[blindkid] art class: Danger! (insert irony here)

[Penny Duffy]

Ok Joy you rename of my subject is making me giggle so much.  I like your
idea about a letter. I wonder if I should cc someone higher up in the
National Park service then just the park its self.  I think sometimes being
reminded about issues is never a bad thing.

I walked out of the studio and I had  this horrible horrible  knot in my
gut.  I am so glad I remember to talk with Sam about it.  After we talked in
the car he asked me about an hour later "I don't understand why she said
Abby couldn't take that class"  That mean he thought about it and he saw it
as wrong and in the end of the day that is an important lesson.

I am a pretty reasonable person.

If anyone is wondering we visited Saint-Gaudens Historic Site  Its really
a beautiful historic place about an artist that many people don't know
anymore.   I was reading the accessibility section and they will  let
blind/VI visitor touch some of the artwork with special gloves.  We are
thinking about going back with Abby on Sunday and it would offer
an interesting thing to share her actual experience at the Park.


On Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 3:48 PM, Joy Orton <ortonsmom at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Penny,
> Ouch! It does hurt our hearts as parents when someone makes such a
> broad statement, denying access for our children!
>
> One response would be to write a letter to the park director,
> outlining the facts of your interaction with the artist-in-residence.
> (If you are still emotional, try letting the letter sit for a couple
> of days before you send it.) Put it on paper, not email, if you can,
> and hand-write the address on the envelope. Possibly it would be more
> likely to be read. Notice I said outlining the facts. Facts are, I
> said this, she said that, I felt this. More facts you can include are
> "the law says this."
>
> You might want to take it as just a note to the park director, telling
> him or her that you KNOW that it is not park policy to discriminate
> against people with disabilities, and so you just KNOW that the artist
> in residence was not aware or informed of the policy. This is an
> opportunity for the director to train his staff about dealing with all
> kinds of people, eh?
>
> It sounds like the person you talked to didn't even know how to sign
> up for the class or whether it was full or empty, so try to realize
> that she was just as uninformed about the appropriate audience for the
> class. Art class is dangerous? Really? Also try to keep your sense of
> humor. I know, easier said than done.
>
> Good job on not making it an issue on a day that was supposed to be
> about your son.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Joy
>
>
> Penny wrote:
> I really don't feel this artist was projecting official national park
> policy
> but she is still an employee of the park so she should have just not said
> anything.   ...
>
> I feel I should say something.  I just don't know what is a proper response
> and what is me over reacting.
>
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-- 
--Penny
----------
Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com