[nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
Ashley Bramlett
bookwormahb at earthlink.net
Fri Feb 10 18:58:04 UTC 2012
Nicole,
Excuse me, we are talking high school, not college.
Read the original email. Chris is in eigth grade and students are acusing
him of cheating.
I think they are just trying to bully him. But that said, I think he needs
to ensure they can see his work like other students. There needs to be
visual verification, just as there is for other students.
So, if you need to use your technology, hook up a display to it. Then when
students acuse you of something, you have the teacher's backing since they
saw you do the exam.
Personally, I think blind students get to use electronics way too much. If
sighted students have to write by hand and read the test, why not blind
students. Read the braille test and write answers.
Many schools do not let you use personal computers and IMO it should stay
that way.
Also, having options is important because your technology can break down.
It seems like blind students are treated and trusted more so than sighted
students in public school these days with taking exams on their equipment. I
didn't do that. It worked okay so I know there are other options.
-----Original Message-----
From: Nicole B. Torcolini at Home
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 1:45 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
Please be careful about making blanket statements. What may be/have been for
you may not be the case for everyone. I am currently attending college, and
I am allowed to use both my BrailleNote and my laptop on tests. Of course,
there is that thing called the honor code that says that cheating is against
the rules. It applies to me no differently than it applies to other
students. This is enough to ensure that I do not cheat. As I said in a
previous email, if you cannot be trusted to not cheat on tests, then it's
possible that you cannot be trusted with certain other things.
As for your options for other test taking methods, only 5 is really
practical in a college setting.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 9:42 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
> Hi,
> Well, I think there needs to be supervision of these notetakers if they
> are used in test situations.
> I think a monitor should be hooked up to the notetaker for monitoring.
> Alternatively you can take tests a number of different ways in high
> school; I am glad I did not use my notetaker as the temptation to look at
> notes would be there and besides I firmly believe one needs to keep up
> their hard copy braille skills and not rely on notetakers all the time.
> BTW, you do not use a notetaker in college; you use a computer or a reader
> for tests. You cannot use your own PDA such as a braille notetaker or
> personal laptop either; at least where I went to school you do not because
> they know you have personal and school info on your laptop, notetaker, I
> Pad, etc.
>
> Why should blind students get to use electronic equipment when the rest of
> the class has to write by hand?
> You have an advantage if you use a pc or notetaker because you can edit
> your work.
>
> Instead of a notetaker you can take tests these ways and eliminate the
> questions that you might be cheating:
> 1. Have your TVI, teacher of the visually impaired, read it to you.
> 2. Have an aide read it to you if one works with you.
> 3. If you have to write, you write on a brailler and your TVI transcribes
> it. Oh what a concept; write by hand like everyone else!
>
> 4. Read it in braille and mark your answers in braille on a brailler. You
> can also mark your answers with a crayone or something else.
>
> 5. Take the test on a school issued computer that has none of your study
> notes on it.
>
> That said I'm sure no cheating is going on; but just saying if you want to
> eliminate suspicions, you do not use your own
> notetaker which has your notes on it.
>
> Ashley
> -----Original Message-----
> From: frandi.galindo at gmail.com
> Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 10:58 AM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>
> How else is some one who has vision problems or who is blind suppose to
> take
> notes in schools with out some kind of device that assists them in doing
> so.
> Do people expect them to bust out a pencil and a sheet of paper and start
> printing or cursive like the rest of them? Educate. That’s the magic
> word.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nicole B. Torcolini at Home
> Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 1:52 AM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>
> Actually, I think that there is a problem if you cannot be trusted to not
> cheat when using a notetaker on a test. If people cannot trust you with
> something like that, they probably cannot trust you with other things.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 6:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>
>
>> Well, it is easy to cheat with a notetaker and I'm surprised blind
>> students these days are let to take tests with them.
>> When I was in middle and high school, I was not allowed to use my braille
>> n speak on exams.
>> That said, these students have no business accusing any one of cheating.
>> They need to focus on their own work.
>> If they don't have evidence of cheating, they cannot do anything about it
>> anyway. Just say you are not cheating and go on.
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Beth
>> Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 8:26 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>> Chris,
>> Cheating on tests is a huge thing. IF these kids are trying to
>> tarnish your academic integrity, you need to tell the principal
>> once again. She will have to educate the kids about blindness
>> and academic integrity issues. This is important as you will
>> need academic integrity in order to go on to college and
>> university and if caught at university doing this, they will
>> penalize you and kick you out. Every sylabus at college I saw
>> had an Academic Integrity policy on it, and that should be said
>> of middle school.
>> Beth
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
>> list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:18:17 -0500
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>> Hi Ashley,
>>
>> I agree. I don't think this is something which is effecting my
>> right to a "free and appropriate education," and therefore
>> wouldn't be appropriate for an IEP or to even be brought up at
>> the IEP meeting; that is, unless it happens again and again. As
>> I reported here last week, I have talked with my principal about
>> this, and she has promised to take care of this. I trust that
>> she will, so I'm letting it go for now.
>>
>> Also, after more recent events have happened, the pretzel
>> incident seems like a pretty small matter. I won't go through
>> all the details, but basically other students at my school have
>> been falsely accusing me of cheating on tests (that is, looking
>> at notes I take in my notetaker during tests) and being "let off
>> the hook" on classwork when I'm really in a pullout class. These
>> kids really need to be educated!
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> Chris Nusbaum
>> Email and Google Talk/Keychat (on the BrailleNote) ID:
>> dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
>> Skype: christpher.nusbaum3 or search for Chris Nusbaum
>>
>> "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The
>> real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that
>> exists. If a blind person has the proper training and
>> opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a mere physical
>> nuisance."
>> -- Kenneth Jernigan
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 23:30:25 -0500
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>> Chris,
>> If it happens again and again, then bring it to the IEP team.
>> But if not,
>> I'd let it go. I mean you let the top official-- the principal
>> know. So I
>> think that is enough. Its not as if the Iep team will do
>> anything more; and
>> besides most of them such as your parents and TVI already know
>> about the
>> issues.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Chris Nusbaum
>> Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 10:07 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>> You're right; it wouldn't be something to put in my IEP. But do
>> you think it would hurt to bring it up to the team?
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The
>> real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that
>> exists. If a blind person has the proper training and
>> opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a mere physical
>> nuisance."
>> -- Kenneth Jernigan
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Nicole B. Torcolini at Home" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 15:09:51 -0800
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>> This is not the kind of thing that you put in an IEP.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Hope Paulos" <hope.paulos at gmail.com
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 4:48 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>>
>> Hi Chris. I'm assuming you're in high school.. I'd go to
>> both your
>> principal and your guidance counselor. I wouldn't talk to him
>> directly-- I
>> think he'd get more dicipline if you had the principal talk to
>> him. I'd
>> also bring it up during your IEP/PET.
>> HTH
>> Hope and Beignet
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 6:54 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>>
>> I knew this kid, speaking of criminals who were playground and
>> school
>> bullies, who was always harassing me, got mein trouble at lunch
>> one day in
>> elementary school, and later went on to rape somebody and go to
>> jail for
>> it.
>> Beth
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Desiree Oudinot <turtlepower17 at gmail.com
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 18:41:07 -0500
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] asking for advice on problem at school
>>
>> When I was in elementary school, I had kids stealing books from
>> me,
>> throwing erasers in my hair, pulling chairs out from under me,
>> you
>> name it, they did it. The worst part was that most times, my
>> teachers
>> were right there, and refused to do anything about it, because
>> they
>> too were uncomfortable with my blindness, so why should they
>> intervene? I say this because it wasn't so long ago that this
>> happened
>> to me. I grew up in the 90's, before bullying was the huge deal
>> it is
>> now, but still close enough to the events of Columbine that it
>> wasn't
>> completely unheard of either. And it was as "unacceptable" then
>> as it
>> is now. Yes, I put unacceptable in quotes, because guess what,
>> it
>> happens every day and so little of it is actually dealt with.
>> Meanwhile, things that are no real problem at all are resulting
>> in
>> criminal records, such as a case I heard about recently where a
>> boy
>> gave his friend a hug in school and was charged with sexual
>> harassment. I forget their exact ages, but they were young,
>> elementary
>> school age. And yet, kids are driven to suicide, depression,
>> drugs,
>> and every other dysfunction in the book, because they're bullied
>> mercilessly every day and no one will do anything about it.
>> Why do I say all this? I say it because I hope your school isn't
>> like
>> mine was. I hope that someone in authority actually cares. I
>> hope that
>> it doesn't escalate, because most kids have a cruel streak. I
>> think
>> it's true what they say about the impulsiveness of
>> adolescents--it's
>> human nature to be cruel, and at that age, most of us haven't
>> learned
>> how to control those impulses or aggressions, making them the
>> most
>> prone not only to selfishness and thoughtlessness, but to almost
>> animal rage, not to mention an inability to see beyond their own
>> actions to how they might be affecting others. My point is,
>> people
>> like this have to be stopped. Perhaps if something can get
>> through to
>> them while they're still young and impressionable, they might
>> not grow
>> up to be tomorrow's criminals. Or maybe they will, who knows.
>> But I've
>> seen enough to know what usually happens in these situations,
>> even if
>> it was 15 years ago; and, in saying that, I hope things have
>> evolved
>> at least a little bit since then. It makes me sick to read
>> messages
>> like this. I hope for your sake that these small actions do not
>> go
>> untouched. Right now this kid is probably testing the waters,
>> seeing
>> just how much he can get away with. If he can steal a pack of
>> gum, so
>> to speak, he may try to steal a candy bar next, then a bag of
>> chips,
>> and on and on it goes, you get the picture.
>>
>> On 2/1/12, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> wrote:
>> Chris, I know what you're going through.
>> I had a girl, put a dead frog in my shirt, as we were playing
>> outside,
>> (I was in elementary school, when that happened.)
>> Go to your principal, and he/she should do something.
>> This stuff has got to stop!
>> If they don't do anything, go in front of the schoolboard!
>> Blessings, Joshua
>>
>> On 2/1/12, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> I had a problem at school today that I'd like to get your
>> thoughts on as to what I should do next. Today during lunch,
>> another kid at my table dumped his bag of pretzels into my water
>> bottle without my knowing; he must have thought it was some kind
>> of funny prank. Fortunately, I was sitting next to a good
>> friend
>> of mine, who told me about this. Even after multiple people
>> commented negatively about what he did, he said nothing.
>>
>> Variations on this have happened before with this same kid as
>> the
>> perpetrater; only once before today this school year and 3 times
>> last year. The one time something like this happened this year,
>> he put his dirty napkin in my Yogurt cup (after I had finished
>> eating the Yogurt) without saying anything. The first time
>> (with
>> the napkin,) I realized that this had happened as I was getting
>> my trash together to throw it away. Knowing who did it, since
>> he'd done this kind of thing before last year, I said, "(Insert
>> name,) why is your napkin in my Yogurt?" Knowing that he had
>> been
>> caught, he replied, "Oh... sorry." I then talked to the lunch
>> lady who is in charge of supervising all of us in the lunchroom.
>> She said she would talk to him. I wasn't there when she did,
>> but
>> apparently she had, as the problem (for about a month and a
>> half)
>> had been resolved... that is, until today.
>>
>> I feel that this is a person taking advantage of my blindness
>> and
>> playing a "prank" on me knowing that I won't catch him. So,
>> what
>> do you think I should do next? Should I go to our principal?
>> Should I talk to him directly? Any suggestions would be greatly
>> appreciated!
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The
>> real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that
>> exists. If a blind person has the proper training and
>> opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a mere physical
>> nuisance."
>> -- Kenneth Jernigan
>>
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