[nfbmi-talk] news channel 3

joe harcz Comcast joeharcz at comcast.net
Sat Jun 19 00:23:06 UTC 2010


http://www.wwmt.com/articles/style-1377972-span-margin.html

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – The man who fired the director of a local school for the blind in 2010 set off a firestorm, and on Friday he spoke to

Newschannel 3 for the first time.

 

The Michigan Commission for the Blind fired the director of the Blind Training Center in Kalamazoo, Christine Boone, after she held a marksmanship class

for her students.

 

When Boone was fired, those students hit the streets in protest, and as they marched they had one man, Pat Cannon, in their cross-hairs.

 

Cannon is the director who made the call to fire Boone and now he's defending his record.

 

Over the last few months, many members of Michigan's blind community have been coming to Lansing to protest the Michigan Commission for the Blind, at first

they said they were angry about the firing of Boone in Kalamazoo, but now those protests have developed into an all out frustration with the agency that's

meant to represent them.

 

“The message that you're sending to the blind clients of the commission, the staff and the public, that qualified blind people cannot run the training center,”

said Larry Posont.

 

Frustration with the MCB has grown, with protests and pickets. Many are now saying that the MCB is not empowering the blind, but taking power from them.

 

They say the first sign was the firing of Boone and her replacement with a sighted person, Sherry Heibek.

 

“We're not objecting even to the fact that she's sighted,” said Fred Wurtzel, “we're objecting to the fact that she's not trained in blindness rehab, she

has a degree in computers and a degree in administration.”

 

However, the man who made the decision to fire Boone is holding his ground.

 

“I think we recognized going into the process that the choice was made, the decision was made to terminate, we knew that it would not be received well by

some,” said Pat Cannon, “but we couldn't let that possibility stop us from doing what needed to be done.”

 

Cannon says taxpayer money and time aren't being wasted by replacing people in the MCB, since he's supposed to find the best people, whether they are blind

or not.

 

“I believe strongly that blind people are well served when qualified blind people can be employed in important positions,” said Cannon.

 

Still, when pressed by Newschannel 3 over why Boone was fired, or whether he's concerned the move could bring legal action, Cannon didn't comment.

 

“Because the disciplinary action is under a grievance process, I can't comment on that,” said Cannon.

 

As for Boone, she says she's appealed her dismissal to the state and says she wants to exhaust all options before considering legal action.

 



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