Posted on 10/29/2006 6:19:47 PM PST by kokonut
WASHINGTON The board of trustees of the nation's premier school for the deaf voted Sunday to terminate the appointment of the incoming president, who had been the subject of protests, the board announced.
The vote at Gallaudet University came after a daylong closed-door meeting that followed a month of protests by students and faculty members. Jane Fernandes, the school's former provost, had been selected in May to take office in January.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Well, there's something, perhaps. I once participated in an online discussion with a deaf woman who was part of the "deaf community." When others on the thread pointed to her slow uptake of others' points, her lack of command of clear language, her conceptual vagueness, and her readiness to react with inappropriate hostility, she admitted that these were qualities that come from the lack of development that occurs in many deaf people because they miss out on critical verbal interaction at early formative stages (very young). Actually, "admit" is the wrong word -- she proclaimed these as common deaf characteristics, and stated that if you wanted online interaction with the deaf, you should expect these characteristics, and adjust for them.
I don't have wide experience with the deaf community, but I do see a certain resemblance between her behavior, which she accepted as normal for people with her disability, and the goings-on at this deaf university. It doesn't seem unreasonable to infer that, for the most isolated deaf people, especially those lacking early interaction, there are emotional and cognitive aspects to the disability. I sympathize, certainly, and have pity, though I confess that I haven't been eager to repeat the interaction with people functioning at that emotional level.
That said, I have also had multiple interactions with less-profoundly deaf people who had better integrated with the hearing community, and whose emotional adjustment seemed entirely normal.
That is because their hearing loss is relatively mild and that allows them to speak and participate in a wider hearing society without having to suffer discrimination or blatant attacks from hearing people who accuse them of "being unable to do anything".
Deafness is an unique disability. Usually a deaf person is capable of doing almost anything, except to hear.
But the problem is that communication is usually difficult even though there are many strategies such as email, AOL Instant Messenger, Text Messaging via cellphone, etc to make it much easier nowadays without having to use an American Sign Language interpreter.
Unfortunately, Deaf people are shunned and treated as outcasts, so naturally it makes sense that Gallaudet University is radicalized in this aspect.
Gallaudet is unlike other universities in that the President is a Cultural leader.
This is where Jane Fernandes failed overwhelmingly.
How ignorant. Next time please restrain your judgement unless you know all details of this story.
Thanks in advance.
90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents. In many cases, the parents have a difficult time accepting their kids. They believe that their world has turned upside down.
But it does not have to be that way. Probably what they have to do is to find God and make things the best they can be.
Above all, it is important that the parents find a communication method that suits their child, whether it is in Cued Speech, American Sign Language, etc....
Cochlear Implant and hearing aids do help but it is really case by case basis. Above all else, parents need to discover a way to communicate and connect with their child, no matter which method.
When you identify yourself as a spoiled brat, are you saying that you are one of the people who protested a deaf woman who only learned sign language later in life? That's what I was talking about.
My first ex wife is blind, I hung out at the disabled students' association at the university where we met, and I saw all kinds of people 'tin cupping' the system. I'm immune to disability sympathy tricks.
We all know we will never get 98% of those who post Here about "Deaf/deaf" issues to actually pull their heads out of their rears and come up for air. Most have never had to go w/out hearing, PLUS these always turn into a "Ignorance on Parade" Thread.
I notice it is the least informed who are first to go On & on & on w/ the anti-ADA bit, etc,etc...
I have no time for people w/such dense incomprehension!
Well said--thanks!
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