[nabs-l] Frustrating High School Issue...

[justin williams]

At all cost, you must insure that you are not placed into the challenged
room with multiple disabilities.  Have you and your mother go to the
principal first, then if that does not work, which it seems likely, then
write a letter to the super intendant.  Start martialing your resources.
Make sure you write down any conversation you have had with the school
officials, and any conversations you have from here forward.  That is how I
would start.  If you do not get a response, you must decide whether to go to
a new school or use the NFB, and ADA to in a more aggressive fashion.

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of johnnie Jean
duran
Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 11:00 PM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabs-l] Frustrating High School Issue...

Dear National Association of Blind Students, As some of you are aware of,
next year, I will become a 9th grader
(freshman) at Alameda International High School. This high school is a
public school in Lakewood Colorado.
While visiting the school for the first time, I'd realized that the area in
which the 9th grade students have classes in, has no braille on the walls.
There are 2 pods, that look exactly alike, but there is no braille on each
doorway to identify which room you are entering.
This is going to be an issue for me because there is no way of identifying
which room I am entering, or which pod I am in. I brought this situation up
to my TVI and ONM teachers. My ONM teacher then informed me that she'd
spoken to Alameda several times, and they've made it seem as if this issue
was not a necessity. My TVI told me that she would talk to the
administration about this issue. A few days later, she happily informed me
that they were getting braille up on the walls ASAP.
2 months later, while I am viseting the school with my 8th grade class, we
took a tour through the pods, and still I did not see any braille. At a
parent night my Mom attended tonight, she brought up the issue to the
Assistant Principal as well. He informed us that he's been aware of the
situation for several years, and then turned away as if it were not
important enough to discuss. He then told us, that I would be placed in a
challenge room with students who have multiple disabilities. I was
frustrated with this issue because of the fact that I do not need to be in a
challenge room. I am capable of everything a sighted individual is capable
of doing, and the only thing that is stopping me is that braille. I feel
like I am being underestimated, and I rfuse to be placed in a challege room
when I don't need it.
The NFB is my last resort, therefore as experienced blind students, I am
asking for your help. How would I take this situation to the next level?
All advice is always appreciated!
Thank you,
JJ

--
Ms. Johnnie Jean Duran
8th Grade Student
O'Connell Middle School - An IB World School Lakewood, Colorado, United
States Member Of The National Federation Of The Blind Of Colorado (NFBCO),
The Colorado Association Of Blind Students (CABS), and the North Metro
Chapter of the NFB.
Facebook: facebook.com/johnniejean.duran
Instagram: jj_duran13
Skype: jj.duran13
Kik: jjd_13
Twitter: jj_duran_13

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