lot of their learning without the hands-on, in-person teacher approach,” she said. “The lack of direct instruction in braille which is necessary for literacy for a person who is blind or visibly impaired.”

Carson said she is working to find solutions and believes school leaders and those who signed the petition can find common ground.

“Collaborating more, say with those retired teachers or staff members who have done this so many years before, creating more opportunities for students to connect with other staff who’ve done this before,” Carson said. “Again, it could be a beautiful collaboration.”

The Mississippi Department of Education said it is aware of the petition and is working to ensure the needs of students are met.

“Mississippi Department of Education leadership has worked in conjunction with leadership at the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB) to ensure the unique needs of our students are met,” the statement said. “MSDB will always be a top priority, and decisions will be made and concerns addressed in the best interests of our students. Our work is designed to deliver services that promote academic achievement, communication skills, independence and prepare students for successful transitions to postsecondary education, careers and life beyond MSDB.”

The superintendent of the schools, LaMarlon Wilson, responded to WLBT News saying he is willing to answer questions.

The list of Q&A is listed below:

What is your reaction/your thoughts on the online petition that’s circulating, and people calling for you to step down?

Wilson: “I along with the educators at the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB), am committed to providing what is best for our students. Part of MSDB’s mission is to serve a diverse educational community and work collaboratively with families and partners. We remain dedicated to those efforts.”

Many former students and educators allege there’s a teacher shortage at MSDB. Do you know if there’s any truth to this?

Wilson: “In general, there is a teacher shortage statewide in various schools, districts and specific content areas. However, since I began serving as MSDB superintendent in July 2024, the schools have been fully staffed. As all schools and districts across Mississippi are in their annual hiring season, MSDB is currently seeking to fill two teacher vacancies.”

If you had to estimate, do you know how many educators are teaching at MSDB?

Wilson: “The MSDB has approximately 35 teachers.”

Some former educators say there’s a high turnover rate; do you know if this is true? If so, do we know why teachers are leaving MSDB.

Wilson: “In 2024, the Mississippi School for the Deaf (MSD) had more one-year non-renewable licensed educators than standard licensed educators, which led to high turnover for the school. Since that time, we have maintained a steady staff with attrition mostly attributed to retirement, family matters, seeking advanced opportunities and more.”

Some former educators say they don’t have the support of the administration, and when they try to implement new ideas and want to bring in new resources to help with their teaching, it gets shot down. What are your thoughts on these accusations?

Wilson: “This administration has embraced many innovative ideas such as expanding course offerings to include more Career Technical Education courses, Advanced Placement courses and Dual Enrollment courses with Hinds Community College. MSDB has also expanded outreach, partnerships and professional development initiatives.”

Some parents and former students allege some of the teachers are certified to teach, but they’re not certified to teach deaf and blind students, is this true?

Wilson: “Educators are certified to teach content areas in which they are assigned. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students make progress in the general education curriculum, as well as specially designed instruction.

This requires teachers with an array of certifications, skill sets, expertise and backgrounds. For example, English teachers need an English certification, the music teacher needs a music certification, and special education teachers need specialized certifications.

For example, teachers of visually impaired students need visually impaired certification to provide specially designed instruction such as braille, assistive technology, accessibility support with the general curriculum and other areas of the school and the expanded core curriculum. Another example is teachers of deaf have the Hearing Disability teaching endorsement and support with American Sign Language instruction, auditory training, and specially designed instruction based on the student’s individual needs according to their IEPs."

Some parents and former students allege the school isn’t properly teaching the students because the teachers are not certified/don’t have the resources they need, causing many of them to fall academically. Have you heard anything on this?

Wilson: “On the contrary, MSDB houses the Mississippi Instructional Resource Center that provides braille, large print and assistive technology to 138 schools in Mississippi, including the Mississippi School for the Blind (MSB).

A few methods /materials currently in use at the MSB:

• Embossed books that aligned to the curriculum 
• Braillers for notetaking and other assigned tasks 
• Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and other equipment designed to magnify printed resources
• Teachers of the visually impaired mobilized to support in-class instruction (accessibility) as well as individualized instruction regarding the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) and other skills associated with students’ braille, assistive technology and other Blind/Low Vision goals based on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
• Special Education teacher / Case Managers mobilized to support accessibility and other accommodations and modifications in the classrooms  
• Tables, instead of traditional desks, to hold all necessary equipment for classroom instruction for blind students
• Full-time orientation and mobility specialist 
• Full-time occupational therapist
• Contracted physical therapist 
• Staff optometrist in the Low Vision Clinic 

A few methods /materials currently in use at the MSD:

• Interpreters
• Full time audiologist
• Full time speech pathologist 
• Auditory training
• American Sign Language (instruction and preferred language)
• Visual schedules and announcements systems (VPAs) 
• Doorbell lights in classrooms to announce visitors at the door 
• Teachers of the Deaf 
• Special Education teacher/case managers mobilized to support accessibility and other accommodations and modifications in the classrooms 
• American Sign Language Dictionary 
• Circular classroom designs for language accessibility"

They also allege some of the teachers in the MS School for the Blind are not trained/able to teach braille, I was wanting to see do you know if there’s any truth to this?

Wilson: “Teachers of visually impaired students teach braille as part of their daily work with students. Braille instruction, as is all specially designed instruction under IDEA, is determined by the individual student’s IEP.”

Can you talk about the importance of continuing to educate and equip the students with everything they need to be successful?

Wilson: “MSDB educators work to ensure our students have the education needed to prepare them for college, career of their choice, and life in general. When students graduate from our schools, we want them to have unlimited options to be successful beyond MSDB.”

How many current classroom teachers are certified in Deaf education, visual impairment, Braille instruction or ASL-based instruction?

Wilson: “MSDB has three hearing disability certified teachers, two teachers of the visually impaired and six interpreters. MSD has two deaf teachers and 15 teachers that use American Sign Language (ASL) without an interpreter.”

Are students being taught by educators with the certifications needed to serve Deaf, blind, visually impaired or deafblind students?

Wilson: “Yes.”

How many vacancies exist right now?

Wilson: “See previous response.”

How many certified teachers left in the last 12 months?

Wilson: “Approximately 10 certified educators transitioned out for various reasons, including retirement, family matters, seeking advanced opportunities and more.”

What is the district’s timeline to address concerns raised in the petition?

Wilson: “MSDB is addressing concerns, assessing each and will move expeditiously to resolve any matter that impends student achievement and growth.”

Will MSDB hold a public meeting or listening session with parents, alumni and staff?

Wilson: “The MSDB stands open and ready to partner and communicate with all stakeholders. Throughout each school year, MSDB hosts various events for parents and alumni to learn about the school’s programming and progress. MSDB hosts district data days when principals share updates and academic progress of students. Last month, district leadership presented at the Mississippi Council for the Blind’s annual conference, giving an update about the school’s programming. The Mississippi Council for the Blind includes alumni, parents and families of alumni, advocacy and support organizations as well as teachers of the visually impaired.”

Are blind students receiving direct Braille and mobility instruction?

Wilson: “Yes”

Do we know what the graduation rate is at MSDB?

Wilson: “The Mississippi School for the Blind’s graduation rate is 100%. The Mississippi School for the Deaf’s graduation rate is 85%.”

Are students leaving MSDB prepared for college, careers and independent living?

Wilson: “The Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, as a part of the child’s transition planning that is required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, ensures that students have transition services and a plan after graduation. It is guided by the student’s interest and opportunities that are afforded to them. 100% of the graduates from the Mississippi School for the Deaf and the Mississippi School for the Blind in the 2024-2025 school year enrolled in college. The MSDB has expanded its course offerings in the areas of career technical education, advanced placement courses and dual enrollment - a partnership with Hinds Community College - to ensure students are exposed to college and careers, while they are able to still receive the support from our educators.”

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