[Colorado-Talk] Another blast from the past

[Peggy Chong]

Here is an article from our NFBCO newsletter from 1975.  Thought it was
informative.

 

[Letterhead]

[Blocked left:  NFB Logo:  A white triangle with the letters "NFB" in the
center is superimposed on a black circle.  The words "Security", "Equality"
and "Opportunity" are written around the edges of the circle.]

 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF COLORADO, INC.

Formerly, COLORADO FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

 

901 EAST 17TH AVENUE - DENVER, COLORADO 80218 - 623-3332

 

 

April 1975

 

A Great Colorado & NFB Victory

NEWS AND VIEWS

 

            It was a great day of victory in Denver, April 21, 1975. T.V.
and news cameras hummed over the battery of tape recorders from various news
media, set up on the press conference table. Behind the table were Ralph
Sanders, Second Vice-President of the N.F.B., with a statement from Dr.
Jernigan; Judy Miller, plaintiff in the case; and attorney Bob Keating, who
did such a superb job in obtaining a favorable decision.

            Of course, we're talking about the N.F.B. of Colorado's lawsuit
against the Denver School Board's restrictions against hiring blind
teachers. What's more, it's the greatest victory ever achieved by the N.F.B.

            For two years this case dragged on. The week of April 7, had
been designated for a court battle, but a few days before the trial,
attorneys began to negotiate for an out-of-court settlement. Attorney Bob
Keating brought back everything the NFB wanted, in the form of a Federal
Court order that is absolutely binding. Briefly, the salient points are
these:  The Denver School Board shall affirmatively interview and recruit
blind students majoring in education, and encourage them to make application
to the School District for employment; The School District, in an effort to
extend its program to certify teachers in Colorado, agrees to utilize the
services available through the NFB of Colorado, Inc., the NFB, Inc., its
Teacher's Division, and its Student's Division, and such other private
associations and entities as may be beneficial in the recruitment of
qualified blind and visually impaired teachers; The School board will
continue to review nationwide studies concerning the hiring of blind
teachers, and its visual impairment clause shall not serve as a basis for
denying employment.  This visual impairment section shall be rewritten to
read:

            "Visual impairment shall not serve as a basis for denying
employment unless it is shown that the particular disability prevents
performance of the work involved."

            The School Board shall seek the best qualified applicants for
all positions, and will in the future treat qualified individual who are
blind or visually handicapped on the same terms and conditions as the
able-bodied.

            This is indeed a momentous decision that will affect blind
teachers, not only in Colorado, but in the State and the Nation as well.
Here, again, the NFB has led the way for a court order that will open the
doors for all handicapped persons.

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20211109/6b1de8d6/attachment.html>