MZ grew up oral and didn’t even learn to sign until she went to Gally. She’d been out of the deaf community for some time and resurfaced only last year. She’s comfortable in both the hearing world and the Deaf community, and that’s a very good thing to be, indeed.

In case you weren’t aware of it you are married to one!

And the reward Gallaudet now gets in recognition of the latest protest? Heightened scrutiny, aggressive changes, and boosted morale. Wow, such a win-win situation to be envied by many.

Thanks to the protest, we have a strong leader in Davilia transforming Gallaudet into a better academic institution with geniune academic rigor. We have the MSA now holding the university accountable, which has been long accustomed to unaccountability. As for enrollment, retention, and graduation figures, give it time. I’m sure the numbers will come out positive over time.

Even if Gallaudet loses the MSA accreditation battle (highly unlikely), then that’s the ultimate price we all pay in losing such a truly historic and unique institution. I will take small comfort in the fact that nothing lasts forever, not even Gallaudet, and accept whatever the winds of change bring forth, and hold no regrets.

That last comment was totally uncalled for- and I think it DOES show your anger and perhaps your immaturity.

The Truth One

I suggest you reread my post when I said I interrupted my break to make this announcement, followed up by a PS announcing that I am resuming my break.

Obviously you aren’t familiar with me. For your information, I have the same upbringing as Fernandes. I grew up 100% oralist and didn’t learn sign language until I went to college. What’s more, I am all for academic rigors.

You will be pleased to hear that the current Davila administration are working very hard in increasing academic rigors.

From my experience, people will continue to debate about Fernandes and the protest for a long time. I have no desire to continue the debate. If you wish to, feel free to continue the debate elsewhere. Time will decide for us if the protest is justified or not. 80% of Gallaudet Community feel it was. Obviously you don’t. We all are entitled to our opinions, so let’s agree to disagree.

Jennifer and Tory, thank you for sharing your opinions.

The post is now closed so I can continue to enjoy my break. I suggest you all enjoy your break, too

Because of the protest last fall, my desire to return to Gallaudet grew after 22 years of raising 2 children and complete my BA. Now 3 of us are in college. Even though it was very difficult regaining my educational mode, I was successful. At my age, I realized several things about me: I love learning new things my 2 professors offered in their classrooms. During my years of raising 2 kids, working full time, etc., I have maintained my self-education by reading constantly and research. When I was in my 20’s I hated having my papers “criticized” and now I 100% welcome any challenges (to my surprise).

I am writing in defense of your criticism of Gallaudet’s quality education. I want to remind you that, many, many other colleges’ students (mind you, hearing students) are often from another countries and struggle with their English; yet, they keep trying to improve themselves. There are countless students who are dyslexic and struggle with their English as well. Don’t you think that these students are proud to be college students? Don’t you think Gallaudet students are proud to be at Gallaudet? Why does that bother you so much? Why not you concentrate on your own education outside of Gallaudet University? Why not challenge yourself by asking the professors to give you more challenge? My theory is: even though I learn in my classes; education continues outside of my classes. When I wrote papers in my Honor English class; I researched the history behind every subject I wrote. In other words, I challenged myself and my 2 professors noticed my ambitious and they, in turn, challenged me. When I attend classes: it is about me and my education, not about others.

There are ways to challenge you. Are you in an Honor’s program? If not, I suggest you to try it. I met a student in my class and he/she told me that he/she is going to another university to get what she/he really wanted. She/he will stay at Gallaudet. Perhaps you can do the same. How about transferring to another college you are comfortable with?

Again, my advice is to ignore other students and concentrate on your own education. This message is not to put you down but this is what I have learned over time; what other people do is not my business unless it affects me. If other students struggle with their English; why would that affect you? Take action for your own benefit! You are an adult now and are responsible for your own happiness; don’t let others pull you down.

I don’t know who to “blame” for all of this; indeed, no one may be entirely at fault…or we may all be at fault. But I hold a special grudge against the students themselves. It was my classmates who cheated on tests, who whined when given anything more than a page to read for homework, who didn’t show up for test review class, forcing the professor to postpone the test yet again, who waited until the day before a paper was due to start writing it and then claimed the assignment/grading system.professor was unfair. The professors told me over and over they had to teach to the middle, which was pathetically low, leaving talented, university-ready students like myself to create our own work/challenges. Like MZ’s honors friend, if I wanted more of a challenge, I had to seek out more work or discussion one on one with professors; I chose to supplement sheer academic work with leadership opportunities and challenges to round out my painfully shy social side. I, too, was in honors, and it was great…for my freshman year. I chose to pursue a tough major and minor just to keep myself awake in class and motivated. In some ways, Gallaudet served me well by letting me spend less energy on academics than I would have had to at a hearing university, and more on personal development skills.

Back to my point: I blame the students for the majority of the academic problems. I do not understand how you can spend the money/time to attend a college and not have any motivation or ability to benefit from it! If VR dried up, I know many of those who are wasting space at Gallaudet would not be there…after all, you don’t spend your own money to get out of Gallaudet what you can get for free staring at the TV half baked at home. Why apply when you know you are not ready? Why come to campus just to do drugs and drink and pull the rest of the student body down with you? Can’t you do that for free at home? Why come to a place where you have to read at the 10th grade level or above when you only have a 3rd grade capability?

I agree with Get Real about the emotional undertones of the deaf community. I deal with it all the time in my job, being insulted, belittled, and ridiculed because the deaf people I am trying to serve cannot understand the requirements of the contracts they WILLINGLY and voluntarily sign. Their English problem is somehow mine and the rest of society’s? The rules should change because they are deaf and therefore special? *I* am an audist because YOU don’t have a videophone where I can explain stuff to you in ASL and only have the option of using written English to communicate with you? No, no, and no. Sadly, Gallaudet is but a small part of the greater problem of the bigger deaf-meets-hearing world.

MSA didn’t step up there case until the Board terminated JKF’s position. It say’s it in the report.

Gallaudet is a school now for people who want to skate by the system. I personally know JKF was going to raise the standards whether you or your fellow “deaf Culturalists want to admit it. That scared the you know what out of you!

Your led protest is what damaged Gallaudet. Your false accusations, claims, and slander wrecklessly injured people and the institution of Gallaudet.

You are probably proud of this which makes it all the worse.