Sen. Breen advocates for Maine's deaf students

AUGUSTA — A bill by Sen. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth, to cut needless red tape for Maine’s only school for deaf students received a public hearing Wednesday before the Legislature’s Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

The bill — LD 1469, “An Act To Promote Private Fund-raising for the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf” — would allow the Falmouth-based school to engage in private fundraising.

“It’s ironic that we need a bill to allow private citizens to give private dollars voluntarily to an educational program, but, here we are,” said Sen. Breen. “This bill will allow the school to accept donations by giving it permission to establish a private, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that exists solely to support the school’s mission and work. It will put this school on a level playing field with the other public schools all over Maine.”

Since its founding in the 1960s, the school has provided necessary, effective, and cutting-edge education programs to Maine students who are deaf and hard of hearing.  The school’s main campus is located on Mackworth Island in Falmouth, an enduring gift to the state from Gov. Percival Baxter.

Today, the school serves students not only at its Mackworth Island campus, but in local school districts all over the state. Like many educational programs, this school has evolved, grown and adapted to the ever-changing needs of the community it serves.  And not every need and challenge is met with public dollars. When the school sought recently to embark on a fundraising campaign, it learned that current state law prohibits it from doing so.

“Anyone who wants to donate to an organization that helps deaf and hard-of-hearing children get the best education possible should be able to do so,” said Rep. Teresa Pierce, D-Falmouth, who cosponsored the bill. “It makes no sense to bar individuals from contributing to a cause they care about, especially one that helps Maine children learn and succeed.”

“MECDHH has numerous unmet needs for children with hearing loss and their families whom we serve statewide,” said David Sherry, the school’s executive director, when the bill was drafted. “The ability to respond to those needs is critical to the agency’s mission.”

No lawmakers, executive branch officials or members of the public testified in opposition to LD 1469. The Education Committee will vote on the bill at an upcoming work session.