The visit by Galludet University associate professor Laurene Simms was moved up in response to a protest and hunger strike that took place outside of the school last month.

Former MSD substitute teacher Ryan Commerson went on an eight-day hunger strike in a protest over how the school was educating children. Commerson also wanted current Principal Cecelia Winkler removed in favor of hiring a deaf principal.

Jeremy Hughes, deputy superintendent for the state Department of Education, which oversees MSD, recently issued a letter in support of Winkler.

Hughes met with Commerson to get him to end his hunger protest and to halt the disruption to the school. Some students were suspended after participating in the protest.

Hughes said the state is planning to form a special study committee to review educational policy at the school to see if it should be changed.

Commerson and others want a bilingual education focus, which is basically a higher level of American Sign Language taught to students.

"While I am disappointed that Mr. Hughes has rushed to defend Ms. Winkler ... I remain optimistic that the (study) group that Mr. Hughes has made possible will ensure that bilingual education will become an option in Michigan," Commerson said in an e-mail to The Flint Journal. "We are not going to give up."

By Matt Bach
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