[nabs-l] Training centers

[Brian Hatgelakas]

Why are blind people discouraged from dating and treated like little kids at 
some centers!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 2:51 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers


> Training centers are a good way for blind people to learn the skills, but 
> the CCB staff being blind makes it easier.  Tara, I agree with you on all 
> points.  At a center in Daytona Beach, Florida, there were nurses, old 
> creeps,, and lots of rules such as the lights out rule.  Sexes were 
> separated by wing, and there was no question about dating.  At CCB, blind 
> people are treated like people.
> Beth
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tara Annis <TAnnis at afb.net
> To: "nabs-l at nfbnet.org" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 14:38:09 -0500
> Subject: [nabs-l] Training centers
>
> I attended the Colorado Center program between semesters at college.    I 
> attended the school for the blind and also took some classes at a local 
> association of the blind, so would like to provide some insight.
> I do agree that blind people can be successful and have above average 
> skills, even though they do  not go to the NFB center, but this is really 
> rare from my observations.
> Before I went to CCB, I did not know that blind people could walk long 
> distances using a cane, as in m five or ten miles.  I thought people could 
> only walk routes that the O&M instructor had taught them, and the route 
> would be a mile or less.  I thought  blind  people needed sighted  guide 
> for any new place they visited, and couldn't use the cane to follow 
> someone.
> I didn't know that blind people could use a charcoal grill.
> Some observations:
> 1. There were no nurses at CCB that had control of the medication you 
> took.  If you are supposed to be living in the real world, why have 
> someone keep track of your meds?
>
> 2. There were no lights out at CCB.  As long as you showed up to class on 
> time, who cares what you do at night, as long as you aren't breaking the 
> law.  You're adults, so you should be treated   like them.
> Go to bed when you feel like it.
>
> 3. There was no hassle at CCB when you wanted to go for lunch.  You just 
> walked out the door.  You didn't need to make sure  people had a sighted 
> guide before beginning.  You didn't need to have a sighted person to come 
> along to help out.
>
>
> 4. Instructors were blind at CCB, and not ashamed of it. At other training 
> centers, the instructors would never be caught using a cane or reading 
> braille.  Sighted people wore dark glasses when traveling with blind 
> people, so the public couldn't look into their eyes.  They did  not like 
> being stared at by the  public.  Yet, they never told blind people this 
> fact.
>
> 5. Colorado staff did not hide the fact that the public can sometimes be 
> cruel, and many do not understand blindness.  I have witnessed at  other 
> centers staff outright lying to blind people telling them that no one can 
> tell they are blind and that they don't need a cane, since they get around 
> so well.  Yet, the people they tell this to have disfigured eyes, and run 
> into obstacles.  The instructors do not want the blind person to feel bad 
> so that is why they make up these lies.
>
>
> 6. I hate how at other centers they always assume a blind person has low 
> self  esteem, and needs counseling.
> CCB  knew that some of their students are at an intermediate level, 
> already past the adjustment phase of blidnness, and just came to CCB for 
> advanced skills training.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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