[Nfbf-l] Updatae on district/from Doreen's "snippets" from Sat.

Sun Jun 6 17:59:43 UTC 2010

Lenora
you are right, just like others .... FOPBC and NFB are THE RIGHT place to be in! I am very encouraged by all of the words of support and other ideas on what to do for Torrie. I have even thought to meet alone over summer with someone from our area who is an accomplished and independent and safe cane traveler! Maybe having director talk to them and "get their side" instead of just his O&M's side will make him see that there is more than just what the O&M is saying! One step half-forward yet five backwards. 

Thank you for your words and encouragement ... I feel like the verizon commercial -- with all of NFB and parents divisions behind me!!! 

Doreen
support Torrie in the Race for Independence;
go to www.raceforindependence.org/goto/TorrieF

--- On Sun, 6/6/10, Lenora J. Marten <bluegolfshoes at aol.com> wrote:

From: Lenora J. Marten <bluegolfshoes at aol.com>
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Updatae on district/from Doreen's "snippets" from Sat.
To: nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
Date: Sunday, June 6, 2010, 11:26 AM

Doreen,

It is disheartening to know that parents and children are having to
fight with such fierceness for something that should be understood -
equality and the ability to participate as an individual despite the 
challenges they face. For blindness is really nothing more than a 
challenge to be overcome. Torrie should have been permitted to 
celebrate her independence  by displaying the O & M skills she
learned when walking across the stage to participate in the program.
It is also saddening that the administration is seemingly unaware 
that their attempts to make Torrie look 'normal' is actually what
drew attention to her disability, chipping away her independence and
self confidence. 

Your letter takes me back to when Eric was in 2nd grade and we 
were having so very many difficulties with the school and services
that we decided to try the blind school in Tucson. He had convinced 
himself that teachers at ASDB would know 'just what to do'. To 
make a very long story short, we were shocked to learn that children
with some usable vision were not permitted to use their canes on 
campus. We were told that 'they learn the campus pretty quickly, so
they don't need them, and we don't want them to play with their canes.' 
Like Torrie, Eric's cane was already a part of him and he certainly did
not 'play' with it. 

You and David are doing such a wonderful job with Torrie. You are 
advocating for her while at the same time making sure that she gets
the needed instruction that she is missing at school. You are connecting
with parents that have 'been there, done that' as well as parents who
are going through similar experiences. You've connected with blind
adult role models who offer insight that no sighted administrator or 
teacher ever could. And I know that it seems like every time you take
one step forward, you get knocked back five. Because of what you and
David are doing, Torrie will grow up knowing that her blind community
is behind her. And WE will celebrate her independence! 

Lenora 

-----Original Message-----
From: Doreen Franklin <theconelady at yahoo.com>
To: NFB/List <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Fri, Jun 4, 2010 2:06 pm
Subject: [Nfbf-l] Updatae on district/from Doreen's "snippets" from Sat.

i to all,

wanted to share a letter that has been hand-delivered to the school 
uperintendent about Torrie's pre-k graduation ceremony. It was bittersweet as 
ou will be able to tell from the letter. Obviously, we have a lot further to go 
han I thought! But I know I am in the right place with FOPBC and NFBF! I will 
e interested to see if we get any kind of response from superintendent or ESE 
irector.
oreen Franklin 

am writing about my daughter who is visually impaired and in the pre-K program 
t Eagles Nest. Her graduation ceremony was today and I am writing to tell you 
ow upset my family was with the treatment of our daughter, Victorria. 

he ceremony started with Victorria being led by Mrs Rowe using sighted guide (I 
an’t say it was correct, but that is not the point). Torrie was set down on the 
loor to watch the photo review of the year with the rest of her class. Torrie 
as low vision and she was not able to see or "recognize" the pictures of 
erself and her friends. I sat and I cried, not because of joy, but because she 
ould not see the pictures. All of the other children were shouting out "that's 
e" and they even shouted "Torrie," but because Torrie could not see, Torrie 
ould not participate in the festivity that her other friends were enjoying. It 
as heart breaking as I sat there and continued to watch Torrie not be able to 
articipate like her sighted peers. It made me even sadder, and I continued to 
ry. I wanted to bring her over to me and go through the pictures verbally with 
er, but I knew she needed to stay where she is. (I have asked Mrs Rowe for a 
opy of the CD so
that Torrie can watch the show at home). 

s the ceremony continued, the children were moved to the stage. Again, Torrie 
as led by Mrs Rowe to her seat. I looked at Torrie and her cane was no where to 
e found. I was in shock! In our eyes, it said to us that she "couldn't be 
erself." During the program, Torrie was then led to a place on the stage to 
old a sign while all of the other children were able to walk toward the 
udience in different parts of the program. We sat there and were so 
isappointed that our daughter's disability was not recognized, that she was 
ade to "look like all of the other children" yet she was not doing the same 
ctivity (walking toward the audience) like her sighted peers. I was livid at 
his point because Torrie could not be herself, but had to “look like the other 
ighted children”.  My family was upset and disappointed that Torrie had to be 
ade to be like one of the other kids in the program. Her disability and her 
ane seemed to be something to be ashamed
of. That is not what we are instilling in Torrie. She is to be proud of who she 
s! 

his past weekend, I was at a state convention for people who are blind and 
isually impaired and everyone used their cane or guide dog. No one was ashamed 
f having a visual disability. These adults had to navigate a new environment to 
ll of them – they had to find their way from the hotel check-in, to their 
ooms, to the restaurant, to the main seminar room and other seminar rooms. 
everal of these people were also speakers who had to navigate to the front of 
he room for their speeches. None of these adults were embarrassed  by their 
anes or guide dogs; instead they navigated around the hotel with confidence and 
ndependence. Why isn’t this outlook of independence being supported by the 
chool? I don’t even have the words to describe my feelings about the 
ndependence and assurance these people had last weekend, and how my daughter 
as not allowed to use her cane which makes her independent and safe! What a 
tark contrast! There are no words
for this! 

he diplomas were then given out by Mr Lynch and the children were to shake 
ands with Mrs Rowe, Mr Lynch and Mrs Serynak. Torrie did not have her cane and 
he walked across the stage, without her cane. When I saw that, I gasped for my 
aughter's safety as well as the fact that she did not have her cane to use, 
hich is a vital part of her. Torrie's cane is as much a part of her as her 
lasses are, just like our glasses are a part of us (we all wear glasses). After 
he ceremony, Torrie was led off the stage by Mrs Rowe. All of the other 
hildren were able to go to their parents and had pictures taken with family and 
n stage. Torrie looked toward us, but Torrie had Mrs Rowe’s hand. When she 
ooked toward us, I was not sure what to do - get her or let her go to her class 
s were the directions. Instead, all the parents got their children and took 
ictures, and Torrie had Mrs Rowe's hand and was being led out of the 
uditorium. My family and I were very
disappointed, especially after seeing other families taking pictures. I have no 
ictures of Torrie alone on stage with her diploma. I have Torrie and her class 
nstead of individual pictures of our graduate. Instead of this being a very 
appy day, it was heart breaking, depressing and very disconcerting. 

orrie is finally getting orientation and mobility instruction for use in cane. 
n our last IEP meeting, it was decided that she would not use the cane in her 
lass but she would use it any other time outside of her class. Torrie should 
ave used her cane while in the auditorium instead of the fact that it was being 
overed up. I don't think it would have mattered to the other parents if Torrie 
ad used her cane (they all know she uses a cane) and it was set on the floor by 
er. She could have used her cane to move around, just like her sighted peers. 
nstead, her disability was concealed. Do you know the message being sent to 
orrie? That message is that you cannot be you - you need to "hide" your 
isability and hide your cane. What a sad commentary for our pre-K children! How 
re we to build her self-esteem with the use of her cane at this point? 

have been trying to be upbeat about the whole ceremony with my daughter, but 
t has been quite hard to hide my feelings. Torrie told me that "she didn't need 
er cane on the stage" which is not a 5-yr old's decision. The use of a cane is 
decision made by her parents, and it was then reaffirmed by the IEP Team after 
n IEE on orientation & mobility clearly showed the reasons for the use of the 
ane. How can we instill that the cane is necessary with her visual disability 
hen the school isn't even on-board for the use of her cane? 

oreen and David Franklin

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