[Blindtlk] Fw: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Mon May 28 17:48:42 UTC 2012
Chris:
To this point, I have been relatively mild in my comments. However, I truly feel that this nonsense -- yes, nonsense -- has gone on long enough.
First, no one has been "electrocuted". Were this the case, we'd have *murder* cases on our hands. Electrocution is what is done in the electric chair. Let's please be precise in our thinking, writing and speaking and avoid deliberately inflammatory language.
Second, note that the only date mentioned below is 2002. That's a decade ago. Even assuming crimes were committed, that goes beyond most statutes of limitations except for the most horrendous of crimes and even then only by dint of specific laws having been passed.
Third, at least insofar as Washington state is concerned (and I've missed any posts that may have alleged immoral conduct going on here), no one has asked the NFB of Washington for assistance, either anonymously or by name. and we make it a policy *never* to act upon anonymous complaints. If people don't have the guts to give us their names, to stand up and be counted, it's difficult to see why we should take them seriously. I think you'll find this is a national policy of NFB -- even if only an unwritten one. It is passing surprising how many people shut up when they realize they can't just throw brickbats anonymously and get the "big bad NFB" to do what they are unwilling to do themselves and attack their favorite target or pet peeve. I know this much: we're pretty familiar with the blindness-related agencies in our state and neither we nor the Washington Council of the Blind have heard any allegations of mistreatment of students or of misconduct. In fact, it is a policy of the Washington State School for the Blind that Child Protective Services be called *before* other School personnel if there's even a hint of misconduct.
Fourth, this matter is only peripherally concerned with blindness. The reason we of NFB get things done is that we stick to the central issue of blindness. Of the many cases that have been cited here (including Jennifer Driggers), almost, if not all, took place at schools for the blind. I'm not condoning the alleged activity. I'm merely stating that aside from concerns about humanity, any involvement NFB might have would be tangential at best.
Fifth, while the Braille Monitor often does investigative reporting, said investigations generally stick to blindness agencies. We haven't the time or money to save the entire world. There's enough mangy behavior in the blindness field (though much less than in the past) to keep us occupied for quite some time.
Finally, while I recognize and deem healthy the emotional catharsis that is taking place here (I went to a school for the blind for some time in the "bad old days" also), I think we've about beaten this thread to death and unless and until we get specific complaints with sources, names, dates, allegations and remedies sought, I believe it's about time we let this thread die a quick and unnatural death. There's very little that's "actionable" here. Let's get on with building the future!
Mike Freeman, member
Board of Directors
National Federation of the Blind
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Chris Nusbaum
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2012 7:07 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
Well, it's a good thing for the Texas agencies that this practice isn't going on in Texas, as we're having our national convention in Dallas this year! I'm sure that if the leaders of the NFB knew about such treatment going on in Texas, we'd be having a demonstration at the offending agency's headquarters similar to the one we had at the Minneapolis Society for the Blind in 1980.
I know, I'm writing as if I was there, when in fact I wasn't even born at the time! * Smile! It's all in Walking Alone and Marching Together!
As for MA and WA state, it might be a good idea to contact the President of those states' respective NFB affiliates and see if they know anything. I know the president of our WA affiliate is on this list (Mike Freeman,) so I wonder, Mike, if you know anything about similar practices happening in WA? I'm not sure who the President of the MA affiliate is, but I think someone who knows something about this should contact him/her. I think the leaders of the NFB should at least know about this, if it is true that this electrocution crap is going on at the JRC in Boston.
Chris Nusbaum
"For we walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:7
Sent from my BrailleNote
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
sent: Sun, 27 May 2012 22:20:45 -0500
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
Hello Judy and everyone,
I've wondered the same thing. Perhaps you could research Washington State to see if this practice is going on there. I've not heard of this crap going on in Texas.
Another thing that is sad about this is that Massachusetts is viewed as having some of the most "Progressive" agencies for the blind and disabled in the country. For the blind it's Perkins and the Carol Center.
The
Massachusetts Hospital School serves wheelchair-bound individuals. The Boston School for the Deaf, and the Cardinal Cushing Center for the Mentally Retarded are other examples of agencies revered as models for rendering services and educating children and adults with disabilities.
It's a shame
that rat holes like the JRC exist in the state of my birth.
I'm always asked if I'd ever consider moving back to Massachusetts. I answer the way Charlie Pride does in one of his songs "I Wonder Could I live There Any More." Pride sings about life in a typical country home emphasizing the niceties of country living but beneath these lyrics is the truth that it was a very hard way of life. Charlie Pride's family were sharecroppers in Mississippi. Sharecroppers barely made enough to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Add to that the fact that they lived in the rural south in the 1930s when racism and bigotry were the norm for African Americans living there. If you mind his question carefully you'd understand why he really didn't miss living there.
So it is for me. I have many fond memories of New England and growing up in Massachusetts and thinking of the many good times we had.
However I
cannot forget the problems created for my family by special education officials and eeven some of the blind population in that state.
Life really
began for me on the night of September 4, 1981 when I borded a Brannif
L-1011 Tri Star for a one-way flight to Texas where I now live.
Since those
days I feel I've succeeded beyond my wildest imagination and am greatful for the opportunity to have been able to begin life a new. I doubt seriously that I would be doing half of what I've accomplished for myself had I stayed in Massachusetts hence I feel the ssame way Charlie Pride does concerning living back in rural Mississippi. It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to liv there any more particularly in light of the disturbing information that was shared with us this past week. All the best.
Peter Donahue
Original Message -----
From: "Judy Jones" <jtj1 at cableone.net
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2012 6:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Fw: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
This is terrible. It sounds like one of those institutions out of the David Copperfield era. The scary thought is: if this school has been exposed, are there other institutions/schools yet to be uncovered for the same practices?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 5:26 AM
Subject: [Blindtlk] Fw: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
I am passing this along in hopes that all will sign. This is just unbelievable. Even my County Disability Coordinator shared this. Thanks.
Sherri
----- Original Message -----
From: Samme.Ripley at ocfl.net
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 12:06 PM
Subject: FW: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
Sharing?╈€╈€╈€╈€╈€?.this video can be very compelling for those familiar with electric shocking of disabled students in past years.
?쪺amme
From: Sherri [mailto:flmom2006 at gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2012 6:00 PM
To: Ripley, Samme
Subject: Fw: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
Do you know anything about this? This is outrageous if it's
true!
Sherri
----- Original Message -----
From: Jon Perri, Change.org
To: flmom2006 at gmail.com
Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2012 4:39 PM
Subject: Mass. school electrocutes blind girl
VIDEO: Special needs student electroshocked.
Tell his
Massachusetts school to stop using electroshock devices on
children.
Sign Gregory's Petition
Sherri -
In 2002, a special needs student named Andre
McCollins was
allegedly strapped down and electrocuted for hours, leaving him
with
permanent brain damage, all because he refused to take off his
jacket. The
people torturing Andre were officials at his school. You can
watch what
happened on video.
The video was shot at a Massachusetts school for
special needs
kids called the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC). Gregory Miller
used to be a
teacher there, and he says electrocuting kids as punishment is
extremely
common -- even for minor offenses like raising your hand to go
to the
bathroom.
"A non-verbal, nearly blind girl with cerebral palsy
was
shocked
for attempts to hold a staff member's hand -- her attempts to
communicate
and to be loved," Gregory says.
Gregory desperately wants to help the kids at the JRC
- that's
why he started a petition on Change.org demanding that the JRC
stop using
electroshock to punish kids. Click here to add your name.
Gregory says the JRC's founder created electroshock
devices
which are even stronger than police stun guns to punish students
for bad
behavior. An official at the United Nations said that using
these devices
on
children is considered torture.
According to the Boston Globe, the JRC?셲 founder
resigned after
being charged with misleading a grand jury by destroying video
footage of
other students being shocked.
Gregory believes that if thousands of people sign his
petition,
his former bosses will capitulate in the intense pressure
generated by a
national spotlight.
Click here to sign Gregory's petition demanding that
the JRC
immediately cease its practice of punishing special needs kids
with
electroshock devices.
Thanks for being a change-maker,
- Jon and the Change.org team
This email was sent by Change.org to
flmom2006 at gmail.com |
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