[nabs-l] Filing discrimination complaint re NIU TVI program with US Department of Education

Sun Jan 22 12:25:53 UTC 2017

Hi Zach,
You can still pursue a graduate degree from Louisiana Tech as a Teacher of Blind students even if you do not have an undergraduate degree in teaching. I am a recent graduate in the MAT program to be a teacher of blind students and also received my NOMC as well. I highly recommend the program for everyone, if you have an undergrad in teaching or not. 

Thanks, 
Stephanie Martin
MAT TVI NCUEB
Phone: 504-982-7452
Work email: Stephanie.martin at lincolnschools.com
Personal email: martinsteph2010 at yahoo.com

> On Jan 22, 2017, at 1:29 AM, Zachary N. Griego-Dreicer via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Good morning Ashley, I changed my major to rehabilitation services, and I only stayed up here for a year until I figured out that I was not going to get anywhere in the TVI program. I am definitely going to continue the rehab majors at Louisiana Tech in a few years, at least that is the hope  right now… that way I can continue to go down the path of instruction of blind people, although it may not necessarily be students in the kindergarten through 12th grade, but rather adults
> 
> Sent from my iPhone 7 Using VoiceOver
> 
>> On Jan 22, 2017, at 00:40, Ashley Bramlett via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Zach,
>> 
>> So what is your new major? Since you only have two semesters left, I can see why you chose to stay at this school.
>> I think you will do  fine in grad school. Not everyone has an education degree that goes to study to be a teacher of blind and vision impaired students.
>> I'm glad you tried to study it and plan to pursue being a teacher. We need more of them.
>> 
>> As for filing a complaint, you probably could do some good there. If you file a complaint, at least they will investigate the school on your behalf. As for NFB representation, that would be a question for Valerie at the national office.
>> 
>> Not all programs to teach teachers of blind and vision impaired students discriminate. I'm wondering what kept you at NIU  so long with this situation. You could have gone to another school to study either being a teacher of the visually impaired or someplace to get a general teaching degree.
>> 
>> Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
>> 
>> Ashley
>> -----Original Message----- From: Zachary N. GriegoDreicer via NABS-L
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2017 1:22 AM
>> To: iabs-talk at nfbnet.org ; il-talk at nfbnet.org ; nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Zachary N. GriegoDreicer
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Filing discrimination complaint re NIU TVI program with US Department of Education
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> Happy new year. I flew all day to Chicago's O'Hare airport the other day from home and was starting to question why I was even coming back to Illinois for another semester after the appaling grade I got in classes I mentioned as being challenging and unpassable due to facing discrimination against all blind students last semester (fall 2016) to you in an earlier email. I had a good long time to think about this as I got further and further away from home, having the question of my voc rehab counsellor and many others of why I didn't transfer to somewhere back home if I'm not going to graduate with what I want to think about, and thought that my best course of action was to just complete the major I switched to after my email to you all last year was sent, especially considering that I can graduate with vocational rehab services undergrad major at the end of the 2017 fall semester. I'm frankly not satisfied with this, because this was planned for down the road, I could accomplish this major at a school much nearer home in an undergraduate path, and I came thousands miles to do the TVI program and am now at this point not even going to graduate with an education credencial. One of my friends suggested the other day that I am within my right to file a complaint to the department of education because a programa for TVIS teachers of visually impaired should most definitelya be accessible. I did file a complaint locally with the school as you guys suggested, but I am highly unsatisfied with how slowly it's progressing and am also highly disappointed in my current situation of being steered off a path that I really wanted to pursue. Nobody else around here has complained or is doing anything about it so I am going to and nobody can now disuade me. I'm not in Illinois just for any program and this is really upsetting that I'm having to do this and that other blind students attending the same program in hopes of the same degree just ran off into the distance and said nothing of it. I'd much rather this not become a legal issue so my friend said the department of ed route will do it and would be much less likely to result in lawyers getting involved. I'm also doing this to try and help, NOT to do a lawsuit. Once the complaint has been received by the department of ed will someone (or a group of people) in NFB be able to please provide representation to guide the school and/or department of ed to make the program accessible? I have hope of returning to this program is something is done about it before December which is my currently scheduled graduation date. Thanks.
>> 
>> Sent from my BrailleNote Touch
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