[Fabs] I just need to vent.

Darian Smith dsmithnfb at gmail.com
Mon Apr 7 22:31:08 UTC 2014 

Hi all,
 Paul. I never doubted that.  I’m sorry if it  appeared  differently.
  
   Darian  
On Apr 7, 2014, at 3:28 PM, Paul Martinez <paul09ms at gmail.com> wrote:

> Greetings Darien,
> 
> Thanks for being a lurker on our list serve lol. On the other hand,
> Kathy and I are already working with Shawn and the attorneys of the
> NFB on this matter. As president of FABS I take my role series and do
> not want any student to feel or go through this. Thanks for your
> concerns
> 
> Paul m. martinez, President of FABS
> 
> Board member of National Federation of the Blind of Florida
> 
> 
> On 4/7/14, Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com> wrote:
>> That's definitely a frustrating thing for sure.
>> My understanding is that a powerpoint can be done by a blind person with
>> the right skills.   in this case, it would be  an understanding of JAWS or
>> whatever  program you are using.  unfortunately I don't know how to as much
>> as I should.
>> 
>> It's something I've had to learn over time that instructors aren't always
>> thinking about    accommodating blind students. There are some good one's
>> for sure, but no matter what, the  most success I have is when I get out in
>> front of the situation. If I've been in conversation on a project and the
>> instructor doesn't want to work with me on figuring out an alternative
>> project, I'll  try to propose an idea based upon what they are asking for.
>> Most times  instructors  just want to see that you get it and while a
>> powerpoint be a visual way of doing it (sighted folks like visual things)
>> 
>> I'm glad ou are sticking with it.
>> .
>> 
>> 
>> On Apr 7, 2014, at 2:38 PM, Kathy Roskos <kroskos at cox.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> The initial assignment was a powerpoint presentation. I am totally blind
>>> and completing my program online, so this is not a realistic assignment.
>>> The teacher knew about this inaccessible assignment for the entire five
>>> weeks of the class, but kept saying she didn't know what else I could do
>>> because any other assignment would not be fair to the other students in
>>> the class because they had to do so much more than I would. The last day
>>> of class, she finally agreed upon an alternative assignment. Then of
>>> course, it would be necessary for me to take an incomplete in order to
>>> finish the new assignment. In the meantime, there was an assignment in a
>>> visual chart which I could not access. Disabled student services converted
>>> it to accessible format, and I completed it, but she said she would not
>>> award the points for it, because it was late. This is where the first
>>> violation happened. Then she sent me the incomplete  form to sign and
>>> agree to, but it was also inaccessible to me. After the violation with the
>>> lost points, I decided I would rather seek legal advice than agree to an
>>> incomplete with a teacher who violated the ADA. Without my signature or
>>> agreement, she submitted the incomplete form and told me it was too late
>>> to change it.
>>> 
>>>   This is the situation in a nutshell. It is definitely complicated. I
>>> just can't agree to work with this instructor to finish the course, when
>>> there is no action taken  to address the illegal elements.
>>> 
>>> Kathy
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Darian Smith" <dsmithnfb at gmail.com>
>>> To: <fabs at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 4:37 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Fabs] I just need to vent.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Hi Kathy,
>>> I'm sorry that it had to come to this.
>>> What was the initial assignment, and what did you end up  doing?
>>> was the alternative assignment  mutually agreed upon?
>>> what papers did she submit without your signature?
>>> Darian
>>> On Apr 7, 2014, at 1:22 PM, Kathy Roskos <kroskos at cox.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hello,
>>>> 
>>>>  Thanks for the response. You certainly aren't too late to enter this
>>>> one. It is still continuing as we speak. It has escalated from a dispute
>>>> between student and teacher to a full-blown legal issue. This instructor
>>>> violated the law by refusing to accept an assignment after it was made
>>>> accessible and refused to award me points even though it was completed.
>>>> Then she submitted paperwork on my behalf without my signature or
>>>> approval. This will definitely be continuing for the forseeable future.
>>>> 
>>>>  The school faculty wants me to continue to work with this instructor
>>>> and after grades are awarded, then file a grievance if I am not satisfied
>>>> with the grade. In what profession is it customary to continue to work
>>>> with someone who has repeatedly violated federal law?  Do you continue to
>>>> work with a doctor, a lawyer or an instructor who has taken illegal
>>>> action? Well, I can say that I don't, and if the school allows their
>>>> instructors to continue working with a student whose rights have been
>>>> denied, then they deserve to answer for it.
>>>> 
>>>> Kathy
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Darian Smith" <dsmithnfb at gmail.com>
>>>> To: <fabs at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 3:43 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Fabs] I just need to vent.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Hi Kathy,
>>>> 
>>>> I'm sorry for entering the fray as late as I have.
>>>> I am a lurker on list so I typically don't get to have the dialog that
>>>> you guys are having on this list because well, I just don't. lol
>>>> 
>>>> It sounds  like it's too late  to refine the assignment, is   that
>>>> right?
>>>> somehow it would have been my plan to do an alternative assignment that
>>>> was so good, that it out-classed the visual assignment hahaha.
>>>> 
>>>> I wonder if your instructor doesn't see discrimination as the universal
>>>> thing it is.
>>>> most of us experience  it in some way or another.
>>>> Certainly  you are not  alone and when you head  clears, I hope you think
>>>> about how to make sure you aren't taking this lying down. next time it
>>>> happens.
>>>> 
>>>> you have friends here and you clearly are  bright, so if it happens
>>>> again, you have the support to make sure  that you    don't get caught up
>>>> in the situation.
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you for sharing, I understand it wasn't easy
>>>> 
>>>> Darian
>>>> On Apr 3, 2014, at 5:40 AM, Kathy Roskos <kroskos at cox.net> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hi Paul,
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thanks for responding to my rant. Sometimes it is better to get mad
>>>>> than to just break down in tears. I love your solution. Thanks for
>>>>> making me laugh!
>>>>> 
>>>>> I will do everything I can to make sure this teacher feels as much
>>>>> backlash as possible for her discrimination. You wouldn't think a
>>>>> psychology professor who teaches about the problem of prejudice and
>>>>> discrimination, would indulge in it herself. Makes me wonder how people
>>>>> like that get as far as they do in life.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thanks again.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Kathy
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Martinez" <paul09ms at gmail.com>
>>>>> To: "Florida Association of Blind Students" <fabs at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2014 1:53 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Fabs] I just need to vent.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Good evening,
>>>>>> I deathly want to let you know you're not on this alone. Recently as
>>>>>> you may know I will send the hospital, in a professor refuse to give me
>>>>>> my makeup tests. However the disability services at my school is not
>>>>>> backing out and neither and pie. One thing that we have to keep in mind
>>>>>> is that we will face people like this all the time, and it is up to us
>>>>>> to change their foolish behavior. Remember, you are a member of the
>>>>>> national Federation of the blind any student apart of the Florida
>>>>>> Association of blind students. The word but it's not a part of our
>>>>>> dictionary. One thing I would recommend this to ask your professor to
>>>>>> give your site back so you are able to do the test. When she does that
>>>>>> you will be able to do the assignment. Till then she as a professor
>>>>>> needs to make adjustments for you and any other student. Slap her with
>>>>>> that solution, I will see the results. Best wishes
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Paul Martinez, Pres.
>>>>>> Florida Association of blind students 813 390 5720
>>>>>> Paul09ms at gmail.com
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Apr 2, 2014, at 10:27 PM, "Kathy Roskos" <kroskos at cox.net> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Hello list members,
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I have just had one of the worst days of my school expeerience. I
>>>>>>> have a teacher who insists that I need to do an assignment that is
>>>>>>> completely visual. Disabled student services has explained to her that
>>>>>>> I am unable to do this, and she has been taking it out on me ever
>>>>>>> since. She sent me a raving e-mail about how she cannot think of an
>>>>>>> alternative assignment that would be equal to the one the other
>>>>>>> students are doing, and how it is not fair that I don't have to do the
>>>>>>> same work as they do. She then asked me to come up with an assignment
>>>>>>> that is comparable. Who is the teacher here anyway? When I said I
>>>>>>> wasn't qualified to create my own assignment, she told disabled
>>>>>>> student services that I refused to do an alternative assignment. we
>>>>>>> are on the last day of the class and she still hasn't given me a last
>>>>>>> assignment to do. She won't respond to my e-mails or phone calls. I
>>>>>>> think she is planning to try to fail me. As a student who has never
>>>>>>> received less than an A for two years, I feel devestated. I want to
>>>>>>> drop out and forget the whole thing.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Can anyone tell me about experiences they have had with teachers from
>>>>>>> hell?  It might make me feel better to know I'm not alone.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Thanks for bearing with me during this rant.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Kathy
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>> 
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>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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>>>> 
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>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Paul M. Martinez
> President,  Florida Association of Blind Students
> 
> NFBFL Board Member
> 
> Treasurer, Florida State Wide Chapter
> Paul09ms at gmail.com
> Ph: 813-390-5720
> 
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