[nabs-l] [Nfbnet-members-list] Threw Our Eyes interview, Ride into History, Race for Independence, Wed. June 22, 8:00 pm EDT
T. Joseph Carter
carter.tjoseph at gmail.com
Tue Jun 28 04:35:19 UTC 2011
I have a M.S.Ed., specializing in Special Education. I was not
permitted a student teaching site where I would actually be able to
pass (and I have the emails the university faculty sent out to the
various districts seeking to ensure that was so.) If I were to leave
my home state, retake at least half my graduate program again (at my
expense of course), and then be licensed in that state… Well, then I
could use the degree with my newly obtained license.
Even here, it’s not that I cannot do it. If I want it badly enough,
I could. I don’t want it quite that badly. I could do it though,
and they couldn’t stop me if I left the state and their tiny little
sphere of influence.
The skills I learned (almost universally acquired from the one
professor who was not involved in this professional sabotage) cannot
be taken away from me. Neither can the skills obtained by avoiding
the ambushes, by meticulously documenting the evidence, and by
carefully observing every minute step of the processes in a hostile
environment. Those skills alone are probably worth more than I’ll
ever pay in tuition, even though they weren’t what I signed up for.
As it was, what I did do was almost single-handedly change the entire
university’s policy toward disabled students. Hostility toward the
disabled was fairly common before, I’ve since learned, and with the
exception today of my department, the whole university has turned it
all around. My department’s professors save the one were overheard
angrily declaring the mandatory disability training they had to go
through a complete waste of time and blaming me for the actions they
took. But others have their eye on them, so they cannot do to others
what they did to me.
It doesn’t do me a whole lot of good. Even if I had not been
prevented from earning a license, the mere fact that I was involved
with the university’s legal department (something that every district
in the area already provably knows today) would ensure that I would
not be hired anywhere in Oregon, disability or not. I’d still have
to go out of state to get around the sort of off-record conversations
I can again prove did take place (because the professors discussed
having them in email quite stupidly.)
Unfortunately, I did not have the money to sue them outright for the
discrimination, and the Department of Education complaint that was
responsible for cleaning up the university would have died the very
instant I had filed suit. It came down to making a fast buck or
making a difference. I chose to make a difference, even at the risk
that I got nothing out of it. That was the outcome.
Joseph
On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 06:11:36PM -0400, bookwormahb at earthlink.net wrote:
>Joseph,
>What is your masters degree in? I'm sure some of your knowledge can
>be used somewhere. Many
>skills and knowledge are transferable from one area to another.
>Sorry to hear about the discrimination. I believe alternative
>techniques are useful and efficient, but you won't convince me they
>are just as fast. I've been through too much to think that. Like I
>was trying to find a certain term or concept in an electronic book to
>no avail and a sighted person can look it up in the index/glossary. I
>had a grammar book with huge tables; the tables showed various
>conjugations of words. Again, a sighted person could easily skim the
>10 colums and get the pattern or main ideas where as I had to have a
>reader explain it and in more detail to get it. Still I did what I
>had to do and succeed in the class.
>
>Ashley
>
>
>-----Original Message----- From: T. Joseph Carter
>Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 4:10 AM
>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] [Nfbnet-members-list] Threw Our Eyes interview,
>Ride into History, Race for Independence, Wed. June 22, 8:00 pm EDT
>
>I have a Master’s degree that is completely useless because of
>discrimination. I am deeply in debt and looking for employment in
>unrelated fields. If anything, my degree is an impediment to
>employment because people see it and presume they cannot afford to
>hire me with my educational background.
>
>The way I see it, if our alternative techniques aren’t effective
>enough to do the same job and in roughly the same time frame, then we
>need to improve either the technique or our mastery of them, because
>they are not yet suitable alternatives to really compete with our
>sighted peers.
>
>After battling a couple of cancers, I’ve really had to ask myself
>what limitations I’m willing to accept others placing on my life
>because of my disability, and whether I’d place any of my own. The
>answer was the same to both: I won’t accept limitations just because
>I can’t see.
>
>I just walked into a testing environment today. I brought with me
>what accommodations I thought I’d need, and a few I thought I
>probably wouldn’t. They were in no way prepared for me as a blind
>person to be there, and tried to figure out what sort of adaptations
>I might need. But as it happens, I didn’t, because I was prepared.
>I took the same examination everyone else did, aided only by a little
>bit of technology (and not exactly high tech either!) It worked, I
>took the exam, finished in relatively similar time to my peers, and I
>passed.
>
>Would other accommodations have been more useful? Yes. Would they
>have been possible given time to arrange them? Yes. Did not having
>them stop me? No. Because I’m no longer willing to be stopped. I
>will get it done, one way or another. If we couldn’t find a way to
>do that tonight, we would have done it at the next opportunity.
>
>Joseph
>
>
>On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 10:03:06PM -0400, bookwormahb at earthlink.net wrote:
>>Joseph,
>>Yes most people work through college. But as Kirt rightly points
>>out, we have barriers to doing those little part time jobs. One of
>>them is that our studying and alternative techniques take longer.
>>We cannot glance at a graph; we cannot skim a book or cut many
>>corners in studying as sighted students do either because their
>>lazy or in a time crunch.
>>In theory we should work and be like everyone else. But sadly,
>>without that BA degree
>>our opportunities for office jobs are very limited. Aren't you
>>looking for work with a degree? If so, you know the job market is
>>tough and competetive.
>>
>>Kirt said
>>"School is preparing me to work a regular job-since my alternative
>>techniques require lots of time work isn't really practical for me
>>while I go through school. I suspect that's why you applied for SSI
>>in the first place. "
>>That's right. SSI could be seen as a handout, but if its used
>>temporarily and a blind person intends to use his/her schooling to
>>secure competetive employment, then that is alright. After all,
>>your years of work paying taxes you will contribute to the system
>>like most Americans.
>>
>>I agree with Kirt that its not too practical to work through
>>school. I could go on and on. I'm sure some people do it to earn
>>extra cash, and if they are lucky to find a good job with an open
>>minded employer, that is great. But how many blind people do you
>>know with only high school diplomas working part time? How many do
>>you know who cansay work typical college part time jobs at cash
>>registers, as a salesperson, or front desk? No, I don't know any
>>because those jobs are too visual. Being a hostess, server, or
>>table cleaner are other common jobs. Again, a blind person cannot
>>wait tables; oh maybe they could bartend, but that requires a
>>special license and I think you have to be 21.
>>There are some jobs a blind student can do with skills, but again
>>you have to have someone willing to hire you with no, I repeat no
>>experience; and most employers won't do that and you don't even
>>have the schooling to back up what you want to do.
>>Jobs such as babysitting, tutoring, being a receptionist,
>>telemarketer, or customer service representative are jobs we can
>>do. These jobs don't require a college degree, if you work for
>>certain employers.
>>
>>Joseph, if you decide not to take SSI, I hope you still have food
>>stamps or your family or friends can loan you money. I would not
>>want you to go hungry. Food pantries don't give out full meals;
>>only soup kitchens do and most soup kitchens only serve one or two
>>meals a day.
>>Good luck with whatever you decide.
>>Ashley
>>
>>-----Original Message----- From: T. Joseph Carter
>>Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2011 9:03 PM
>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] [Nfbnet-members-list] Threw Our Eyes
>>interview, Ride into History, Race for Independence, Wed. June 22,
>>8:00 pm EDT
>>
>>Wait, are you saying the system is designed for us to sit on our
>>collective duffs and mooch off of others while we piddle around and
>>do nothing? Does that seem like an appropriate system to you?
>>
>>You know how most people get through school? They work. Why should
>>we be different? Yes, I know we ARE, but why should we accept that?
>>We cannot work through school because the very act of going through
>>school takes us longer. Why? Because we haven’t got the skills to
>>keep up. Why? Because the same system that is giving us our little
>>handout (for which I’m told we should be grateful) has actively
>>interfered in our efforts to be and do better than that.
>>
>>As for suing, how, whom, and why? My benefits were never actually
>>stopped, only threatened. Just enough to keep me jumping for my
>>government slavemasters. I was entitled to, had, and won each of my
>>appeals, so the system worked as designed.
>>
>>I’m just no longer willing to be a slave.
>>
>>Joseph
>>
>>
>>On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 01:18:23PM -0600, Kirt Manwaring wrote:
>>>Joseph,
>>>You make great points, and I really do feel for you. That's
>>>aweful...like, maybe get a social security lawyer kind of aweful.
>>>All I'm saying is, the way the system is intended to work (and the
>>>way it works for a lot of us), SSI is necessary income. I'm using it
>>>so I don't starve through school; the minute I get out and find a
>>>full-time job, I'm saying goodbye to my SSI for good. That's how it
>>>should be-use it to get yourself able to work then cut the cord. I
>>>know lots of people abuse it, I know it's poorly managed, and I know
>>>you're getting screwed by the system. But the way I see it, it's
>>>designed to be a boost up to equality, not a handout. Of course,
>>>everyone doesn't use it that way.
>>>In any case, best of luck. I hope things work out for you. For
>>>what it's worth, I'm sorry you're going through all this crap.
>>>Best wishes,
>>>Kirt
>>>
>>>On 6/25/11, T. Joseph Carter <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>Kirt,
>>>>
>>>>Social Security and SSI are still a handout, and they come with
>>>>strings attached that make getting off of them pretty difficult.
>>>>Especially if you live in subsidized housing, collect food stamps,
>>>>receive utility subsidies, etc. If you do and you go and find
>>>>yourself a job that doesn’t pay enough, you will have a sudden net
>>>>reduction in your income that already doesn’t pay the bills.
>>>>
>>>>I’ve decided I’m getting off this roller coaster even if it makes me
>>>>homeless in the process, because I’m sick and tired of living in fear
>>>>that they might take away my benefits! I’ve gotten three letters to
>>>>that effect in the past two years, in the midst of cancer treatment
>>>>for two of them, all with the customary 30 day appeal I’d better take
>>>>advantage of if I want to be able to survive another month!
>>>>
>>>>I’m tired of getting paid to NOT work. I’m tired of living in places
>>>>where the government intrudes upon my home three times a year to make
>>>>sure my landlord isn’t complete pond scum (but allowing them to be
>>>>one level removed from pond scum!) I’m tired of being told that if I
>>>>start working, my rent will suddenly be 120% of what anybody in their
>>>>right might would ever pay for this dump. And I’m tired of being
>>>>told that they’re sorry, but I just don’t qualify for the work
>>>>incentives, or the better medical coverage, or the exemptions that
>>>>might possibly allow me to save a few hundred dollars with which to
>>>>actually get out of here!
>>>>
>>>>Your not-a-handout Social Security and SSI have made slaves of far
>>>>too many of us. Perfectly able to work, but afraid to try for fear
>>>>that we’ll lose what little we’ve got. We are trapped in a prison of
>>>>learned helplessness, and the only way out is to see these things—all
>>>>of them—for what they are: Government handouts designed to keep us
>>>>docile, afraid, and living in poverty.
>>>>
>>>>I’m done playing that game.
>>>>
>>>>Joseph
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 09:13:21AM -0600, Kirt Manwaring wrote:
>>>>>Carley,
>>>>>First off, I've done a bit of really light research and I was way
>>>>>liberal about what I thought the cost of this would be. It's probably
>>>>>going to be in the neighborhood of $100 million, so I was way off.
>>>>>That'll teach me not to make outlandish statements with no proof.
>>>>>But still, the point I made in my last message stands. Of course I
>>>>>don't want the government to write out a check for all of us-I was
>>>>>trying to point out that trying to make all the cash out there more
>>>>>"blind-friendly" is not necessary. Just like we don't need government
>>>>>handouts (I'm not counting SSI as a government handout because that's
>>>>>money lots of us genuinely need), we don't need the government
>>>>>spending $100 million redesigning currency we can already use with
>>>>>pretty much no problem. Honestly, if you think you can't afford an
>>>>>iBill, there's probably something you're buying with your $680 a month
>>>>>that you really don't need.
>>>>>Just a thought,
>>>>>Kirt
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>nabs-l mailing list
>>>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>nabs-l:
>>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/kirt.crazydude%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>nabs-l mailing list
>>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>for nabs-l:
>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carter.tjoseph%40gmail.com
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>nabs-l mailing list
>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>for nabs-l:
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>nabs-l mailing list
>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>for nabs-l:
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carter.tjoseph%40gmail.com
>
>_______________________________________________
>nabs-l mailing list
>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>nabs-l:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>nabs-l mailing list
>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carter.tjoseph%40gmail.com
More information about the NABS-L
mailing list