[il-talk] template for contacting your representatives

[Patti S Chang]

Below is what I sent to my representative. Feel free to use it as a
template. 

 

Dear Representative Martwick:

 

I write to urge your support of HB2626, the Parental Rights for the Blind
Act. This bill introduced by Representative Laura Fine was voted out of
committee on Wednesday. This legislation is badly needed. Too many times
blindness serves as a sole basis for custody decisions or decisions made by
DCFS. As the blind parent of two successful adults I can personally attest
that blind people can and do raise children. We simply learn to do things
nonvisually. But people who do not understand blindness assume that
parenting is impossible because they do not know how to perform tasks
without sight. 

 

Right now I know of one case where a child was removed from mom in the
hospital. The accusations include abuse and neglect which I submit would be
difficult before one has an opportunity to care for a child. That case is
particularly egregious as mom has two teenagers at home who are doing well.
There is another case of a dad who is forced to have "a sighted person
present" when he visits his child. That is a nasty divorce case where dad
was capable of being alone with the child until the divorce. HB2626 would
prevent DCFS from overreaching based upon misconceptions and would stop
estranged spouses from employing blindness as a weapon in court.

 

These are not isolated instances. As an active member of the National
Federation of the Blind I have encountered a couple of these cases every
year for decades. 

 

Senator Mulroe already committed to help with this bill in the Senate. It
has bipartisan support as it was preintroduced by Senator Resin. 

 

This bill still protects children if blindness should be a real issue. A
judge is simply forced to enter specific findings and DCFS is forced to
provide us the same supportive services as other parents. Right now Illinois
case law holds that the ADA is inapposite when it comes to supportive
services so a parent who could parent if networked into the blind parent
community for mentoring and if taught adaptive techniques is separated from
a child unnecessarily.

 

Please support children and parents who should be together in a loving
household. It is just wrong to assume that blind people can't parent
effectively based on the misunderstanding of the capacity of the blind. It
is bad for children and it is bad for our state generally. 

 

Finally, I would submit that unnecessary removals are fiscally
irresponsible. So, for humane and fiscal reasons HB2626 is past due. 

 

Please feel free to contact me personally with questions and/or concerns. My
mobile number is (773) 307-6440. 

 

Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.

Treasurer

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

pattischang at gmail.com

www.nfbofillinois.orgFollow @NFBI on twitter

Join the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois group on facebook.