[nabs-l] Schools for the Blind vs. Public School Education

Wed Jun 17 21:51:16 UTC 2009

You are absoluetly correct and what I should have said was now that
blind students have choices whether to go to a public school or a
school for the blind, the blind schools that I am knowledgeable about
tend to have predonimately students with multiple disabilities. With
multiple disabilities, it can distract from the education of others in
the classroom.

I know that when I lost my vision at the age of 9, the Department of
Education in the state in which I live suggested that my parents NOT
send me to the school for the blind because of the severity of
disabilities of students there.

The list of blind school graduates you have sent below are obviously
successful people who are very intelligent and succeeded when the laws
weren't necessarily on their side as much as they are today.

Hope that clears up my comment

Nathan

On 6/17/09, Peter Donahue <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Hello Nathan and listers,
>
>     Not all together true. There are numerous blind individuals that
> attended schools for the blind and later had distinguished careers in their
> field of interest. Here is a short list:
>
> Helen Keller
> Dr. Jacob Bolotin, (The first successful blind doctor in the United States)
> Dr. Nuel Perry, (Former Director of the California School for the Blind and
> mentor to Dr. Jacobus TenBroek)
> Dr. Jacobus TenBroek, (Founder of the National Federation of the Blind and
> distinguished scholar of law and a Speech Professor )
> Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, (World authority on blindness and a teacher of blind
> children. He is the immediate past-President of the National Federation of
> the Blind and a pioneer in blindness rehabilitation)
> Dr. T.V. (Tim)  Cranmer, (Inventor of technology for the blind including the
> Cranmer Abacus, the Braille-N Speak, and other assistive technology and
> services for the blind.)
> Fanny Crosby, (19th Century blind hymn composer and poet
> Peggy Pinder-Eliot, (A successful lawyer, former NFB Board Member and a past
> NFB scholarship recipient and past scholarship committee chairperson)
> Richard Ossinger, Successful Blind Entrepreneur)
> Ray Charles
> Stevie Wunder
> Ronnie Milsap
> Tom Sullivan
> Glenn Crosby, (A successful blind restaurantor)
>
>     I believe that the above list gives some examples of successful blind
> individuals who received part or all of their education from a school for
> the blind.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nathan Clark" <troubleclark at gmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:06 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Schools for the Blind vs. Public School Education
>
>
> it is just go and graduate and then try to find a job. Most students
> from school for the blind don't usually go to college right?
> nathan
>
>
> On 6/17/09, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Good point, Nathan.  I think a lot of schools for the blind are
>> sheltered communities with no real world things to look forward to.
>> Beth
>>
>> On 6/17/09, Nathan Clark <troubleclark at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I am in a public school and I am glad I did not go to a school for the
>>> blind. Some of the kids at school for the blinds may have more than
>>> blindness as a disability we are talking mental retardation or other
>>> problems. I love it in public school due to the fact that when I get
>>> out in the job market I will probably will not see other blind people
>>> at the job. By vgoing to public school I am being forced to be
>>> prepared to what I will face when I get out into the real world.
>>>
>>> On 6/16/09, Mary Donahue <braille at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>> Hello Denna and listers,
>>>>
>>>>     When I started school in the late 1950s, there wasn't much choice.
>>>> If
>>>> my
>>>> family and I had stayed in the Chicago area, I would have been able to
>>>> go
>>>> to
>>>> public school. However, in early 1958, we moved to Eau Claire,
>>>> Wisconsin.
>>>> My
>>>> mother would have liked me to go to public school, but the school
>>>> district
>>>> would not budge in its thinking. If I went, then there would be no way
>>>> of
>>>> getting my material, and I was the only blind child at the time in that
>>>> district. Therefore, it meant driving 220 miles to the State School for
>>>> the
>>>> Visually Handicapped in Janesville, which was quite traumatic for me.
>>>> Looking back, though, I have no regrets. My first-grade teacher taught
>>>> me
>>>> Braille, I eventually learned cane travel, which I probably wouldn't
>>>> have
>>>> received in public school. The same goes for daily living skills and
>>>> social
>>>> skills.
>>>>
>>>>     At any rate, those are my thoughts. Hope this helps.
>>>>
>>>> Mary Donahue
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: <dlambert at aristotle.net>
>>>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 12:11 PM
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Schools for the Blind vs. Public School Education
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi everyone:
>>>>>
>>>>> Almost 10 days until convention.  I'm very much excited about coming,
>>>>> especially since I haven't
>>>>> been in two years.
>>>>>
>>>>> But I wanted to pose a question that could possibly lead to some
>>>>> research
>>>>> later on.
>>>>>
>>>>> In determine what type of education you would receive, were you given
>>>>> an
>>>>> opportunity to provide
>>>>> input as to whether a school for the blind was a good option vs. an
>>>>> education in a public school
>>>>> system.  What were your experience in which ever educational setting
>>>>> you
>>>>> ended up in?  Looking
>>>>> back, what would you have changed or wanted to have happen?
>>>>>
>>>>> Any input would be great.  I'll provide my input publicly later on, but
>>>>> just wanted to get a feel
>>>>> for the range of experiences people may have.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>
>>>>> Denna Lambert
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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