Comments on: To Gallaudet students.. http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/ a blog about everything and nothing at the same time deafilosophy(AT)gmail.com Sat, 19 May 2007 21:33:36 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Bucky the GREAT http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-84 Bucky the GREAT Wed, 21 Feb 2007 14:55:58 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-84 Interesting topic. If it is indeed true that Gallaudent doesn't really support ASL interpreters for classrooms, something is fishy there. Supposedly Gallaudent has that such policy, we can assume it's because they expect teachers to know ASL which is a good thing. That's not the case here, some teachers actually don't know ASL really well in a fashion to teach. Gallaudet does nothing about that. That would be a wonderful opportunity for a group of students to get together and work on that. It may be very difficult to kick out all those teachers (some may be great teachers but just can't sign for shit). What should be done is to send a letter directly to those teachers encouraging them to take ASL classes at Gallaudet (free, I assume) to show their respect for the language used at Gallaudet. For those who don't cooperate, it can be brought up to the proper person (hopefully the ADA director if there is such a posistion). And of course the last resort would be to take outside action. This alone will be some kind of good leadership experince for students that they could grow on... Remember, students can't just sit back and let the administration run the university 100%. They need to monitor what all is going on campus and take immediate action on situations that are unacceptable just like any other student body government would do at any university. Interesting topic.

If it is indeed true that Gallaudent doesn’t really support ASL interpreters for classrooms, something is fishy there.

Supposedly Gallaudent has that such policy, we can assume it’s because they expect teachers to know ASL which is a good thing. That’s not the case here, some teachers actually don’t know ASL really well in a fashion to teach. Gallaudet does nothing about that.

That would be a wonderful opportunity for a group of students to get together and work on that. It may be very difficult to kick out all those teachers (some may be great teachers but just can’t sign for shit). What should be done is to send a letter directly to those teachers encouraging them to take ASL classes at Gallaudet (free, I assume) to show their respect for the language used at Gallaudet. For those who don’t cooperate, it can be brought up to the proper person (hopefully the ADA director if there is such a posistion). And of course the last resort would be to take outside action.

This alone will be some kind of good leadership experince for students that they could grow on… Remember, students can’t just sit back and let the administration run the university 100%. They need to monitor what all is going on campus and take immediate action on situations that are unacceptable just like any other student body government would do at any university.

]]> By: mishkazena http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-80 mishkazena Wed, 21 Feb 2007 06:19:48 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-80 Matt, yes, Section 504 permits monetary settlement. Matt, yes, Section 504 permits monetary settlement.

]]> By: matt http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-77 matt Tue, 20 Feb 2007 19:16:03 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-77 there could be monetary settlement if you argue that it is also a 504 violation?? any attorney could find that out for certain. there could be monetary settlement if you argue that it is also a 504 violation??
any attorney could find that out for certain.

]]> By: deafphilosophy http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-72 deafphilosophy Tue, 20 Feb 2007 05:01:18 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-72 Students should meet with the office of students with disabilities first to try to resolve the situation, if that doesn't work, then you can file an ADA grievance. There should be an ADA director who will review the case and make a decision. If that is not satisfactory, you can meet with the provost, if that doesn't work, you could meet Dr Davila but you don't have to, since your options are pretty much exhausted after the ADA decision comes down. You can file with equal opportunity (I forgot the acronym, EEOC?) or go ahead with a P&A firm. From there, you can go up to the DoJ. There are many steps along the way but hopefully no one has to go that far, meaning the situation was resolved. One problem is, your "case" is alive for as long as you are at the school. If you leave or graduate, you can find other people to "take over" the grievance to show that the problem you encountered affects other people too. There won't be any monetary settlement, but a major change of policy that benefits all students current and future. This would impact RIT/NTID as well, if the instructors are not fluent enough in ASL or SEE..or whatever the student needs to gain access to the classroom. Hopefully, students will take action and kind of corner administrators into a more rigid ASL policy to avoid getting extra interpreters when classes designed to improve ASL fluency will suffice. Students should meet with the office of students with disabilities first to try to resolve the situation, if that doesn’t work, then you can file an ADA grievance. There should be an ADA director who will review the case and make a decision. If that is not satisfactory, you can meet with the provost, if that doesn’t work, you could meet Dr Davila but you don’t have to, since your options are pretty much exhausted after the ADA decision comes down. You can file with equal opportunity (I forgot the acronym, EEOC?) or go ahead with a P&A firm. From there, you can go up to the DoJ. There are many steps along the way but hopefully no one has to go that far, meaning the situation was resolved. One problem is, your “case” is alive for as long as you are at the school. If you leave or graduate, you can find other people to “take over” the grievance to show that the problem you encountered affects other people too. There won’t be any monetary settlement, but a major change of policy that benefits all students current and future. This would impact RIT/NTID as well, if the instructors are not fluent enough in ASL or SEE..or whatever the student needs to gain access to the classroom. Hopefully, students will take action and kind of corner administrators into a more rigid ASL policy to avoid getting extra interpreters when classes designed to improve ASL fluency will suffice.

]]> By: Mishka Zena http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-71 Mishka Zena Tue, 20 Feb 2007 04:32:42 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-71 The backlog of cases exists at Dept of Justice due to shortage of staff, not because the courts themselves are full. You can easily obtain the counsel of a civil right attorney, bypassing Dept of Justice. I would suggest the students discuss this with Davila and ADA complaince officer at Gallaudet first, then if this meeting isn't productive, go ahead with an attorney. For this case, chances are excellent that one can find a lawyer willing to serve pro bono. The backlog of cases exists at Dept of Justice due to shortage of staff, not because the courts themselves are full. You can easily obtain the counsel of a civil right attorney, bypassing Dept of Justice. I would suggest the students discuss this with Davila and ADA complaince officer at Gallaudet first, then if this meeting isn’t productive, go ahead with an attorney. For this case, chances are excellent that one can find a lawyer willing to serve pro bono.

]]> By: Tara Holcomb http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-70 Tara Holcomb Tue, 20 Feb 2007 04:06:06 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-70 That'll be interesting- to see if Gallaudet has anything like that. I honestly don't believe so because while I was working for SBG, I met several times with people from the Office of Students with Disabilities and they have a LONG list of grievances. It is already hard enough to find the appropriate “department” to pay for Deaf-Blind interpreters during events and/or activities on campus. Christine Roschaert, who held my position before me, also worked intensively during her term with SBG to improve conditions for students with disabilities. She didn’t have much luck but she did raise awareness about the interpreting issue. It isn’t very easy to get interpreters at Gallaudet. I definitely learned that the hard way during the protest, having to use mostly volunteer interpreters. There’s an idea to bring to Dr. Davila—ensure that there is a procedure in place where students can file complaints regarding access, especially language access. greatideas@gallaudet.edu – is that the correct e-mail address? :) That’ll be interesting- to see if Gallaudet has anything like that. I honestly don’t believe so because while I was working for SBG, I met several times with people from the Office of Students with Disabilities and they have a LONG list of grievances. It is already hard enough to find the appropriate “department” to pay for Deaf-Blind interpreters during events and/or activities on campus. Christine Roschaert, who held my position before me, also worked intensively during her term with SBG to improve conditions for students with disabilities. She didn’t have much luck but she did raise awareness about the interpreting issue. It isn’t very easy to get interpreters at Gallaudet. I definitely learned that the hard way during the protest, having to use mostly volunteer interpreters. There’s an idea to bring to Dr. Davila—ensure that there is a procedure in place where students can file complaints regarding access, especially language access. greatideas@gallaudet.edu – is that the correct e-mail address? :)

]]> By: matt http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-69 matt Tue, 20 Feb 2007 03:30:35 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-69 no, we should not give up let us file away... be assertive stand for your rights no, we should not give up

let us file away…
be assertive
stand for your rights

]]> By: deafphilosophy http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-68 deafphilosophy Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:50:06 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-68 Hearing teachers with poor english can be a problem, BUT the students (hearing students) are not defined as someone with disabilities. I am Deaf, so I am bunched with others with a disability, and according to the college, I am entitled to sign language interpreters. The law says I decide what counts as qualified services or not, so if i got the best SEE interpreter in the world, I can still say it is not qualified services for I still do not understand the interpreter, and the interpreter does not understand me, therefore cannot voice for me. All students are getting equal access to a poor english speaking teacher, even the deaf person with an interpreter. If one person at Gallaudet is HoH and attends class with everyone who is profoundly deaf and does not lipread, that HoH student will get more access to education with a poor signer who uses his/her voice and mouths everything verbatim. Why should the Deaf students have to suffer while the HoH students gets the most out of it? It doesn't matter if there are 20,000 cases pending in the DoJ, we cannot just give up because the courts are filled with cases. If anything, you will have wasted 4 years of what could be a good education because you sat back and accepted what was good enough, not what you are entitled to and that's the best out of classroom access. Do Gallaudet students ask their teachers permission to record the lecture? Many students are allowed to record the lectures with an audiotape or whatever it is called. I am actually recording my interpreters in class through a friend and his laptop. This was a little complicated, I had to ask the professor permission, then had to ask interpreters for permission. A student would only need to ask the professor to record audio, but as a student, I had to ask the interpreters too. Hearing teachers with poor english can be a problem, BUT the students (hearing students) are not defined as someone with disabilities. I am Deaf, so I am bunched with others with a disability, and according to the college, I am entitled to sign language interpreters. The law says I decide what counts as qualified services or not, so if i got the best SEE interpreter in the world, I can still say it is not qualified services for I still do not understand the interpreter, and the interpreter does not understand me, therefore cannot voice for me. All students are getting equal access to a poor english speaking teacher, even the deaf person with an interpreter. If one person at Gallaudet is HoH and attends class with everyone who is profoundly deaf and does not lipread, that HoH student will get more access to education with a poor signer who uses his/her voice and mouths everything verbatim. Why should the Deaf students have to suffer while the HoH students gets the most out of it?

It doesn’t matter if there are 20,000 cases pending in the DoJ, we cannot just give up because the courts are filled with cases. If anything, you will have wasted 4 years of what could be a good education because you sat back and accepted what was good enough, not what you are entitled to and that’s the best out of classroom access.

Do Gallaudet students ask their teachers permission to record the lecture? Many students are allowed to record the lectures with an audiotape or whatever it is called. I am actually recording my interpreters in class through a friend and his laptop. This was a little complicated, I had to ask the professor permission, then had to ask interpreters for permission. A student would only need to ask the professor to record audio, but as a student, I had to ask the interpreters too.

]]> By: Tom http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-67 Tom Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:16:29 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-67 Gallaudet shall NOT have interpreter period. If you ask hearing college student if his/her college have interpreter in case if teacher doesnt have good English, they would laugh in your face and say "what a stupid question" I did asked few hearing this question, they gave me puzzle looking. Yeah i had to explain to them why etc they said "ohhh there was protest at Gally last fall" They finally understand and said " Gally students MUST clean all mess at Gally. SEE ! If if we do survey at every university in the IVY League about this issue. they will laugh and say how in the world can you continue go to class where a professor could not ASL well. Gallaudet shall NOT have interpreter period. If you ask hearing college student if his/her college have interpreter in case if teacher doesnt have good English, they would laugh in your face and say “what a stupid question” I did asked few hearing this question, they gave me puzzle looking. Yeah i had to explain to them why etc they said “ohhh there was protest at Gally last fall” They finally understand and said ” Gally students MUST clean all mess at Gally. SEE ! If if we do survey at every university in the IVY League about this issue. they will laugh and say how in the world can you continue go to class where a professor could not ASL well.

]]> By: Visitor http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-66 Visitor Mon, 19 Feb 2007 23:52:32 +0000 http://deafphilosophy.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/to-gallaudet-students/#comment-66 Tara, the teacher doesn't have the legal authority to refuse the students' request for interpreters, I believe. If the teacher signs, but the students cannot understand due to the teacher's poor competency in sign language, the deaf students' rights to equal accessibility defined by ADA are being violated. You may want to seek legal counsel specializing in ADA to pursue this further with the university administrators if they refuse to make accessible communication available to the students. This will be prohibitively expensive to the university, however, but the university's uppermost responsibility is to provide quality education to deaf students. There is no quality education if the students cannot understand the teacher. Tara, the teacher doesn’t have the legal authority to refuse the students’ request for interpreters, I believe. If the teacher signs, but the students cannot understand due to the teacher’s poor competency in sign language, the deaf students’ rights to equal accessibility defined by ADA are being violated. You may want to seek legal counsel specializing in ADA to pursue this further with the university administrators if they refuse to make accessible communication available to the students. This will be prohibitively expensive to the university, however, but the university’s uppermost responsibility is to provide quality education to deaf students. There is no quality education if the students cannot understand the teacher.

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