[Fabs] I just need to vent.

Paul Martinez paul09ms at gmail.com
Mon Apr 7 22:36:39 UTC 2014 

No problem darian I appreciate all your support and your concerns. Don't be a stranger from our Florida listserv, take care and see you at nationals.

Paul Martinez, Pres.
Florida Association of blind students 813 390 5720
Paul09ms at gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 7, 2014, at 6:31 PM, Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 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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>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> 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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> 
> 
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