[nfbmi-talk] what is going on with this?

[joe harcz Comcast]

Resolution Related to Program Access and MCB

 

 

Whereas, all Vocational Rehabilitation entities  including the Michigan Commission for the Blind have long ago been required to provide “program access” to all facilities it uses on a daily basis and to hold hearings, meetings and events in fully accessable facilities even to the point of signing assurances with the Rehabilitation Services Administration annually that it does fully comply with these long standing obligations; and

 

Whereas, one of those long standing requirements was, and is to have raised character and Braille signage mounted on every permanent room, nearest the latch side of each door in accordance with American with Disabilities Act Guidelines (3.40.1, 4, 5, 6); and,

 

Whereas, all such barriers were to have been removed under the required ADA transition plan by no later than July 26, 1995 yet exist to this very day in most if not all facilities used by the MCB; and,

 

 

Whereas, Patrick D. Cannon was the former Chair of the United States Access Board which establishes the standards of the ADAAG, the State of Michigan ADA Coordinator responsible for implementation and the Director of MCB responsible for full compliance and knowingly so; and,

 

Whereas, the ADA and Section 504 are civil rights laws requiring affirmative action, and  therefore these inactions by Cannon constitue not only gross dereliction of known duties and deliberate indiference to these civil rights laws, but also must be considerred malicious and intentional acts of mass discrimination; and,

 

Whereas, members of and indeed the entire state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan have promoted the full application of these requirements repeatedly over years along with documenting violations; and,

 

Whereas the NFB MI has long promoted Braille including its use in the built environment for reasons obvious to all except for, perhaps, scofflaws in MCB such as Director Cannon; now,

 

Therefore, be it resolve (boiler plate)…That

 

 

Within 30 days of the passage of this resolution the NFB MI lodges a formal complaint with the Office of Civil Rights in the United States Department of Education along with supporting documentation on behalf of all of its members and indeed all people who are blind in the State of Michigan against Patrick D. Cannon individually and against the Michigan Commission for the Blind as an entity; and,

 

 

Be it further resolved that as a part of this complaint the the NFB of MI urgesOCR to promtly enforce our individual and collective civil rights and to make the class whole as is its charge.