Summary: NCSD Parents/State Officials Meeting Yesterday
While parents and students listed many problems, there were recurring themes.
Communication
One concern voiced at the meeting was Lindsey and Jody Self, director of residential services, were not able to communicate with students.
Another communication problem is parents said they were not informed about what happens at NCSD.
Tracy Eubanks, mother of Tiffany “Pebbles” Dowley, said she wants to know what’s going on at school, and she wants to be able to get in touch with her daughter and for her daughter to get in touch with her. Jean Howard echoed the sentiments, saying she understands why students can’t have their phones during class but doesn’t see why they can’t have them after school.
Students reported their phones were taken from them Sunday night when administration brought them into the chapel.
Pearson said students have opportunities to voice their concerns in other ways, but Tom Lineberger, chair of NCSD’s Human Rights Committee, said administration attends the meetings. He said it was intimidating for students to have the Lindsey and the administration there when they were trying to tell their problems.
Lineberger said administrators were very vocal at the meetings and he and others on the committee were not clear on what they could do..
Education
Several parents and students said teachers at the school have been very negative about the students’ chances after high school. Jensen said the students are not getting a quality education if they are just reading to themselves in class and not being taught.
Tim Shane wanted to know why there are no educational programs between the school and Western Piedmont Community Colleges or other schools in the area. He also suggested getting student-teachers from schools in the area who want to be in deaf educations
To read the full story, click: NCSD director steps down – The Morganton News Herald
Commentary: Personally I find it very strange that the administrators would be permitted in the room while the students expressed their concerns to Human Rights Committee. Why was there no confidentiality? Why weren’t the students given a safe environment where they can air their grievances without intimidation i.e. the administrators being ‘very vocal’. The committee members weren’t even sure what they can do to address the grievances.
Contrary to ardent denials of some people, including NCSD administrators, the poor academic quality and low expectations of Deaf students are indeed serious issues. I’m glad the state officials acknowledged the grievances of the frustrated parents instead of being dismissive unlike the old director. Now that she had stepped down, the new director has an enormous job cleaning up the big mess left behind by this director, including overseeing the serious allegations of illegal and improper activities conducted by the personnel.
E mail contact: mishkazena@aol.com
While parents and students listed many problems, there were recurring themes.
Communication
One concern voiced at the meeting was Lindsey and Jody Self, director of residential services, were not able to communicate with students.
Another communication problem is parents said they were not informed about what happens at NCSD.
Tracy Eubanks, mother of Tiffany “Pebbles” Dowley, said she wants to know what’s going on at school, and she wants to be able to get in touch with her daughter and for her daughter to get in touch with her. Jean Howard echoed the sentiments, saying she understands why students can’t have their phones during class but doesn’t see why they can’t have them after school.
Students reported their phones were taken from them Sunday night when administration brought them into the chapel.
Pearson said students have opportunities to voice their concerns in other ways, but Tom Lineberger, chair of NCSD’s Human Rights Committee, said administration attends the meetings. He said it was intimidating for students to have the Lindsey and the administration there when they were trying to tell their problems.
Lineberger said administrators were very vocal at the meetings and he and others on the committee were not clear on what they could do..
Education
Several parents and students said teachers at the school have been very negative about the students’ chances after high school. Jensen said the students are not getting a quality education if they are just reading to themselves in class and not being taught.
Tim Shane wanted to know why there are no educational programs between the school and Western Piedmont Community Colleges or other schools in the area. He also suggested getting student-teachers from schools in the area who want to be in deaf educations
To read the full story, click: NCSD director steps down – The Morganton News Herald
Commentary: Personally I find it very strange that the administrators would be permitted in the room while the students expressed their concerns to Human Rights Committee. Why was there no confidentiality? Why weren’t the students given a safe environment where they can air their grievances without intimidation i.e. the administrators being ‘very vocal’. The committee members weren’t even sure what they can do to address the grievances.
Contrary to ardent denials of some people, including NCSD administrators, the poor academic quality and low expectations of Deaf students are indeed serious issues. I’m glad the state officials acknowledged the grievances of the frustrated parents instead of being dismissive unlike the old director. Now that she had stepped down, the new director has an enormous job cleaning up the big mess left behind by this director, including overseeing the serious allegations of illegal and improper activities conducted by the personnel.
E mail contact: mishkazena@aol.com
February 29th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
What’s Rance Henderson’s view on this mess? He has been superintendent of NCSD for many years before retiring 18 years ago.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
hes long gone he will not say anything it is all political.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
i went to that meeting once human right committee. lindsay and jody self all they talked about the trees and jody couldn’t shut up with the students asking if she was ok signing ok kissing up with students… then turn around a deaf person here she started talking and i was like hello im deaf havent you seen my hands move and listenin to the interpreter.. not a good impression at all.
Jody self was stupid and immature during the meeting. the students were well behaved during that meeting.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
W. David Samuelson,
I’m certain Dr. Henderson thinking “too bad this has to happen.”
What a Deafblunder because NOBODY protested this at all or at least enough in the first place when these inept administrators were brought on!
Truth is this is just one step and there’s so many to go over.
Look at Maryland School for the Deaf and their likeness they have enough problems reeking of corruption and favoritism.
Deaf/ASL users administrators is not the solution. It’s just a tiny sliver of the whole picture. I DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!!!
February 29th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
ohhh number 4 you made my day. i was insulted for letting my children go to ncsd and was told to own up my stupidity. i am fighting for their rights to have excellent education experience.
i could have any job in the usa and enroll them to better deaf school but what you said is the very reason why i refused to let them go to indiana maryland or california school for the deaf. they have their own corruptions and favorism how well you put it.
we are a deaf family but dont want to deal with that either. damn if you do damn if you dont
February 29th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Gallaudet
Mississippi
NCSD
What about the superintendents such as at Okla and Kansas Schools for the Deaf who use an interpreter everytime they talk to staff and students? It always have bugged me for so long seeing our school leaders not sign but speak through an interpreter. It bugs the hell out of me.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
corruption and favoritism is prevalent, in deaf or hearing establishments. But this case at NCSD has to do with inaccessibility and lack of educational opportunities for the deaf youth. Lets go look at other schools for the Deaf especially those that claim they are all for Bilingual Education and why are their hearing teachers, principals and superintendents using interpreters during meetings and during assembly times. Shame, shame!
CSD Fremont I applaud Hank Klopping for signing everytime and everywhere and in every setting. if He is hearing and isnt a proficient ASL signer, but a fluent CASE signer. Doesnt matter if one isnt fluent or chooses to sign more PSE-like, why accept a job at a DEAF school when you know you would need an interpreter!#$%!
Root out those who choose to talk and not sign in our precious schools for the Deaf of America!
March 1st, 2008 at 8:37 am
The communication problems aren’t just about having deaf teachers and administrators who can sign fluently. The parents have had little communication about what led up to the protest and what is going on with administration. The majority of students commute from many areas of NC, making it difficult for parents to even get together to discuss and compare our children’s educational aspects. I thought my child was one of only a few couldn’t read or write very well. Now I know it’s most of the children. I thought my child was just an unhappy teenager, and hates NCSD like many kids hate school. We are in family therapy to help her, but never knew there is much deeper things going on because of what’s happening at the school. Most of us heard of the protest through the news. Only after googling NCSD do we learn other random comments from bloggers. I spoke to a middle school parent yesterday (friday) and she still hadn’t heard about what happened at our school. No information has been sent out to the parents, to this date. Upon returning my child to school after suspension, staff came to us quietly and said, “You parents have the power, we staff have none. We aren’t allowed to even talk to you right now”. We parents didn’t know administration couldn’t sign fluently. We parents have been kept in the dark. We want to hear from the staff who love our children, especially about dorm life, what’s been going on. They know, we don’t. Speak anonymously if you must, but tell us so we know what to tell folks in Raleigh. We need specifics! Admiistration won’t let you talk, so please use the internet. Alumni of NCSD, and Deaf Community you know who to contact for resources and how to help us who feel helpless and blindsided. We love our kids. We love NCSD. Thanks for listening.
March 1st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
#8
We were not allowed to talk to Parents or anyone about what happened. We were not even told where students were going Sunday when Administration people came and got the students. We were told to stay and wait! We were clueless!
Yes all the parents and students have the POWER! It is up to you all to make the changes and make NCSD a better place for our students! Students in the dorm are very happy with dorm staff who sign! I can see the frustration with students when they try to communicate with staff who can’t communicate with them. Students give staff, who can’t sign, very hard time because they are not happy!
There are lots of people who are deaf or hearing that can sign out there want a chance to work at NCSD but were not hired due to no experience! BUT someone has to start somewhere! I think it would be great if we could get all staff hired that already know signs! It is very important for students to be able to communicate with anyone about anything! The worse can happen is fire them if they are not doing their job!!!
Students are frustrated because they are not “allowed” to do anything! I let them be them! They are not even allowed to be “silly”! Come on, they are teenagers! Let them experience and enjoy life! Every little mistakes they make, they get punished!!! Jody Self needs to go! We do need an experienced dorm director who is aware of how deaf residential program runs ! It’s time for parents to speak up and DO SOMETHING about it! The staff can’t because they will suspend us or fire us if we give our opinion or anything! Look at 4 staffs who are suspended for communicating with students and give them support!!! This is so wrong! My question is why weren’t admin. people suspended til they find out if they didn’t do anything wrong or not. Why were 4 staff suspended? What they did was NOTHING compared to what the adm. people did to the students! They may be not allowed to protest but it doesn’t mean that they should held them in a place for a long time without parents and dorm staffs support and without food!
Please help us keep NCSD open and a fun and safe education place for our kids!
I am proud of our students who stood up!!! They are my HERO!!!!
McDaniel is a good person! She is a strong lady and I can see she can listen to us and make changes for us!
March 1st, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Mommy, I agree.. sending kids elsewhere will not solve the problems as the other kids still have to struggle with these obstacles.
B, if there are systematic problems in these institutions, such as lack of accessibility communication-wise, etc, the parents should get together and discuss these concerns with the administrators. Be prepared to ‘flex their muscles’ by going above them to the state agencies if these administrators refuse to address the issues. The parents have the power, but they need to get together and set up PTA groups and listservs.
March 1st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
I AM VERY CORCERN ABOUT NCSD AND THOSE SAID LACK OF COMMUCATION WITH STUDENTS AND I JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS ANYBODY WHO WORK STAFFS OR TEACHERS WHO BEING DEAF PEOPLE WHO WORK IN NCSD SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM WITH COMMUCATION AND I DONT UNDERSTAND GET SOMEBODY GET INTERPETER. WHOA WAIT IN MIN NCSD IS FULL DEAF SCHOOLS BEEN MANY YEARS SHOULD NOT BE PROBLEMS WITH EDUCATION LIKE ANOTHER STATES WHO HAVE DEAF SCHOOLS EVERYWHERE HAD DEAF TEACHERS WILL WORK WITH DEAF STUDENT BETTER COMMUCATION EDUCATION. IT MADE ME FEEL REALLY SAD FOR MYSELF LACK OF COMMUCATION GET INTERPETER ???? I BELIEVE MYSELF MUST REQUID SIGN LANGAUGE EVERYWHERE NO MATTER WHAT YOU ENTER DEAF SCHOOL TAKE COURSE AND JOBS. ALSO IT SHOULD BE CHANGE BETTER IMPROVEMENT MORE EDUCATION MAKE HARD EDUCATION LIKE HEARING SCHOOL GO FAR GO UP AND UP MORE HARDEST EDUCATION AND CHANGE BETTER EDUCATION BY BOOKS. WHOEVER ANYBODY INTRESTING WANNA WORK FOR DEAF SCHOOL MUST BE KNOW ABOUT SIGN LANGAUGE TO HIRE FOR JOBS NOT WITHOUT KNOW SIGN LANGAUGE WILL STUCK WITH CLASSROOM. BUT WARNING TO YOU IF ANYBODY TAKE HIRE IN JOBS BEING TEACHERS OR STAFFS STUDENT CAN TRICK TO YOU SIGN LANGAUGE IN WRONG WAY. BECAUSE STUDENT WILL BE HEE HEE HEE DONT KNOW SIGN LANGAUGE AND GET DIRTY SIGN LANGAUGE IN WRONG LEARN. IT HAPPEN TO ME MY DEAF SCHOOL LONG TIME AGO AND TEACHER IS SUCKER DONKEY ASS QUIT JOB. CAUSE THEY ASK STUDENT TEACH ME SIGN LANGAUGE IN DURING CLASSROOM. THAT IS WRONG WAY MUST BE TRANING HEARING PERSON KNOW SIGN LANGAUGE TAKE COURSE IN HEARING COLLEGE SIGN LANGAUGE CLASS ROOM OR ANYBODY DEAF PARENT KNOW SIGN LANGAUGE BY HEARING SON OR DAUGTHER NO PLMS WILL ENTER DEAF SCHOOL IT IS PIECE OF CAKE. THANKS AND HELP YOU STRIGHT OUT FOR BETTER FUTURE NCSD AND ANOTHER SAME STATES MSSD AND VSDB AND FSDB AND TSD AND ISD AND MSD THERE IS ALL OVER DEAF TEACHERS TEACH DEAF STUDENTS THERE IS NO LACK OF COMMUCATION BUT NCSD HUH NO WAY THERE IS SAME AS COMMUCATION EVERYWHERE NO MATTER WHAT DIFFERENT IF PROBLEMS SEE DEAN OFFICE NO PLMS.