[blindkid] Signs for Susan

Steve Jacobson steve.jacobson at visi.com
Tue Feb 26 19:09:53 UTC 2013


Richard,

While you and I seem to disagree on this, I would truly like to understand your position better.  Are you really saying that the 
two-year-old sighted kids that are racing with her child are totally responsible and in need of no protection?  If there is no 
separation between the street and where these kids are playing, I do not see how a blind child is going to be at a greater risk, 
there is some risk for all of them and a warning that there are children at play is probably appropriate.  Connecting her ability 
to get a sign with the child's opportunity to play with other kids completely baffles me.  .  The solution isn't in the sign, it 
is in making the social connections, and I, too, am glad to see that Susan's child, certainly with her help, made those 
connections, but I truly do not see that a sign is necessary to make that possible.  Have I misunderstood your note?

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:09:07 -0500, Richard Holloway wrote:

>Susan, 

>I don't see anything wrong with requesting such a sign for your child at that age, or at any age where you, the parent, feel it 
is appropriate.

>You did a good thing. More parents should find solutions to get their kids, be they sighted or blind, out and playing in 
situations like that!

>(How I wish they'd had jeeps like that when I was a kid!!!)

>Richard



>On Feb 25, 2013, at 8:39 PM, SUSAN POLANSKY wrote:

>> We moved on to a dead end court when our son was 2. We asked our town for a sign at the entrance to the street. I feel it was 
totally appropriate to have a sign when our little one was out playing with the other kids and basically drag racing the other 
little ones in his toddler jeep. Would we not have asked for a sign if he had been older. Each parent needs to look at their child 
and their neighborhood and make their own decision. I think this subject has been beaten to death. No more "to sign or not to 
sign"  emails for me, any more will be deleted without opening. 
>> 
>> 
>> Susan T. Polansky
>> 
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> From: Bernadette Jacobs <bernienfb75 at gmail.com>
>> To: "Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org> 
>> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 8:11 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] To Sign or not To Sign
>> 
>> I am a very strong opponent of blind, deaf, Autism, or any other
>> signage.  None of us needs to be put on that kind of display!  Only
>> thing this says to me is, "Walking Target!" Target!" Walking Target.
>> When I had my hysterectomy at an inner city hospital here, when I came
>> out of surgery and into my room, my husband mentioned to me that there
>> was a sign on my door, "Blind Patient!"  If I wasn't sick enough from
>> just having had surgery, I sure was sickened then.  So, my husband
>> tore down the first sign.  Bright and early next morning when he came
>> in vack in to visit me, another signed had replaced the first one.  He
>> went out to find that nurse.  Before long, suddenly I heard the nurse
>> arguing with my husband.  I forced myself up out of bed, grabbed my
>> cane and began walking down the hall, holding onto the rails for dear
>> life and simply excused myself quietly and then proceeded to waste no
>> bones about how that woman oughtta do something real quick.  After
>> all, who was her bread and butta???  I had insurance.  I didn't feel
>> guilty in the least.  She turned on me and I simply went back to my
>> room; called my doctor at his home; and Hmmm!  For some strange reason
>> I never heard from or saw that woman again and the sign soon
>> disappeared.  Then when someone called weeks after I had been released
>> from the hospital to ask me about how I felt about my hospital
>> experience, I really laid it on thick that to post blind signs, or any
>> other Special Needs' sign, would only serve to identify those
>> individuals as vulnerable walking targets and no matter what the
>> intent, it was truly a bad idea.  After all, Seems I actually remember
>> Dr. Jernigan saying once, that "The road to Hell is paved with good
>> intentions."  I'm sure I need not say more.
>> 
>> Bernie
>> 
>> On 2/22/13, Carly B <barnesraiser at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hi Merry-Noel,
>>> 
>>> I've thought about this, too. There are a couple of signs on streets near
>>> our own. We have not pursued trying to get a sign for our neighborhood. I
>>> haven't really thought that through, I think it's just a gut feeling that I
>>> don't want to put more of a spotlight on my child than there already is.
>>> Know what I mean? I'm not really sure the benefits of having a sign...
>>> 
>>> Thanks for bringing it up. I look forward to hearing what others think!
>>> 
>>> :) Carolynn
>>> 
>>> On Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 7:40 PM, Merry-Noel Chamberlain
>>> <owinm at yahoo.com>wrote:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>    Hi,
>>>> My daughter, Ashleah, is working on a girl scout project and would like
>>>> to
>>>> know your thoughts about the "Special Needs" sign.  She is blind and
>>>> walks
>>>> to and from school independently.  Do you think having a Special Needs
>>>> sign
>>>> by our house is a good thing?  Why or why not?
>>>> Thanks.
>>>> Merry-Noel
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>> 
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