[nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools

Sun Feb 7 14:31:35 UTC 2016

I honestly think that Blind Schools shelter students, and don't prepare them for the real world.  I went to public school until my 11th grade year of school, and I'm regretting even going to a blind school.  
The academics is way behind for high school.  Like some have said, I feel like blind schools baby and give students everything without questions asked, therefore they expect tmhe sighted world to do the same.  How can one develop self advocacy skills when they are handed everything without having to fight for it?

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 6, 2016, at 11:11 PM, Kayla James via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Lol. I'm not the only one who gets irritated? Boss awesome!
> 
>> On 2/6/16, Doug Oliver via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Danielle I agree with you I have had people do the "your so amazing"
>> comments too and it irritated me too I know what that's like.
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Danielle Sykora via nabs-l" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "Danielle Sykora" <dsykora29 at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Saturday, February 6, 2016 9:59 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools
>> 
>> 
>>> As someone who has only been to public school, I am extremely greatful
>>> that my education was in this setting. Although it was challenging at
>>> times, I'm glad I was in "the real world" from the beginning. Though
>>> most of my work was available, accessibility challenges were always an
>>> unfortunate but unavoidable part of life I learned to deal with long
>>> ago. Most people viewed me as "that blind girl", but honestly, this is
>>> how it usually is as a minority. A similar hierarchy exists among
>>> blind people as it does in your average school environment. I'm not an
>>> overly social person, so it doesn't make a huge difference to me--I
>>> don't deal with people who have a superiority complex and I'm
>>> perfectly happy with just a few close friends. The "your so amazing"
>>> comments irritate me to no end and I actually tend to discredit
>>> compliments as products of low expectations, so I'm not sure the sense
>>> of entitlement happens all that often. Most importantly though, I
>>> needed to be in an academically challenging environment that I'm not
>>> sure is always available in a residential school for the blind. For
>>> example, how many AP science classes would be available in one of
>>> these schools?
>>> 
>>> Danielle
>>> 
>>>> On 2/6/16, Vejas Vasiliauskas via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> I feel like as a public school student and you are blind, lots of
>>>> people are amazed by you and you may get a false sense of
>>>> entitlement.  Particularly in elementary school 'I'm sure a lot
>>>> of people can relate to th', you get paired with friends who are
>>>> there to help you at lunch and recess--as you get older this of
>>>> course doesn't happen, and it can be a shock to some people.
>>>> I can say now that as a student at LCB I am not "The Blind Kid",
>>>> and there are groups here, but friends choose each other based on
>>>> much more meaningful reasons.
>>>> Vejas
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Kayla James via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Date sent: Sat, 6 Feb 2016 21:12:47 -0600
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools
>>>> 
>>>> From someone who has done both, there isn't a whole lot of
>>>> difference.
>>>> In public school, you will be the "blind" kid, new, and people
>>>> will be
>>>> scared of you, but it helps you deal more with the real world
>>>> where
>>>> you are a minority in a sense.  Residential blind schools are
>>>> like
>>>> public schools, you'll be the "blind" kid there, too, and
>>>> depending on
>>>> the hierarchy, because let's face it there is one, that can be
>>>> good or
>>>> bad.
>>>> The popular kids are usually visually impaired, athletic, pretty,
>>>> you
>>>> name it.  Totals are in on it, too.  The pros: you are around
>>>> your own
>>>> set, if you will.
>>>> 
>>>> On 2/6/16, Christina Moore via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> I believe both settings have thier benefits and disadvantages.
>>>> I attended a school for the blind from 2-4 grade and was a
>>>> residental
>>>> student.  I did not mind in any not being at home and being at
>>>> the
>>>> school for the blind allowed me to be around other kids, advance
>>>> my
>>>> braille skills, learn some other necessary skills and gain
>>>> self-confidence I would not otherwise have had.
>>>> Once I entered public school in fifth grade it waws a hurtle for
>>>> me to
>>>> do math and to accept being in a public school because my whole
>>>> world
>>>> was different.  My school was learning how to help me as they
>>>> were
>>>> going and that was challenging at time.  It was not thier fault,
>>>> but it
>>>> was still challenging.  I did well though and am in college now.
>>>> I believe both experiences have their advantages and
>>>> disadvantages.
>>>> For instance, there is more self-advocacy, need to prove
>>>> yourself to
>>>> classmates Etc.  in a school that is public versus a school that
>>>> catters to blindness.  Everyone in my opinion should have an
>>>> experience
>>>> of starting out in a school for the blind in some way and then
>>>> they
>>>> should be transitioned into a public school where they finish
>>>> thier
>>>> education.
>>>> Just my thoughts.
>>>> 
>>>> On 2/6/16, jessica hodges via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> I believe schools for the blind can have some benefits.  If you
>>>> go there
>>>> as a residential student, depending on the school, and the
>>>> quality of
>>>> education, you can get a lot of skills that can serve you very
>>>> well in
>>>> life after graduation, if you keep practicing them.  However, I
>>>> believe
>>>> that a student should also have some public school exposure, to
>>>> teach
>>>> self advicasy, as well as how to cope when things when all
>>>> materials and
>>>> experiences are not accessible, and optimized for blindness.
>>>> The issue
>>>> that I find with blind schools is that they basically hand the
>>>> students
>>>> the world on a silver platter.  They don't have to fight for
>>>> anything,
>>>> make due with anything that isn't perfectly accessible, and so
>>>> have no
>>>> exposure in how to deal with things in the "real world," outside
>>>> the
>>>> sphere of the blind school.  I went to a blind school from my
>>>> third to
>>>> sixth grade year, and was home schooled through seventh grade,
>>>> so I
>>>> struggled integrating back into the school system, particularly
>>>> in math,
>>>> trying to adapt to a visually taught class and things.  I also
>>>> didn't
>>>> stay at the school, so I did not learn half of the skills that I
>>>> could
>>>> have.
>>>>       In conclusion, I believe it is good to give students
>>>> experience in
>>>> both public, and blind school settings.
>>>> Hope this helps.
>>>> Jessica
>>>> 
>>>> On 2/6/2016 4:42 PM, Roanna Bacchus via nabs-l wrote:
>>>> Good evening Students,
>>>> 
>>>> I have a question for all of you.  What are the advantages and
>>>> disadvantages of attending a residential school for the blind vs
>>>> a
>>>> public school? I could not handle being away from my family
>>>> during the
>>>> week.  As a toddler I attended the Early Intervention program at
>>>> the
>>>> Perkins School For The Blind.  I'd like to hear your thoughts on
>>>> this
>>>> topic.
>>>> 
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