|Letter to the Editor, Laura Peterson|
In the upcoming 2025/2026 school year, the ASL World Language Program at Gray-New Gloucester High School, is slated to be cut from the budget. Indeed, it seems that the administration has already cut the beloved ASL program.
This is not due low enrollment, in fact it is a highly enrolled and popular program. The primary challenge cited by the administration is that the ASL teacher position is nearly impossible to hire for, due to increased certification requirements. However, at this point, it appears that there has not been any formal job listing posted for this position.
The ASL Program deserves the same formal hiring procedures as any other program in our school system. To do anything less is a disservice to our current and future students, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, and our local GNG community.
Another potential motivating factor in the school administration’s decision to cut the ASL Program is that the current teacher is retiring, and they are looking for ways to find cost savings. In their own words and budget documents the use of attrition to trim the overall budget is in play here. Eliminating this position and thus this program is, in some ways, easier than having to look elsewhere for savings. That does not make it right.
The possibility of losing the ASL Program is close to my family, because my son is Deaf. He is a student in our GNG school system and has an amazing ASL Interpreter with him in the classroom. Students who have a chance to be in class or on a sports team with my son experience something unique; their eyes are opened to a new way of communicating and engaging with the world.
I am often approached by parents of other students in my son’s class, who share with me positive stories of how much their child has opened up and grown because of having ASL in their classroom. Their child comes home everyday, excited to share the new sign language word that they learned, or that they were -finally- given the privilege of having their very own ASL sign name!
ASL is an essential visual language that provides communication access to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, a vital career pathway, and an important option for non-traditional student learners, giving them a chance to gain confidence and excel in one of the high school’s world language courses. This potential cut affects our family deeply and would greatly impact many students and families- taking away a wonderfully unique aspect of our GNG community.
I am leading a petition to urge the school board and administration to continue funding the ASL program and find a qualified ASL Teacher. This effort may be difficult, but it is not impossible. We owe it to our students and our community to at least try. Please consider supporting this effort to ask the GNG school administration and school board to save the ASL program at the high school.
Laura Peterson
New Gloucester Resident
Petition to Save the GNG ASL Program
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