[BlindTlk] Question about societal attitudes toward blindness

Tue Apr 23 20:21:45 UTC 2019

Yes Judy you were right. They had no clue and the special ed teachers weren’t prepared to work with regular Ed teachers. Not until the 1990s did they start to have collaborative efforts between regular Ed and special ed so that all kids learned it together. I was the only one in my school district with a visual impairment. I hated being a guinea pig, but I sincerely hope that kids coming up behind me got more services.

Ericka Nelson

> On Apr 23, 2019, at 2:28 PM, Judy Jones via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Another thing I remember, because I graduated in 1971.  This was just before the law 94142 came into effect, and the school was looking at including more people who were limited in mental capacity.  I also know of teachers who said that if this law passed, they would move on to other schools, as they were prepared to teach their subjects as always, but not prepared to deal with the various several mental challenges of their students that could come along.  
> 
> I believe everyone has the right to an education, and a right to attend school wherever they and their parents choose, but the other side of the coin is that the school has to be given the equipment and staff the training to continue to give quality education.
> 
> This blind school was geographically in the District 11 schools, and required to hold the same standards as other district schools, and I think back then, with new laws coming into play, no one really knew how they were going to enforce these new inclusion laws.
> 
> Judy
> “Embrace the day with its mercies and blessings.”
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlindTlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ericka via BlindTlk
> Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2019 9:52 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Cc: Ericka
> Subject: Re: [BlindTlk] Question about societal attitudes toward blindness
> 
> There’s a totally new direction we could go on this. Now that they don’t teach find people how to do some of the stuff here in the states does anyone feel like Kraus or less accessible to them? I want to public school with all this I had kids and never step foot in a school for the blind. Now as an adult I kind of wish I had the opportunity to learn some of those things during the summers. A week at camp gives you a taste, but doesn’t give you enough skill to go back home and use it as a hobby.
> 
> Ericka Nelson
> 
>> On Apr 23, 2019, at 8:47 AM, Jude DaShiell via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Rhona,
>> 
>> Are those palm leaf baskets or reed baskets?  I made one basket at
>> Overbrook School For The blind in caning class but never could quite get
>> the hang of the correct weaving technique for caning those chair
>> bottoms.  That was back in the 1960's though for me.
>> 
>>> On Tue, 23 Apr 2019, Roanna Bacchus via BlindTlk wrote:
>>> 
>>> Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:37:21
>>> From: Roanna Bacchus via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>> To: "Walker, Michael E. (UMSL-Student) via BlindTlk" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Roanna Bacchus <rbacchus228 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [BlindTlk] Question about societal attitudes toward blindness
>>> 
>>> Hi Mike thanks for starting this discussion. This is also something that I have dealt with. I come from an Immigrant family who migrated to the United States from the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago. In Trinidad, individaus with disabilities are rarely seen by the general public. Those who are blind are taught to make baskets for there friends and family. My family is very accepting of my blindness, and I appreciate that.
>>> 
>>> ? I overcome these challenges by interacting socially with family friends and continuing to put myself out there. Since most people do not know how to accommodate those with disabilities, I show members of my family how they can accommodate me. This is a stigma that society needs to get out of.
>>> 
>>>> On Apr 23, 2019 6:13 AM, "Walker, Michael E. (UMSL-Student) via BlindTlk" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Good morning,
>>>> 
>>>> Something I have been troubled by for a long time is why society sees blind people differently from people who can see. For example, I often find that when the topic of friendship or dating comes up, I still get asked questions like whether or not I have considered dating a blind person. It tells me that society still has a ways to go in learning that blindness is an inconvenience rather than something that defines us. We like to participate in the same venues as everyone else, without being seen differently. How do we overcome these challenges? The only thing I know to do is to keep doing what I?m doing: putting myself out there and meeting people. What do you guys do to overcome these challenges? How do you feel about being seen differently because you?re blind?
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you,
>>>> Mike
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>> 
>> -- 
>> 
>> 
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