From An Anguished Deaf Teacher Two Years Ago: Prophetic?
“Show some courage; speak up and make your voices heard. Teachers,
alumni, students, parents of deaf schools need your help now. Pls do not
wait until our school problems get out of control before you write nice
letters. We do not want your nice coffins when we are dead with
frustrations and sadness. Pls wake up now not later and do not leave us
to suffer alone.” Mishka Zena » Blog Archive » From a Frustrated Teacher: OSD
This was published two years ago during the Oregon School Deaf Protest when a superintendent was unjustly fired due to her resistance toward the state government’s attempts to merge two schools, Oregon School for the Deaf and Oregon School for the Blind. Who would have predicted that was the beginning? The protest didn’t return to the the superintendent her job back nor did it prevent the merge of two schools. Since then, Virginia closed its Hampton campus, transferring the Deaf students to Staunton campus. The governor of South Dakota is now proposing that its state school, SDSD, be closed and Kansas School for the Deaf may be slated for the same doom.
Can the Deaf Community afford to continue sleeping?
“Show some courage; speak up and make your voices heard. Teachers,
alumni, students, parents of deaf schools need your help now. Pls do not
wait until our school problems get out of control before you write nice
letters. We do not want your nice coffins when we are dead with
frustrations and sadness. Pls wake up now not later and do not leave us
to suffer alone.” Mishka Zena » Blog Archive » From a Frustrated Teacher: OSD
This was published two years ago during the Oregon School Deaf Protest when a superintendent was unjustly fired due to her resistance toward the state government’s attempts to merge two schools, Oregon School for the Deaf and Oregon School for the Blind. Who would have predicted that was the beginning? The protest didn’t return to the the superintendent her job back nor did it prevent the merge of two schools. Since then, Virginia closed its Hampton campus, transferring the Deaf students to Staunton campus. The governor of South Dakota is now proposing that its state school, SDSD, be closed and Kansas School for the Deaf may be slated for the same doom.
Can the Deaf Community afford to continue sleeping?
February 2nd, 2009 at 8:39 am
I am sure we are slowly waking up now.
Even outstanding Deaf schools are suffering
(
Deaf Culture and Deaf schools are very closely related…
February 2nd, 2009 at 8:50 am
Karen,
Aha! Deaf Culture will never close. Never shut down. Never Die. As long as there will be deaf people, there will be a culture. What is it you’re trying to imply when you associate deaf culture and deaf schools together in your comment?
Are you out to spit on Deaf Culture or….?
Do tell.
I’m curious about your point of view.
February 2nd, 2009 at 8:56 am
Oregon staff, Alumni people need rally to stop not allow anyone closed our deaf school in Salem.
I was alumni student of OSD. Inculding with Sam Supalla who is very well known in Deaf Community.
where is he now! We need him to be more leader to prevent close OSD.
John Babbitt have been working involing lately with OSD systems. We don’t want anyone sleep as Hillbelly( am not quiet correct spelling)
Don’t waste our time and save OSD to opening forever! Oregon of the Education kind of abused on Jane Mulloland. I am not very happy about their system.
Margaret Adamski
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:37 am
Jeffrey,
My child attends a Deaf school. I have two Deaf children, who have gone to a few Deaf schools in the past and I am a supporter of Deaf schools.
Thanks.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
Jeffrey, I am not Karen, but I hope you don’t mind me adding my two cent. I don’t think Karen meant that way and she isn’t spitting on Deaf Culture.
Between 90 and 95% of the deaf children have hearing parents. Traditionally they were exposed to the Deaf Culture when they attended Deaf schools. More and more of these people are now mainstreamed, with minimal exposure to Deaf Culture and reduced opportunites to develop social and leadership skills.
Some will end going to Gallaudet, NTID/RIT, and CSUN, but not as many as in the old days. It’s already happening at Gallaudet, with more opting to go for mainstreamed colleges and universities.
The traditional Deaf people will continue to carry along Deaf Culture and older kids and adults will join later, just like I did. But with the school closings, some of these people will be exposed less to the Deaf culture. Yes, there will always be a Deaf culture as long as there are Deaf people, but it is becoming smaller and smaller. I hope that makes sense.
Deaf Pixie, I can understand your feelings of disgust after seeing how Dept of Education treated Mulloland. But what about Deaf kids? Some need to go to Deaf Schools because the mainstreaming programs don’t meet their needs. If OSDB closes, where will they go? Some familes don’t want to send them to another state.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:41 am
Jeffrey, if you want to know more about my point of view, pray go to DVTV and view my vlogs (kmayes1965.)
Thanks.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Undeniably, Deaf Culture comes from growing up with other deaf children in the schools and keeping those friendships (actually closer to sibling relationships) throughout life.
Deaf Culture also comes from deaf families where parents pass on traditions and ASL to their children. These relationships then pass on to their childrens’ friends.
It also comes from the gatherings for deaf where adults go to meet others like themselves and relax in an atmosphere of effortless communication.
Colleges are where Deaf culture is nurtured and preserved by students and their Deaf professors, and analyzed by Deaf researchers and their hearing colleagues.
Deaf Culture may shrink a bit, but it will never disappear unless in the future it becomes possible to give deaf babies 100% natural hearing from the beginning.
The way research is going, we may approach, but never reach totally normal hearing for every deaf baby. There will always be communication problems, special education, discrimination and oppression. This is what starts Deaf Culture since it is a supportive system.
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
MZ -
Keep up the good work from this post to all the others in the past. I read them all, I might not comment, but I read them cuz they always have a touch of humanity in them!
Yes, this is a scary time where money talks. When there is a budget cut – it has to be cut somewhere… It is just too bad that it is cut at the wrong places! There is a need for deaf schools as there is a need to ramps for people in wheelchairs. We just have to keep fighting and keep getting the word out.
My wife and I are keeping a close watch on ISD and I know that if the government does anything stupid that we will be there to express the wrong-doings. I just wish there were more people talking about it cuz we need their support and advice.
On that note, please keep these posts coming!
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:18 am
Dianrez -
I like what you commented! It was perfect. That is right – deaf culture can’t die and no one (not even my wife or I) have/has any desire of making it go away. Every thing related to deaf can die (schools, clubs, interpreters or what-have-yous), but as long as there are deaf around there is a culture.
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:27 am
Hmmm…
Different opinions, different groups, discrediting, blaming, defaming, fingerpointing, etc… they pale compare to the threats that Deaf schools are facing right now.
Either carry on personal agendas or drop them for the sake of Deaf children/Deaf schools/mainstream programs… it is your call. As for me, I am for Deaf children, because I have two Deaf children who are 5th generation.
Sooo… *hand offering for unclinching fists for a handshake* ?
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:53 am
*puts your two cents in a Dixie cup*
Don’t forget that there are those of us who come from that 85-90% who went through the transition from a “hearing life” to a Deaf life.
We found our language.
We found our culture.
We found our identity.
We smile.
We happy.
Culture have.
Sense of pride have.
We family.
Because many of us went through this experience, we have adopted the responsibility to ensure that deaf culture will survive the rain/reign of audism, with or without deaf schools.
Of course, closing schools will not kill deaf culture but it does kill a lot of jobs for deaf people and when you eradicate these opportunities, you are reinforcing audism and doing a disservice to everyone, especially deaf children.
They need role models.
You know, I learned a lot from my deaf teachers. They were some of the best ones I’ve had in the long line of educators I have met and dealt with. With my deaf teachers, I could connect and understand. I could learn and be motivated to learn more. They were like me.
When I went to public school, I was that hearing-impaired kid who thought:
Why do I need to impress people who are not like me?
You know, no matter what you do to that child to make them as normal as possible, you will still discriminate.
Extra Testing.
More Meetings.
Special Attention.
New Devices.
And so on and so forth.
Ultimately, it is the incessant ignorance that is fueled by the ridiculous ideals of hearing people.
As grim as it may seem for deaf schools, I know our family has and will continue to voice our concerns. We will stand by what we know to be true and necessary.
Karen,
Thanks for your response. I understand where you are coming from but please don’t lose hope and be quick to let ignorance take the driver’s seat. It may be reasonable to assume that with the closings of deaf schools that the shrinkage of deaf culture will soon follow. Yet, with people like myself around, it is not likely.
Our hands will always be the dance with the wind and the wind will carry the message to many, as it always has.
Anyhow,
*shakin’ yer hand*
The more the merrier they say.
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:59 am
Brian, thanks
Jeffrey, I am one of them. I grew up in the hearing world. I got a taste of Deaf Culture when I went to Gallaudet where I also learned ASL. It opened a new world and enhanced my life ever since.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:02 am
Admin,
I *hug* You.