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

[RJ Sandefur]

When I was in high skool, I did not have braille on the doors. I was 
expected to get to class's on time no excuses. Weeks before skool began, my 
mobility instructorwould work with me until I got the roots down. Their are 
other ways of doing things. This is where one must learn to problem solve. 
RJ
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Beth Taurasi" <denverqueen1107 at comcast.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 7:13 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Frustrating High School Issue...


> Hi, Johnny.
> I'mi sitting in your backyard, writing you a reply to your email. I did 
> not exactly get some of the normal experiences that some teenagers get, so 
> I hope that your parents can be good advocates and say you don't need the 
> challenge room for students with multiple disabilities.  Oftentimes, in 
> what we now call "special ed", we get lowered expectations, the worst 
> possible education, and unqualified aids and paraeducators who don't know 
> enough about disability.  I would suggest doing some research about the 
> unchallenging things about the "special ed" rooms.  Throwing you in that 
> room will isolate you from the other students, and I don't think that's 
> healthy.  I have had sighted friends, and those friends open a huge door. 
> Also, I'd talk to Julie Deden and Brent Batron from CCB over in Littleton. 
> IF you do participate in the youth programs, I'd do something where the 
> staff of CCB actually demonstrate the badness of being isolated in special 
> ed, and they can possibly bring in some sobering statistics.
> Hth,
> Beth
>
> On 1/28/2014 9:00 PM, johnnie Jean duran wrote:
>> 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
>>
>
>
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