[NABS-L] NABS Officers Standpoint

Mon Dec 14 12:50:48 UTC 2020

If I was a self-respecting student, I wouldn't be applying for the scholarship program. I don't want money from an organization with so much corruption. I plan to stick it out and help them change, because they really, really need change. This will no doubt be a big topic of discussion in the coming months, and I hope that leads to extreme leadership and policy changes. Until those changes occur, keep fighting the good fight and marching together. Sending love!

Maura J. Loberg
Nebraska Wesleyan University, class of 2024
President
| Nebraska Association of Blind Students

> On Dec 14, 2020, at 12:51 AM, Dimitrios Kouniaris via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
>     As a former graduate from both the LCB adult program, and STEP program reading all of these stories over the weekend has brought tears to my eyes! I am disgusted by the lack of response from our leaders. Especially our national president! 
>    This is a cancer that has spread, and corrective action needs to be taken! What is the point of being a member of a organization that refuses to deal with these on going issues? I challenge our national president to do some restructuring now! I challenge him to come up with solutions to this cancer that has spread! No one should feel like they can’t come forward. All complaints should be investigated and proper action should be taken! We don’t get anywhere if we sweep things under the rug!!! Until these issues are delt with, and some restructureing is done i refuse to suggest anyone to go to training! I believe that the skills that are taught are good, but policy’s need to be changed, and the bad apples need to go! 
> 
> Warm Regards,
> Mr. Dimitrios Kouniaris
> Direct Phone: 504-607-2776
> Email: dkouniaris at gmail.com
> 
>> On Dec 14, 2020, at 12:39 AM, Leena Bandy via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I am concerned about this too. I can verify the claim about the assistant shop instructor at LCB who is also bigoted toward races and religions different from his own. I cannot say much more here about my personal story, but I hope action is taken because this has to stop. I have seen far too many posts by young people who have been taken advantage of which is sick! 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Juan Parra via NABS-L
>> Sent: Monday, December 14, 2020 1:30 AM
>> To: Danielle Montour <danielle.montour1 at gmail.com>
>> Cc: Juan Parra <jp7002200 at gmail.com>; National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [NABS-L] NABS Officers Standpoint
>> 
>> As I suspected NABS was going to come out with a BS statement. Saying we are working on the issue. 
>> 
>> That is code for we will talk about it for a bit and wait for everyone to settle down and continue as usual. It is like a mass shooting everyone will say sending our prayers and thoughts. The victims will fight for change, but nothing will happen. 
>> 
>> The NFB will continue as usual because NABS is scared even though they are the future of the so-called voice of the nation’s blind and the abuse continues for another generation.
>> 
>> All NABS members should step down until the NFB really changes. Pam Allen is the chair of the code of conduct committee which is a joke. I heard there is a sexist assistant instructor at the LCB Wood Shop class. Pam knows about him and his attitude against women, but he is still allowed to work their even after so many complaints.
>> 
>> How about we all continue to support NABS and participate but just do not pay dues because the NFB love’s money. We must do something guy’s the youth are the future of the NFB.
>> 
>> If Mark Ricco Bono does not talk about what is currently happening in the NFB during the entire live presidential release in January or I think it might be in February, he must go as president even if he does talk about it, he must go you have to be naive. To think he does not know about what is going on he has complete control of the NFB nothing happens in the NFB without his permisssion
>> 
>> Honestly, the thing the NFB hate’s more than losing money is losing members to the ACB.
>> 
>> Ask yourself this when the #MeTo movement was going on nothing happened a BS Code of Conduct was created and a year later a known violator was given mic time at the 2019 national convention. This time it is confined to the NFB nothing is going to happen guys.
>> 
>> We could try to convince people to not go to the CCB, LCB, and Blind Inc until the NFB changes.
>> 
>> We could try to vote all the current board members and officers out at this year’s 
>> 
>> national convention.
>> 
>> We could refuse to participate in Washington Seminar.
>> 
>> The NFB needs the blind youth more than we need the NFB. We are the NFB.
>> 
>> 
>>>> On Dec 13, 2020, at 6:04 AM, Danielle Montour <danielle.montour1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> good morning,
>>> As someone whose first run in with sexual assault in this organization happened at a Blind students seminar, I’d like the answer to this, as well.
>>> before it happens to us as adults, it often happens to us as children when we are at specific programs to benefit students and young adults. Quite a few young people have come forward, sharing stories of all forms of misconduct that happened to them when they were children. If the survivors  of these stories have actually been taken seriously, a good number of people would not be able to live near schools and playgrounds right now, and they wouldn’t be able to be part of an organization that values children, either.
>>> There has been a pretty resounding silence on this, and I hope that breaks today.
>>> 
>>> With careful optimism,
>>> Danielle (she/her/hers)
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>>>> On Dec 13, 2020, at 07:10, Juan Parra via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Where do the elected officers of NABS stand on the current issue of 
>>>> sexual harassment inside the NFB and what are you guys planning to do about it.
>>>> 
>>>> As the largest division of the NFB and the future of the NFB NABS 
>>>> should boycott the NFB until they put their money where their mouth 
>>>> is when it comes to policy and enforcement of the code of conduct and 
>>>> insuring predators are not allowed to be part of the voice of the nation’s blind.
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