[blindkid] To Sign or not To Sign

Albert J Rizzi albert at myblindspot.org
Sun Feb 24 19:35:06 UTC 2013


Regarding self esteem and how a blind individual may or may not feel about
themselves when we are discussing environmental signage.

How is a sign of any nature, which is there not so much for the blind in
this instance, but for the drivers and visitors to the neighborhood,
perceived as a compromise to self esteem?

As a kindergarten teacher, there is a whole component on environmental
signage for students. When we consider one way signs, or stop signs, or
crossing signals, which are used daily and very regularly by the sighted
community as cues, is it a stretch to then assume, following the logic
offered regarding the impact on self esteem, that the sighted community
suffers a lack of self esteem because of the environmental signage that is
abundant?

I am not able to make the connection between signage that offers information
to individuals as a causation for a lack of self esteem for anyone. The same
position is taken when we discuss audible crossing signs. Yet the sighted
community has been using them  for decades, and no one  suffers from low
self esteem when they see the sign that says walk or don't walk.



-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
Silverman
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 1:59 PM
To: Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] To Sign or not To Sign

Hi all,
I am less concerned about a child getting teased or bullied because of a
sign, and more concerned about how knowing about a sign could affect a blind
child's self-esteem and feelings about himself and his blindness.
Albert, I don't personally agree with your choice to get a sign, but you are
a competent adult and I respect your right to make that choice. It is
different when we are talking about making that choice on behalf of a child
who doesn't have the power yet to make that decision for herself.
I really think that on the benefits side of the argument, we need to ask
ourselves whether we really believe that blindness makes street crossing
more dangerous than it is for any pedestrian. Getting a sign implicitly
supports that belief. I used to think the same, but my training at the
Louisiana Center for the Blind has taught me that, on average, I can be just
as safe crossing the street as anybody else.
I'm not just saying that because that's what my instructors told me, but
because I have actually crossed many intersections and learned that through
my own experiences.
Arielle

On 2/24/13, Albert J Rizzi <albert at myblindspot.org> wrote:
> Peter,
>
> Opinions are just that, opinions. Everyone has one. agreed, probably 
> best to leave this one covered as discussions go, and best to agree to 
> disagree.
> Peace.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter 
> Donahue
> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 12:07 PM
> To: Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] To Sign or not To Sign
>
> Hello Albert and everyone,
>
>     Our experience is not simply from suggestion. I lived it! Even 
> more ironic is the fact that our house was located in a school zone. 
> During school hours drivers are required to drive slower to enhance 
> the safety of children . Having sinage alerting motorists to the 
> presence of a blind child in this situation was over-kill and 
> unnecessary. Such sinage only reinforces the mistaken belief that the 
> blind cannot travel safely and that it's the public's job to "Take 
> care of us." And there's the issue of the presence of these signs 
> encouraging malicious persons to hassle the disabled individual by 
> throwing things at the persons, the signs, attempting to run the blind 
> person over, etc. Such behavior creates an even more dangerous 
> situation for all children in areas where such sinage is posted. 
> Fortunately I was not harassed by neighbors when I decided it was time 
> to venture out on my own.
> This is a can of worms best left sealed.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
> To: "'Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 10:24 AM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] To Sign or not To Sign
>
>
> All,
>
> I had signs put up on my block after  walking out of my home, in a 
> quiet residential neighborhood and while crossing the street to my 
> neighbors house, and individual in a car thought they would be funny 
> and sped up and nearly hit me, intentionally, for kicks.
>
> For warned is for armed. I do not agree with some positions here that 
> a sign lessons our stature in the community, but provides information 
> to others for interpretation and action.
>
> Much as signs are put up on the sides of roads, as they have been for 
> decades, and much as they have been the target for rocks, and or pop 
> shots, to think that signs alerting drivers to circumstances and
situations that
> will impact their driving,   and how their driving might or might not
> impact
> members of the community is not a bad idea. It is an option, that like 
> any option, is just that. an option. We can either choose to take 
> those options or not. to think that some would suggest that such 
> signage would then pave the way for a blind child or a deaf child to 
> be tormented by others is a stretch in my opinion.
>
> I feel good about my choice, and my insistence to have the signs up, 
> to add to the tools I have to ensure that I am not run down by 
> careless drivers who might mistaken me for someone who can see them 
> coming down the road, especially with those hybrid cars on the road 
> these days.
>
> My choices, are mine, and for me they are not wrong. So I say, if so 
> inclined, and if as a parent you feel it will give you a piece of 
> mind, and add a layer of safety for your child, as well as other 
> children in the area, put that sign up and put it up with confidence 
> and purpose. Peace.
>
> .
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter 
> Donahue
> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 11:10 AM
> To: Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] To Sign or not To Sign
>
> Good morning everyone,
>
>     Like Merry's neighborhood there were signs for a deaf child posted 
> near the child's home. My parents saw this and had "Blind Child" signs 
> placed near our house as well. They attracted more attention then was
desired.
> They
> made fine targets for the neighborhood kids to throw rocks at or shoot 
> at as if they were meant for target practicing. Given these reactions 
> these signs had the very opposite effect then originally intended. If 
> I had a disabled child I would avoid them like the plague. If a 
> municipality insisted on putting up these signs due to my disabled 
> child I'd tell them "Not on our block!"
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Merry-Noel Chamberlain" <owinm at yahoo.com>
> To: <blindkid at nfbnet.org>; <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 9:46 AM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] To Sign or not To Sign
>
>
> This has been a very interesting conversation. I thank everyone for 
> their input in helping Ashleah with her Girl Scout research project. 
> My daughter, Ashleah, is a super traveler. (She has no choice as I am 
> an O&M
> instructor.)
>
> My husband & I have been discussing this topic ever since buying this 
> house this past summer. It is his old neighborhood of his growing up 
> days. At that
>
> time there was a sign for a deaf child. We live four houses from the 
> Middle & Elem. schools and on the street where parents drop off and 
> pick up their children. It can get quite busy- especially in the 
> morning as parents are in
>
> a rush to get to work.  Needless to say, my husband  and I have 
> opposite opinions about this topic.  We have discussed this idea with 
> Ashleah, now in
>
> 7th grade and walking to school for the first time in her life. 
> Although we
>
> live so close to school, she does need to cross 2 streets/one
intersection.
> Before school, most times, there is a crossing guard but  afterwards, 
> she enjoys staying later for social activities and, at that time, 
> there is not a crossing guard by the time she leaves school.  I did 
> some research and discovered our town no longer has a special sign for 
> blindness, deafness, or otherwise. Rather, there is a "Caution, 
> Special Needs Child" sign.  Here, the sign can be posted only up to 
> when the child is age 13 or entering Middle School.  Sometimes 
> I'll meet her at school and walk with her home to monitor her 
> street crossing skills..... She used to run to dross the street but 
> now, she is walking... Her confidence is growing!
>
> Merry-Noel
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