[NABS-L] Seeking Feedback on Draft Resolution about Changing the Name of a School for the Blind

Fri May 31 04:52:54 UTC 2024

This is the format of resolutions. Whether NFB or in many other 
organizations, this is how they're expected to be written.

On 5/30/2024 10:25 PM, kim drudge via NABS-L wrote:
> Yes, I agree. Plain language, as it is called, is getting more common, and
> in my opinion, plain language is paramount (important)!
> Kim
>
> On Thu, May 30, 2024 at 11:30 PM Alisha Geary via NABS-L<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Hey, just constructive, not anything to do with my opinion on the matter,
>> but if you really want to make it read better and be a change maker,
>> there’s a misuse of “where as,” multiple times. You’d typically use it to
>> make comparisons. similar to “is to,” or “in the same vein,” etc. if you
>> want to make it easier for people to understand, I’d loose the “where as,”
>> and put more meaningful and understandable phrases and words in its place.
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Alisha
>>
>>> On May 30, 2024, at 9:38 PM, Justin Salisbury via NABS-L <
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hi Kim,
>>>
>>> You may be relieved to know that Mr. Perkins did not participate in any
>> of the technological inventions. They were developed and produced in ways
>> that related to the school, but he did not have any direct role in
>> inventing those things. They bear his name because the school bears his
>> name.
>>> Also, the name of the organization today is the "Perkins School for the
>> Blind." I looked up their tax records, and they file taxes under that name
>> now. I don't know when they switched from the 1839 name, but maybe your
>> feedback tells me that I should add something to that Whereas clause to
>> help people understand that the name has evolved since then but has
>> continued to bear his name since 1839.
>>> Aloha,
>>>
>>> Justin
>>>
>>>
>>> Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB
>>> English Pronouns: he/him/his
>>> Phone: 808.797.8606
>>> Email:President at Alumni.ECU.edu
>>> ________________________________________
>>> From: kim drudge [kimmbell01 at gmail.com]
>>> Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2024 10:30 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Cc: Justin Salisbury
>>> Subject: Re: [NABS-L] Seeking Feedback on Draft Resolution about
>> Changing the Name of a School for the Blind
>>> Hello,
>>> I somewhat agree, but somewhat disagree. Mr. Perkins made the Perkins
>> brailler, the smart brailler, and the light-touch brailler.
>>> Instead of having the name of Perkins Asylum and Institution, it should
>> just be named "Perkins School for the Blind". Also, I believe Perkins
>> should expand to include people who are deafblind.
>>> Thank you,
>>> Kim
>>>
>>> On Thu, May 30, 2024 at 6:55 PM Justin Salisbury via NABS-L <
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org<mailto:nabs-l at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
>>> Dear NABS members and leaders,
>>>
>>> I am preparing to submit a resolution to be considered by the National
>> Federation of the Blind Convention in July. Since this is the NFB's
>> national student division, and since this resolution is about a school for
>> the blind, I am writing to ask for feedback that anyone might have about
>> the content and/or structure of this resolution. I plan to submit this
>> before the June 4 submission deadline, but I would love to hear any
>> thoughts that our students can offer.
>>> I will say even before posting the resolution that I expect that some
>> people may have strong feelings about this. For me, however the national
>> convention votes, I think it will be very instructive for all of us as we
>> come to more fully and completely understand the philosophy of the National
>> Federation of the Blind and what we truly mean when we say that we are
>> committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. These conversations are
>> complex, and they can be messy. They are also very important. At this point
>> in time, I truly don't know how I think the full national convention will
>> vote, but I would like to learn. I want to hear what people think about
>> this.
>>> Here is the current draft of the resolution
>>>
>>> Resolution 2024-##, Regarding the Harmful Namesake of the Perkins School
>> for the Blind
>>> WHERAS, The New England Asylum for the Blind was incorporated in 1829
>> and opened its doors in August 1832 in Boston, Massachusetts; and
>>> WHEREAS, The school changed its name in 1839 to become the Perkins
>> Institution and Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind in appreciation for
>> generous financial support from Thomas Handasyd Perkins; and
>>> WHEREAS, The Perkins School for the Blind, as a collective institution
>> including its library and products, remains a major factor in blind
>> services in New England today; and
>>> WHEREAS, Born in 1764, T. H. Perkins used money from his wealthy family
>> to start an international trading business, where he traded slaves and the
>> goods produced by their labor, including cotton, sugar, and rum, in the
>> Caribbean, until the Haitian Revolution in 1791; and
>>> WHEREAS, T. H. Perkins later expanded his fortune by illegally smuggling
>> opium into China; and
>>> WHEREAS, Pairing valuable products, services, and educational
>> experiences with the name of a known opium smuggler and slave trader
>> teaches students and community members of all backgrounds that these
>> immoral acts are not disqualifiers for being publicly honored; and
>>> WHEREAS, Continuing to honor a known slave trader and opium smuggler
>> perpetuates intergenerational trauma for people of all colors; and
>>> WHEREAS, On its website, the Perkins School for the Blind acknowledges
>> that it has financially benefitted from both the slave trade and opium
>> smuggling, and acknowledges the problems caused by this, particularly to
>> those in Black and Chinese communities; now, therefore
>>> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
>> assembled this seventh day of July, 2024, in the City of Orlando, Florida,
>> that this organization asserts that the enslavement of human beings and
>> illegal smuggling of opium are unequivocally immoral and that participating
>> in these wrongdoings is a disqualifier for being honored in any space
>> sufficiently influenced by the National Federation of the Blind; and
>>> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this organization commends the Perkins
>> School for the Blind for acknowledging how it has benefited from these
>> historical wrongs; and
>>> BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, That this organization urges the Perkins School
>> for the Blind to advance its efforts to promote diversity, equity, and
>> inclusion by changing its name to remove all references to Thomas Handasyd
>> Perkins.
>>>
>>> Thank you in advance for your feedback.
>>>
>>> Justin
>>>
>>> Justin MH Salisbury, MEd, NOMC, NCRTB
>>> English Pronouns: he/him/his
>>> Phone: 808.797.8606
>>> Email:President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>> --
>>> Kim Drudge
>>> Behind a great man is a strong woman.
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>> NABS-L:
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>>
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>
-- 

*Ty Littlefield*
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