Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University Protests
Michelle McAuliffe Blog (Many good pictures and slideshows of the protest)
http://michellemcauliffe.com/contact/
Unity for Deaf Kids (Our Deaf children are the future)
http://www.unityfordeafkids.com
SignupComics (Cartoons by deaf artists)
http://www.signupcomics.com
(Very good article from the famous hearing blogger)
Deaf Blogging the Revolution
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/8/20248/85651
Deaf Blogging the Revolution
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/8/20248/85651
(California deaf community) Bay Area Perspective on the Gally Presidential Selection
http://www.xanga.com/jennycat88
(Very Popular) Best reporting
http://www.xanga.com/elisa_abenchuchan
(Very Popular) Strong opinions and good reporting
http://www.ridorlive.com/
Unity for Gallaudet Faculty Staff Students Alumni (FSSA)
http://www.gallyfssa.org/index.php
Gallaudet Bison TV (Very Good Video Clips)
http://www.bisontv.com/
Deaf articles (Many comments to reply their articles)
http://www.deafdc.com/
More comments from Gally students and other links
http://www.notwithoutus.org/
The Deaf professional network
http://www.deafprofessional.net/
Video Clips (ASL but don't know if included the voices)
http://www.joeybaer.com/
Tthe alumni of Gallaudet University and members of the Deaf community, on-line petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/654622934?ltl=1146616169
http://www.xanga.com/jennycat88
(Very Popular) Best reporting
http://www.xanga.com/elisa_abenchuchan
(Very Popular) Strong opinions and good reporting
http://www.ridorlive.com/
Unity for Gallaudet Faculty Staff Students Alumni (FSSA)
http://www.gallyfssa.org/index.php
Gallaudet Bison TV (Very Good Video Clips)
http://www.bisontv.com/
Deaf articles (Many comments to reply their articles)
http://www.deafdc.com/
More comments from Gally students and other links
http://www.notwithoutus.org/
The Deaf professional network
http://www.deafprofessional.net/
Video Clips (ASL but don't know if included the voices)
http://www.joeybaer.com/
Tthe alumni of Gallaudet University and members of the Deaf community, on-line petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/654622934?ltl=1146616169
14 Comments:
Good morning, everyone.
The focus of this blog is now on Gallaudet. Whatever happens at Gallaudet will impact RSD, so keep this in mind.
This note is addressed to d/Deaf members of the RSD community:
It is now my perception that we are being divided into two groups. Please be reminded of Abe Lincoln's statements in his 1858 speech at the Republican State Convention in Illiniois in reference to the controversial issue of slavery: "In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed. A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other." (Source: http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/house.htm
My interpretation of Abe's comments in the context of the Gallaudet protest is as follows: We cannot be half deaf and half hearing. We are DEAF who happen to be in a hearing world.
Yours in Struggle,
Pamela R. Conley
CALLING ALL DEAF PEOPLE!!!!
COME DOWN TO TENT CITY AT THE FRONT GATES OF GALLAUDET AND PROTEST WITH US! THIS PROTEST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JKF NOT BEING "DEAF ENOUGH," AS SHE IMPLIED TO THE MEDIA. IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY OF GALLAUDET WANTING A NEW SEARCH PROCESS THAT INCLUDES MORE DIVERSITY, AND THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES THAT COULD SERVE AS A TRUE AMBASSADOR TO HEARING AND OTHER DEAF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
DO NOT LET JKF MISCONSTRUE WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. DO NOT LET HER GET AWAY WITH THAT, OR WE WILL SUFFER FOR IT FOR THE DURATION OF HER TENURE.
-GALLAUDET PROTESTORS
Gallaudet Protestors!
We are with you all the way. It is very hard for me not being there with you guys. I tried my best way to give the support by donated the money to FSSA to use for the supplies, food, drinks, and etc... We are watching you very careful because you are representing all the deaf people who are struggling with the issues too. Keep protesting! Maybe, we will donate some more money when we get enough.
CDP
The focus of this blog is now on Gallaudet. Whatever happens at Gallaudet will impact RSD, so keep this in mind.
----------------------------------
I can sense a relationship among Deaf protesters at School for the Deaf and Gallaudet. I can see many protestors at School for the Deaf are advocating protestors at Gallaudet. We both are seeking a well qualified president at Gallaudet to set up a leadership to focus on improving education such as Bi-Bi. We at School for the Deaf need HELP! Now, We help protestors to demand a better qualified president.
Thank you Pamela Conley for setting up this blog. An article appeared in today's newspaper about this whole situation.
Lets hope the Board of Trustees will listen to us and change the selection of the president of Gallaudet University.
I have been there and recieved first hand observance and heard the reasons in person. I fully support the protests down at Gallaudet University.
Jane fernandes and the Gallaudet University public relations department is really twisting what the true intention of the protests are.
I plan on going back down to TENT CITY at Gallaudet and helping out when classes let out at RIT. Hope you all will as well.
Proud graduate of RSD and an alumni of Gallaudet University!
Clayton Ide
Hi there,
I hope that the Gallaudet U. will quickly resolve its issues. We all have to remember that there are many "niches" in the deaf community... oralists, CIs, ASLs, SEEs, etc.... as results of upbringing or/and personal choice. I watched yesterday's news on a deaf family deciding to have ANOTHER CI (now a mother and two children have two CIs each) and I have to admit I winced watching the news reporter talking as if the deafness was a dreaded disease, celebrating that the deaf family was becoming part of hearing community. Then I realized it was the ignorance of the news reporter that made me wince. We don't know much about the deaf family's social lives, how they function in the hearing world, etc.
There is a hearing world and we live in it. We have to teach our children to learn to live in the hearing world, meaning to find best TOOLS, strong desire from parents and teachers, etc. We also have to deal with the hearing world's prejudiced conception of us, since they do not understand us. We have to teach them. AGAIN, we have to ackowledge that we are NOT right NOR wrong... we just live with opinions. "Unity" comes in when we AGREE to respect other people's opinions. My initial impression of Jane F. was that she was a good choice because she represented the majority of deaf people here in USA... mainstreamed, orals, CIs, etc... that Gallaudet U. needed to be more accepting of those people. When I heard that the faculty was involved (vote of no confidence), I started to wonder about the selection process, whether it was a fair process. I really don't care about whether Jane F. would succeed or sink as a Prez, I am bothered that there are a lot of "pro" deaf people declaring that they wanted their Prez to be Deaf, like born into generations of deaf families, raised in the ASL environment, etc... it sounds pretty isolating and might impact the enrollment of Gallaudet (could increase the enrollment of NTID and other colleges with programs for deaf students.) I want my children to be able to succeed at ANY colleges/universities of their choice, meaning mainstreaming, so be it. Just as long as they have right tools, they have support of their families, friends, etc.
I do hope that the Gallaudet students and faculty and the board officers would get to work together soon. Here in Rochester, the RSD board officers and RSD community are making efforts to work together now. Good luck, Gallaudet... just remember there is diversity in the deaf community (NOT division... DIVERSITY, meaning the majority of deaf people... or rather, deaf children...goes to mainstream schools, come from hearing families, have CIs', etc... we have to embrace them also, not force ASL on them, because at the end it will always be their personal choice.)
I apologize if I said anything offensive; I was just expressing my opinion. I am not right nor wrong... just the way I see it.
Good luck.
Karen M.
I am a very proud member of Gallaudet University, and the university itself is a very diverse community. It has students from different walks of life; it has students with all degrees of deafness and different upbringings.
The issue at hand is NOT her deafness or the way she was brought up. That has nothing to do with all of this.
The problem that the FSSA (Faculty, Staff, Student & Alumni) has with the selection of Jane K Fernandes includes several reasons.
1. Gallaudet needs a deaf-CENTRIC leader. This means a person who the deaf community all over the world can look up to and respect and want to work with. Jane Fernandes does not have that. Gallaudet needs that, and its not being done right now with the selection of Fernandes.
2. The process of the selection of the president was flawed and has to be re-exaimined and opened again. The students and faculty/staff were not "heard" before as the Board of Trustees (BoT) ingored our comments about the selection of Fernandes and they still went ahead and chose her.
3. The presidnet should have a positive relationship with people on campus. However a poll was taken and something like 80% of the students didnt like her (not sure of number is accurate, but it was high) The faculty (2/3 of them) dont like her. They had a vote of no confidence. Jane Fernandes has a horrible relationship with the students and faculty/staff. I witnessed her divisive actions when I visited Gallaudet last weekend. She was completely disrespectful to some people and were only geninuely pleasant to the people who SUPPORTED her.
The healing process of Gallaudet has to start, and that will only start if the BoT agrees with the two demands. Fernandes resigns and the process be reopened AND no reprisals against anyone involved with the protests.
ANY QUESTIONS -- Feel free to ask me or go to the sites below:
www.xanga.com/elisa_abenchuchan
www.gallyfssa.org
THANK YOU
Thought to send you the link from Washington Post about Gallaudet U...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/14/AR2006051400805.html?referrer=emailarticle
Karen Mayes
I just spoke with one Gallaudet alumni here in Rochester and she said that the protest is dead in water and now Jane F. has to prove that she is capable of being a President of Gallaudet U. She said that people would disagree with her observation, but it is the real world out there and the protest happened at a kinda wrong time (final exams, graduation ceremony, summer break.)
I could see her point of view and I guess we will see if JF does her duty better than she was the Provist.
I also noticed that this RSD blog site had been quiet...I noticed that the RSD teacher stopped posting... I do hope that he/she was not turned off by this website. I really enjoyed reading his/her comments; they were full of insights and clarity.
Karen Mayes
mwkk,
You may be right that this blog seems to be quiet but they still come here to read the comments. You should pay attention to the site counter. It kept counting and counting.
Pam Conley and Karen Mayes,
Thank you both for caring so much for RSD students by contributing your concerns and issues here on the blog site to encourage RSD to make the changes to improve. Same for others who I did not mention.
CDP
I am still here. Things have been busy (Regents exams are fast approaching), and honestly, I haven't been sure what to say lately. The Gallaudet protest ... I've definitely been following it, but I don't really have enough firsthand knowledge to comment meaningfully on it.
I truly hope the Communication committee is able to make some positive changes for improvement at RSD. It seems bizarre to me that because I have actually studied ASL, I know more about the language than most of the deaf students, and maybe some of the deaf adults here, too. (Not that I'm more fluent at USING it ... I just have more technical, background knowledge than some.) I even have a student who teases me when I use ASL facial expressions to ask questions. (Not that I mind teasing ...)
I agree that it's critical to get more of the hearing parents involved. We know that statistically, about 9/10 of the deaf kids out there belong to hearing parents.
Some of them may be hesitant, because they may feel like outsiders. They may be nervous about the level of their signing skills when trying to sign with Deaf parents. They get a lot of conflicting information from all sides, and it may be difficult for them to know what to believe.
Somehow bridges need to be built that help hearing parents feel welcome and accepted as part of the RSD community. They need to feel that just because they're hearing doesn't mean the rest of the community doesn't value their opinion. Deaf parents can help build these bridges. So can Deaf and hearing staff -- remember, hearing staff have chosen to enter this world, and many of us have studied the history and issues faced by deaf individuals. Most hearing parents got hit very suddenly with the reality of having a deaf child, with no prior preparation.
That was one problem I had during the recent protest. On some blog (I forget which), I saw a post from a Gallaudet student who said, "Hearing parents, we know what is best for your deaf children. When they grow up, they will agree with us."
Yes, the experiences of deaf individuals are invaluable. But that's the wrong attitude if you want to make allies of hearing parents.
Hmmm... I have to agree with you about the attitude you just explained from one of the Gallaudet U.'s blogs... it is somewhat a turn off and I did not like some comments (Jane F. being not deaf enough, etc.), since I am like her, coming from hearing family, learning sign language at the age of 22 years old, so forth. I would not want my children to go to Gallaudet U. if the kind of attitude persisted when they got older; I want them to be aware of the opportunities in the hearing world. IF Gallaudet U. were more open to all kinds of HOH and deaf people, great...
I think it is a bit ironic... because here at RSD, hearing parents feel intimitated, but in the BOCES, hearing parents are in charge. Last month I was told that BOCES hosted bowling in Henrietta, so I went and immediately noticed a large number of hearing parents compared to deaf parents there. Hearing parents naturally flocked to each other, and deaf parents just stood aside... just interesting.
My father read Carol Padden's book and he sent me an email about it... copied and pasted below:
Hi Karen and greetings from sunny (finally) San Diego. Received your thoughtful card today and I thank you. It is cute.
Patty wants to read the book, INSIDE DEAF CULTURE, before I return it to you. Found myself hi-liting some parts of the book which I apologize for. Before my comments let me say that in my readings especially since retirement, I see where psychologist etc are understanding how "bias" works in our understanding the world. Try as we may NONE of us is totally objective. I say that because I realize some of my impressions of the book are colored by my hearing biases. The book gave me a deeper appreciation of what you mean when you say you are more comfortable in the "deaf culture". It is also upsetting to me, realizing that when you were an infant, a child, you would have benefited by exposure to sign language. Dr. Silverman's argument was that lip reading and learning speech would be hampered if you were allowed to take the "easy" path of signing. He may have been right but after reading this book the question is were there any negative consequences from you not having any language during the formative, speech acquiring years? There is one sentence which I cannot now find that chilled me. One deaf educator asked the rhetorical question to the effect, is there ANY deaf person who has been trained to be oral who finds speaking to hearing people enjoyable? At least that was the thrust of the question. The answer is an unspoken no.
It seems to me it is comfortable to be born deaf into a deaf family who are involved in a community of the deaf. Children like you face a much more difficult world, born deaf to hearing parents involved solely in the hearing community. As a parent you can appreciate the fact that your Mother and I did not want to send you off to a different world, a world which excluded us. I guess a bit selfishly hearing parents want to do everything possible to integrate the deaf child into the family and again, a bit selfishly that means the deaf child makes the big adjustment to "our world". But that is the only world we knew. Until you were born I had never met a deaf person. I did not know there was a whole other world out there. Indeed, except when I am with you and your family I come in contact with only one other deaf person, Allison, Patty's sister's grandchild. And that has been twice in three years. My argument with the book is that it in a gentle way rebukes the hearing world for imposing our world on the deaf. But the hearing world is the larger world and that is the world the deaf must compete in, socially, educationally and financially. This may be a poor, even a insulting comparison but society demands foreigners who come to this country to learn how to speak English. Those who do not get along but are still on the outside. Those who prosper are those who can learn the language. We can respect their culture and don't care a hoot if they speak their mother tongue at home but we expect them to bridge the two cultures. So the educational and medical community has and does try to, I guess, impose ways to integrate the deaf into the hearing world.
I guess I got the most out of chapter 7, The Promise of Culture. The authors made good points. (That is where I hi-lited). Also, I finally looked up definition of ASL in Google and NOW, FINALLY, have at least a grasp of what that is all about. Any way, Patty will now read it and we will then mail it back to you. You should receive your stuff on Monday. Patty says hello to you and the kids, who she praises. Love, Dad
Thought to share my dad's email with you... from a hearing parent's perspective.
Karen Mayes
Karen,
Wow. Your dad's email is awesome!!!!
Do you think a panel of hearing parents of former students enrolled in a variety of progams serving the deaf and hoh in the greater Rochester area (RSD, School #1, Sherman, BOCES # 1, etc.) for hearing parents of current students would be helpful? In this way they would benefit from their wisdom without feeling intimidated by D/deaf parents/adults. What are your thoughts?
RSD Teacher, What can we (Deaf parents, people) do to "make allies of hearing parents?"
Pamela R. Conley
Yes, Pam... I did bring this subject up to both Lisa DeWindt-Sommer and Mrs. Huritz (spelling?) of Outreach program at RSD and Mrs. Huritz said tell that to the new director, since she was retiring this year...
That would be a great panel discussion for both hearing and deaf parents...Several years ago the Outreach program hosted a workshop on cochlear implants where I changed my views on CIs, seeing that they were just a different kind of hearing aids, not cures as hearing parents seemed to view. And that it was all about attitudes...
Again, it is about attitudes...
:-) Karen
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