[nfbmi-talk] sorry prior post didn't get thru

joe harcz Comcast joeharcz at comcast.net
Wed Apr 20 15:49:57 UTC 2011


Colleagues attached is a copy of an e-mail sent to me by Duncan Wyeth before he took retirement in frustration and in partial response to my numerous complaints
over ADA violations by Cannon, MCB and other State Actors. Note that Liz Bower here was the former Director of Michigan Protection and advocy Services.
Note that Serano and other MPAS folks know of major, systemwide web access and document access issues. Note I've complained for years yet, all seemed to
be untouchable. Why they are all joined at the hip politically. Regardless this is documentation of years of deliberate indifference to the ADA by all
these players who are charged with applying it to themselves and their activities.
By the way I have the campaign contributions to Bower from all of these parties.
Simply, they didn't sue themselves for eight years of mass discrimination, and known discrimination or just simply fix known problems.
Duncan Wyeth I will absolve in this affair as he did try to change things. But, he told me last year before he retired, "Joe, we need folks like you fighting
this stuff from the outside. I can't change anymore from the inside."
Oh, yes they now might be willing to sue the incoming Republicans their at Michigan Protection and Advocay Services. Alittle late.
In the interest of full disclosure I've been a Democrat for years and am decidedly left of center. But, this type of thing over decades is beyond the pale.
Joe,
Attached email:

----- Original Message -----

From:
Wyeth, Duncan (DELEG)

To:
joe harcz Comcast

Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 2:57 PM

Subject: FW: web access difficult for people with disabilities in Michigan

Duncan O. Wyeth

Executive Director

Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth

Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns

Victor Center

201 N. Washington Square,  Suite 150

Lansing, Michigan  48913

TEL:  517  335-0103

From: Elizabeth W. Bauer [mailto:ebauer7400 at aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 11:19 AM
To: ECERANO at mpas.org; Cannon, Patrick (DELEG); Collins, Vendella; Wyeth, Duncan (DELEG)
Cc: MCODY at mpas.org
Subject: Re: web access difficult for people with disabilities in Michigan

Thank you all. I find the entire state website difficult to navigate myself. When I saw this report, I thought perhaps a win for PWD would benefit us all.
 Most of  the ADA accommodations do.
:-)

Liz

Elizabeth W. Bauer, Member
Michigan State Board of Education
1355 Lake Park Drive
Birmingham, MI 48009-1089
248 540 4656
www.michigan.gov/sbe

"The secret of education is respecting the pupil."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

-----Original Message-----
From: ELMER CERANO <ECERANO at mpas.org>
To: Elizabeth Bauer <ebauer7400 at aol.com>; cannonp at michigan.gov; collinsve at michigan.gov; wyethd2 at michigan.gov
Cc: MARK CODY <MCODY at mpas.org>
Sent: Wed, Sep 8, 2010 10:18 am
Subject: Re: web access difficult for people with disabilities in Michigan

we have been meeting with UCP/Michigan, Mich Disability Rights Network and

Jackie Doig re: DHS ADA compliance. Their I.T. access is also a focus. Norm's

group will look closer at the ADA compliance of the local DHS offices's IT

access.

>>> "Elizabeth W. Bauer" <
ebauer7400 at aol.com>
9/6/2010 7:09 AM >>>

Hi Pat, Duncan, Vendella, Elmer,

Are any of the advocacy groups raising this issue with state officials? It seems

something that would benefit from a coordinated call for justice. What are the

incoming officials thinking about it, planning to do?

Liz

>From AAPD (9.1.10)

Report Finds Five State Benefits' Websites Inaccessible to People with

Disabilities

by Jenifer Simpson, AAPD Senior Director of Government Affairs

A June 22, 2010 report finds that state public benefits agencies are relying

more on their websites as a means of providing information to the public, and as

a means for applicants to secure Medicaid, food stamps, and cash assistance.

However, the report, by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ)

at
http://www.nclej.org/ ,
shows that at least five states * California,

Florida, Michigan, New York and Texas * have agency websites with problems that

make them inaccessible to people with disabilities who are users of assistive

technology, and many websites are difficult for anyone to navigate. ...

Elizabeth W. Bauer, Member

Michigan State Board of Education

1355 Lake Park Drive

Birmingham, MI 48009-1089

248 540 4656

www.michigan.gov/sbe

"
The secret of education is respecting the pupil."

Ralph Waldo Emerson




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