MSD Administrators Suspended! Letter from Reporter
Dear Elizabeth, I am afraid I cannot claim credit for the interpreter. She was provided by my News Director, Dennis Smith,  You are right, the Superintendent cannot communicate with her own students.  The State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Hank Bounds, who is her boss, has forced her and her number two person to take leave, while he investigates this whole affair. Dr. Bounds admits four teachers there cannot sign properly and he understands why the students are frustrated, but he says it is “inappropriate for them to walk out.â€Â Dr. Bounds is very angry with me for going on the school campus, even though I went straight to the administration building and asked for permission to talk to two students by name. I was invited into the building and put in a conference room while she called her bosses about what to do with me. Dr. Bounds is also very upset with me because I told him it seemed to me he had something to hide at the school, by not talking with me about the problems there. He promised he would, but he is now out with the flu and unavailable. I did not attempt to speak with the students through my interpreter, although I could have easily done so. The reason I didn’t is because they are minors and I was not sure if they had their parents’ permission to speak. I had been told they did. I am attempting to contact the parent of the leader of the demonstration to see if I can talk, to her, off campus, through my interpreter. There are deep problems at this school that I don’t think will come to light, without a former teacher deciding to sit down with me and speak on camera. Thank you for your interest. Bert.
This is in response to my email thanking him for having the foresight to bring an interpreter. He has promised me to keep me informed on the ongoing investigation. Any former teacher who may be willing to speak to him, here is his e-mail contact: bert@wlbt.net
 UPDATE: Two MSD Administrators were fired:    http://blog.deafread.com/mishkazena/2006/12/01/2-msd-adminstrators-fired/             Â
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The comments below are left by the TV viewers. I read them and whew, I sure hope there will be a serious investigation. Click on each to read the full message. You may want to go to that site to check for new messages. elizabeth
 www.wlbt.com  From our home page click on news and then you will see the drop down menu “ Talkback 3â€. Let me know if you have any further problems.  Â
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
Good Afternoon. I read with concerns about the censorship you witnessed at MSD. Can you share with us more on what you saw? I am a deaf blogger who reports to the national deaf community .Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
Bert, Your poll on the WLBT website asking “Do you think teachers of deaf students should be very proficient in sign language?” is moot. Of course the teachers should be qualified to communicate properly
Â
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
I want to thank you for having the foresight to bring an interpreter. Apparently that is a rare thing because many reporters who covered Gallaudet University Protest, including ‘top notch’ ones, like NYTimes, local and national TV media have consistently failed to bring their own reporters.Â
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
First of all I want to share with you about Deaf civil rights that I wrote it about the articles of Deaf School in Mississippi School for the Deaf in DeafNotes Forum Discussion and want to share and educate people in this society..
Talkback 3: Deaf Students Protest
Saw your story the other day about the protest at the deaf school. Have you tried a follow-up? I heard through the deaf grape-vine that the superintendent Dr. Mack and one other person have been placed on administration leave.
Talkback 3: Deaf Students Protest
Many people in Jackson have known about the lack of qualified, prepared teachers and principals at the MS School for the Deaf for years. Faculty have spoken up about this issue and have gone to the superintendent to no avail.
Talkback 3: Deaf Students Protest
Thank you for your story “Students Protest Conditions at School for Deaf” on November 28, 2006. It is the kind of story that needs to be told and it was really eye-opening.
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
Regarding the deaf students’ protest yesterday over their frustrations with some of their teachers not knowing and using sign language, I totally understand their feelings.
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
I’m writing this letter about Mississippi School for the Deaf. On June 13, 2006, I filed a compliant with the Board of Education about the teacher not speaking fluent sign language. I began my own investigation on the MSD.
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
Please don’t stop the investigation at the School for the Deaf. They are hiring their friends with no sign language experience at all. The teachers are standing up there trying to teach with no knowledge of how to make the kids understand because they know nothing about their language, culture and how to adapt in that environment.Â
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
Thank you Thank you Thank you for your report!!!!!!!!!! I am a former teacher at Mississippi School for the Deaf. One of the reasons I quit my job there was because Dr. Delores Mack continued to hire teachers who could not sign to teach our very bright students.
Talkback 3: David Banner
I think that it is a shame that Jackson is so simple minded to talk about someone who thought enough about Mississippi to help out in a critical time of need.
Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest
I was glad to see your segment on the MS School for the Deaf (MSD) students protest yesterday. I am gulf coast resident and my niece has attended MSD since she was three years old.
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/category.asp?C=83085&nav=menu119_3_7
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7:30 PM UPDATE Things at MSD right now are back to normal. You have been updated that both MSD Supt and HS Principal are now on administration leave. That’s is good. That’s a quick action made by the Mississippi Department of Education.
I was told that one of the MSD employees did ask someone who works close to the person at MDE to clarify what administration leave meant. That person said it meant go with pay and unforeseen future for his/her return (bye bye!)
MSD Supt. Dr. Mack-Smith and HS Principal Pam Hervey hired 5 or 6 during the last two years with no deaf education background and no signing skills. That explained why these students were frustrated. MSD’s communication policy, there is a section saying that the staff must sign at all times in front of all deaf staff and students. That has been ignored for too long! They talk without signing in front of them many times.
Gallaudet’s protest really made a big impact and loud noise scattering across the world, which could help the Mississippi Department of Education making a quick move and do something about MSD. 
~Ray
email contact: mishkazena@aol.com
Dear Elizabeth, I am afraid I cannot claim credit for the interpreter. She was provided by my News Director, Dennis Smith,  You are right, the Superintendent cannot communicate with her own students.  The State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Hank Bounds, who is her boss, has forced her and her number two person to take leave, while he investigates this whole affair. Dr. Bounds admits four teachers there cannot sign properly and he understands why the students are frustrated, but he says it is “inappropriate for them to walk out.â€Â Dr. Bounds is very angry with me for going on the school campus, even though I went straight to the administration building and asked for permission to talk to two students by name. I was invited into the building and put in a conference room while she called her bosses about what to do with me. Dr. Bounds is also very upset with me because I told him it seemed to me he had something to hide at the school, by not talking with me about the problems there. He promised he would, but he is now out with the flu and unavailable. I did not attempt to speak with the students through my interpreter, although I could have easily done so. The reason I didn’t is because they are minors and I was not sure if they had their parents’ permission to speak. I had been told they did. I am attempting to contact the parent of the leader of the demonstration to see if I can talk, to her, off campus, through my interpreter. There are deep problems at this school that I don’t think will come to light, without a former teacher deciding to sit down with me and speak on camera. Thank you for your interest. Bert.
This is in response to my email thanking him for having the foresight to bring an interpreter. He has promised me to keep me informed on the ongoing investigation. Any former teacher who may be willing to speak to him, here is his e-mail contact: bert@wlbt.net
 UPDATE: Two MSD Administrators were fired:    http://blog.deafread.com/mishkazena/2006/12/01/2-msd-adminstrators-fired/             Â
##################################################
The comments below are left by the TV viewers. I read them and whew, I sure hope there will be a serious investigation. Click on each to read the full message. You may want to go to that site to check for new messages. elizabeth
 www.wlbt.com  From our home page click on news and then you will see the drop down menu “ Talkback 3â€. Let me know if you have any further problems.  Â
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest Good Afternoon. I read with concerns about the censorship you witnessed at MSD. Can you share with us more on what you saw? I am a deaf blogger who reports to the national deaf community .Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest Bert, Your poll on the WLBT website asking “Do you think teachers of deaf students should be very proficient in sign language?” is moot. Of course the teachers should be qualified to communicate properly  |
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest I want to thank you for having the foresight to bring an interpreter. Apparently that is a rare thing because many reporters who covered Gallaudet University Protest, including ‘top notch’ ones, like NYTimes, local and national TV media have consistently failed to bring their own reporters. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest First of all I want to share with you about Deaf civil rights that I wrote it about the articles of Deaf School in Mississippi School for the Deaf in DeafNotes Forum Discussion and want to share and educate people in this society.. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf Students Protest Saw your story the other day about the protest at the deaf school. Have you tried a follow-up? I heard through the deaf grape-vine that the superintendent Dr. Mack and one other person have been placed on administration leave. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf Students Protest Many people in Jackson have known about the lack of qualified, prepared teachers and principals at the MS School for the Deaf for years. Faculty have spoken up about this issue and have gone to the superintendent to no avail. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf Students Protest Thank you for your story “Students Protest Conditions at School for Deaf” on November 28, 2006. It is the kind of story that needs to be told and it was really eye-opening. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest Regarding the deaf students’ protest yesterday over their frustrations with some of their teachers not knowing and using sign language, I totally understand their feelings. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest I’m writing this letter about Mississippi School for the Deaf. On June 13, 2006, I filed a compliant with the Board of Education about the teacher not speaking fluent sign language. I began my own investigation on the MSD. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest Please don’t stop the investigation at the School for the Deaf. They are hiring their friends with no sign language experience at all. The teachers are standing up there trying to teach with no knowledge of how to make the kids understand because they know nothing about their language, culture and how to adapt in that environment. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest Thank you Thank you Thank you for your report!!!!!!!!!! I am a former teacher at Mississippi School for the Deaf. One of the reasons I quit my job there was because Dr. Delores Mack continued to hire teachers who could not sign to teach our very bright students. |
| Talkback 3: David Banner I think that it is a shame that Jackson is so simple minded to talk about someone who thought enough about Mississippi to help out in a critical time of need. |
| Talkback 3: Deaf School Protest I was glad to see your segment on the MS School for the Deaf (MSD) students protest yesterday. I am gulf coast resident and my niece has attended MSD since she was three years old. |
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/category.asp?C=83085&nav=menu119_3_7
                         ##################################################
7:30 PM UPDATE Things at MSD right now are back to normal. You have been updated that both MSD Supt and HS Principal are now on administration leave. That’s is good. That’s a quick action made by the Mississippi Department of Education.
I was told that one of the MSD employees did ask someone who works close to the person at MDE to clarify what administration leave meant. That person said it meant go with pay and unforeseen future for his/her return (bye bye!)
MSD Supt. Dr. Mack-Smith and HS Principal Pam Hervey hired 5 or 6 during the last two years with no deaf education background and no signing skills. That explained why these students were frustrated. MSD’s communication policy, there is a section saying that the staff must sign at all times in front of all deaf staff and students. That has been ignored for too long! They talk without signing in front of them many times.
Gallaudet’s protest really made a big impact and loud noise scattering across the world, which could help the Mississippi Department of Education making a quick move and do something about MSD. ~Ray
email contact: mishkazena@aol.com
November 30th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
I am saddened to see bad things being said about my home state, Mississippi. I will agree that things at MSD are certainly not on par with many other states, but I don’t believe that every place is stellar. Places like California, New York, Washington, D.C., Florida, and Texas along with other metropolitan areas have much larger educated populations. Unfortunately, the old guard of the Deaf community is fading away, and many young deaf people all over the country lack leadership skills and moral values. This is making a huge impact on the deaf children of today. I want to commend the students at MSD for their courage and willingness to stand up for their educations. This is a very small group of students, but they were influenced enough by the Gallaudet protest to take charge of their own destinies. What brave souls to go up against such a strong mind-set of audism. MSD has quite a few highly qualified teachers who are proficient signers. When poor leadership is in place, it doesn’t matter what kind of teachers and staff are there. And sadly, poor leadership has been at MSD for MANY years. A new day has come with the choice of Sandra Edwards to lead both schools. Her work is published in the American Annals of the Deaf and she has a deep understanding of the deaf community and deaf culture, being the daughter of a deaf father. Good things are bound to come from her. She is well-loved by both staff and students–those who “get it.” If anyone is reading this and doesn’t understand what is meant by “get it,” then obviously they don’t GET IT about deaf education and the Deaf! I hope the nation will continue to support what is happening in Mississippi and follow in their footsteps. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the whole country could abolish audism? Let’s try to keep this discussion positive and on the up and up without such negative input.
December 1st, 2006 at 6:52 am
I agree that other places have their share of problems too.
In 1988, when I was a high school senior, I did an internship at the Perkins School for the Blind near Boston. Then, after graduation, I worked there for a few weeks during their summer program.
Yes, Perkins DOES have some deaf students. Specifically, they have a program targeted at deaf students with additional disabilities. No, you don’t even necessarily have to be blind to get into their program (though the program does, of course, include many deaf-blind students and deaf students with low vision). About half their deaf students are in classes for deaf students with mental retardation, often with some further additional disabilities. The other half of their deaf students were for kids without mental retardation but with some other disability including those who were deaf-blind. For many deaf children with additional disabilities, Perkins is the only local program that will meet their needs. I worked as an aide in a class of deaf children with mental retardation, with a mix of other additional disabilities.
I should emphasize that my experiences happened 18 years ago. I have no clue whether or not things might have changed there over time. (Any one here have more recent experience with Perkins?)
The two teachers I worked with were fluent in sign language and were perfectly comfortable signing in front of me. But the other teachers in the other classes were not quite as fluent. There was NO other deaf staff for them to practice with other than me (and me for just a few months). Most of the children had limited vocabulary skills–mostly because of their mental retardation, but I’m sure that the lack of strong linguistic models didn’t help. Most of the teachers never signed unless it was to say something directly to one of the students. If it was just me, then most of the other staff didn’t sign, except for the two who I worked with the most closely. But those two teachers were not there during the summer program.
One time, during the summer program, we all took the kids out to a cabin for a sleep over. After we had put the kids to sleep (in tents or in the cabin), the grownups had their own special events with games and chats for the adults. I say “their” because I wasn’t really included. I was there in the room, but as soon as all the kids had been put to bed, they simply stopped signing. I asked them to please sign for me, but they explained that tonight was a time to relax and they didn’t want to have to sign.
January 19th, 2007 at 8:58 am
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