Council for the Blind Drops Benson Laws

The Wisconsin Council for the Blind has dropped its lawsuit against State Superintendent John Benson over his efforts to close the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped in Janesville.

In the agreement to end the suit, the council said the Department of Public Instruction and Benson say they have no intention to close the school unless the Legislature directs otherwise. Only the Legislature has authority to close the facility, but supporters of the school have charged that Benson was using his position to weaken the school and was advocating closing it. The agreement allows Benson to continue to speak in favor of closing the school.

The council agreed to drop its suit in part because the Legislature is appointing a committee to study the status of the school. In addition, Benson has appointed Tom Hanson, a former student and teacher at the school and a strong advocate of keeping the school open, as the new superintendent.

Posted September 30, 1998