[nfb-talk] NY Times Article on Gov. Paterson and Braille

[Kenneth Chrane]

Is your Name Holly Reed?
Are you Still in Columbus, Ohio?
Please Email me off list @
kenneth.chrane at verizon.net.
Thank you.

Ken Chrane

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "holly miller" <hollym12 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2010 8:31 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] NY Times Article on Gov. Paterson and Braille


> As the mother of a 10 yr old who has Albinism, articles like this and the
> attitudes portrayed in them make things so much harder.
> I'm not afraid to say he's blind but will sometimes say legally blind,
> partially sighted, visually impaired simply for clarity.  He does have
> enough vision to see print.  Albinism is not degenerative, his vision 
> should
> remain stable but with his level of vision it becomes a question of how 
> long
> he can read before eye strain and fatigue take their toll on him absorbing
> and understanding what he's reading.
>
> We strongly believe braille and a cane are both appropriate
> and necessary for him.
>
> We have gotten enormous resistance both from the school and from our 
> state's
> commission for the blind.  Why would we want to do something "to" him like
> force him to use braille or a cane?  For quite a while we were assured he
> was "lucky" to have the amount of vision he has.  For quite a while, I
> believed the people who's job was to guide us on getting
> proper accommodations because I didn't think there was any reason not to.
> As time passed, I began to see him struggling.  As I began to read more,
> seek different avenues of information, I began to realize there were 
> options
> out there that were not being made available to him.  That was about two 
> and
> a half years ago.  Initially he was denied O&M instruction, we got a cane
> ourselves and with guidance from a wonderful NFB friend, taught him how to
> use it successfully.  Over this past summer he was finally granted a few
> formal O&M lessons.  I know there are people who are confounded that I 
> will
> allow him to "look blind" by using a cane.  There are people who will and
> have come right out and say that it's better for him to shuffle his feet,
> hold my hand and keep his head down to try to see what the ground is doing
> than to use a cane. I was told by the O&M professional evaluating him for
> services that tripping and falling is a learning experience.
>
> He still is being denied braille instruction.  We do have a lawyer and we 
> do
> have the support of many wonderful NFB folks.  I'm going to have to skip 
> the
> details because we are continuing to pursue legal avenues but I can say it
> has been an exhausting, disheartening process. The beliefs out there by 
> the
> people who should know better is astounding.  I can almost guarantee 
> someone
> will show me this very article as proof my son doesn't need braille.  Hey 
> if
> Mr. Patterson can become governor without it, how can I say my son's 
> future
> will be limited if he doesn't learn braille?  Yes, that is sarcasm.
>
> Anyway, this is what many parents are being told.  I'd imagine many newly
> blind adults are being told things like this as well by the people who 
> hold
> the power over what services are doled out.
> Many people wouldn't think twice.  These are the professionals, right? 
> Why
> would they question?  I know it took me a while to seek out the NFB.  A 
> good
> friend sent me the link a few times before I actually clicked.  My son
> wasn't blind, he was "only" visually impaired, surely an organization of 
> the
> blind wouldn't be the right place for us.
>
> I'm glad I have persistent friends.
> Obviously I have a much different viewpoint now.
>
> So, what can we do?  Realistically?
>
> First, we need to adjust the thinking of the professionals in the field. 
> If
> the existing ones are too fixed in their ways, at least do everything we 
> can
> to reach the upcoming ones.  I know the NFB has a website to promote new 
> TVI
> students.  I just spent 5 minutes looking for it, I couldn't find it.
> Perhaps that initiative could be boosted a bit.
>
> As individuals, if you know of a young person thinking of entering the
> teaching field, talk to them about becoming a TVI. Or an O&M instructor or
> rehab counselor.   If you know a teacher that is thinking about adding
> credentials, talk to them about becoming one of these professionals.  And
> talk to them about what makes a GOOD one vs a mediocre one.
>
> Another thing that might help reach the public is having the NFB spearhead 
> a
> documentary showing competent, skilled blind people living their lives.
> Show them working, parenting, maintaining their home going to school, 
> doing
> recreational activities.  Get inside a training center.  Make sure to
> include people who do have some sight but who are using non-visual
> skills successfully.  Show that sometimes there are challenges but that
> those challenges can be dealt with if the person has learned the proper
> skills.  Make it available on DVD for a nominal cost and on the internet 
> for
> free.  Something we can send our friends, our family.  Something that can 
> be
> shown at teacher in-service training.
>
> I hope I've gotten myself across the way I intended.  I have to admit I've
> been a long time lurker here who's been afraid to actually post because
> things get pretty heated sometimes.
>
> Holly
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org