Right to use sign language in educational programmes

I have taught children who are Deaf or hard of hearing.  We still have 5 year olds coming into school systems with no language because the option to learn sign language was taken from them.  This belief that speech is the only way is false and cripples children who need to develop language through sign.  Research has proven that sign does not prevent children from speaking.  I used sign language with my own hearing child because she was a premature baby and her language was behind.  She now has impressed her dance teacher with her vocabulary and ability to communicate.  My daughter's dance teacher is teaching her hearing son to communicate with sign as he learns to speak.  If you taught children who desperately want to communicate and you saw how much time has been lost to learn a language, you would truly understand.   I have my B.S. in Speech Language Pathology and my M.Ed. in Communication Sciences and Disorders (Deaf Education).  I understand the need to reinforce and teach speech.  I also understand that many children need to learn sign language and that is their right as children who are deaf.  Who are we to take that from them.  I have seen the eyes of children light up when they receive the chance to sign and learn language. They can communicate and learn and have a chance at a full life.