[nfbmi-talk] {Spam?} Re: Proposed Mailing List Policy

Sat Feb 1 03:45:26 UTC 2014

Very well written. We could adopt a statement like this. I am not suggesting that we spend all of our time on the agency. As bad as things are, I do not think it would be prudent to do this. As the old adage says, we must not put all our eggs in one basket. Neither can we ignore the state of things in rehabilitation services for the blind, as this is a short-sighted approach for sure. If we were to spend 50% of our time on  service delivery systems in Michigan as they impact blind people, including services from the VR agency, this would allow time for fund raising (needed if we are to continue), public awareness, (needed to build supportive networks of friends and influential people, and on educating folks on what it means to be blind, including working on building chapters and divisions.  

That's my 2 cents worth. 

Christine   
Boone Christine Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 31, 2014, at 3:56 PM, "joe harcz Comcast" <joeharcz at comcast.net> wrote:
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> NFB POLICY STATEMENT ON
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> ACCESS TO STATE PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND FACILITIES
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> NEGLECT OF FUNDAMENTAL CIVIL RIGHTS OF BLIND PERSONS
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> The Americans With Disabilities Act has been in place for over twenty years. Yet Michigan's Governmental actors have chosen to neglect this crucial law, even though it would be very easy to implement. The Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, BSBP, is choosing not to comply with accessibility regulations on a consistent basis. All blind citizens, consumers of state-provided services, agency staff and vendors, should be able to do business with the BSBP in their preferred print alternative format, whether it be Braille, electronic, or large print.  All meetings and buildings where state business is conducted must have Braille and raised character signage and accessible materials for program participants in accordance with specific provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Yet violations persist with respect to both the fundamental rights of physical access and access to the printed word.
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>  Patrick Cannon, former director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) served for eight years as state Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator, a position created and to which Mr. Cannon was appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm under Executive Order 2004-31, signed June 3, 2004. As ADA Coordinator, Mr. Cannon served as the state's primary liaison with departments and agencies on matters of compliance with state and federal disability rights laws.
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>           "My administration is one of inclusion and engagement, dedicated to capturing the best thinking and ideas of all of our citizens, including people with disabilities.", Governor Granholm said, in announcing the appointment of Mr. Cannon to the position of state ADA Coordinator.
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> In addition, Mr. Cannon served as director of the Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns for 10 years, where he was instrumental in gaining passage of the 1990 amendments to the Michigan Handicappers' Civil Rights Act, now known as the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act, and he advocated for enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mr. Cannon was appointed by President Clinton in 1995 to the U.S. Access Board, an independent federal regulatory agency whose mission is accessibility for people with disabilities. He served as chair in 1997 and 1998 and was reappointed for a second four-year term in 1999.
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> With Mr. Cannon's extensive knowledge of disability rights law, and the positions of influence which he enjoyed for nearly two decades, Cannon could have brought disability rights in Michigan to the pinnacle of excellence. Shockingly however, persons with disabilities in Michigan have gained nothing- because of Cannon's inability to bridge the gap between talk and action.  Access to print materials remains unavailable, state buildings, including the Commission's central office, still lack compliance with basic accessible signage requirements and most state-wide consumer services remain largely inaccessible to persons who are blind and print disabled.
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> Consumers of rehabilitation services cannot obtain accessible computers; or materials in a print-alternative format. Trainees and licensed blind vendors of the Business Enterprise Program, a joint state and federal business employment program, are unable to obtain necessary equipment such as talking cash registers,; or materials in a print alternative format. Thus their ability to achieve success and financial independence is thwarted by the very agency that is legally mandated and funded to assist them in these pursuits.
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> The current director of the Bureau Of Services For Blind Persons, is Edward F. Rodgers, III.  Rodgers is visually impaired himself, and formerly served as chief administrative law hearings officer of the state's administrative hearing system.  During his tenure there, Rodgers failed to make the administrative hearing and consumer service systems accessible to blind persons in accordance with federal and state accessibility law and regulations, further depriving blind Michiganders of     independent access to public state facilities and consumer services, including the state administrative hearing system and courts.  Neither has Ed Rodgers made any effort to improve access to print materials or physical facilities since assuming leadership of the Bureau of Services to Blind Persons.  In fact, Rodgers has repeatedly denied requests for copies of the Bureau's public records  in any format- in violation of the Open Meetings Act and other laws.
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> Conclusion and Action Needed
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> The former Commission for the Blind director, and the current Bureau of Services for Blind Persons director, have both miserably failed Michigan's blind citizens.  State owned and leased properties do not contain accessible signage; state agencies are not equipped to provide applications, forms and other materials in accessible format despite printed claims to the contrary; and consumer service programs and business opportunities are not fully accessible, in accordance with state and federal compliance requirements.
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> Recommendations for Positive Corrective Compliance Action
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>           1.  The legislature must hold public hearings, as a function of state government oversight, to assess the extent of non-compliance with equal access laws and the degree to which  equal access to state programs and facilities for persons with disabilities is abridged.  Further, the legislature must provide adequate resources to mitigate such non-compliance, including ongoing monitoring measures to ensure full and equal access to state programs, services, and facilities by all persons with disabilities.
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>           2.  The Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB), must assume a leadership role, as a steward of state facilities, programs, services, and financial resources, to ensure that all state programs, services, and facilities, effectively meet legal standards for equal access by persons with disabilities.
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>           3.  The Governor, as Chief Executive Officer of the State of Michigan, must become personally knowledgeable of the extent to which his administration has negatively impacted equal access to programs and services for Michiganders with disabilities.  He must assume a leadership role, removing incompetent and obstructionist appointees and working to mitigate the harm which has been done, by providing necessary resources to ensure that all state programs, services, and facilities are compliant with all legal standards for equal access by persons with disabilities.
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> 4. The Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, in concert with all state departments, must take a leadership role by undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of all state department programs and facilities.  This evaluation must identify issues of non-compliance with equal access  provisions of federal and state civil rights law; and initiate action to mitigate such non-compliance in order to ensure that all state consumer services, programs, and facilities are equally accessible to all  citizens and state employees who are blind or disabled.
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> NFBM - October 20, 2013
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> For further information or comment e-mail publicrelations at nfbmi.org.
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> Visit the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan website at nfbmi.org.
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> ABOUT THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF MICHIGAN
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> The National Federation of the Blind of Michigan is the oldest and largest organization of blind people in Michigan.  We are a membership organization with chapters in most major Michigan cities.  We are advocates for the rights of blind persons to live and work as first-class citizens side by side with our sighted fellow Michigan friends, colleagues and neighbors... Among our activities are Michigan Newsline, which provides more than 300 newspapers and periodicals, job listings and TV schedules free of charge to persons with reading disabilities, scholarships for blind students, advocacy for blind employees and tenants.  The National Federation of the Blind of Michigan (www.nfbmi.org) is a non-profit organization under state and federal laws and accepts tax-deductible contributions.  For general questions contact:   publicrelations at nfbmi.org.
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> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt McCubbin" <mgoalball at gmail.com>
> To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 31, 2014 3:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Proposed Mailing List Policy
> 
> 
>> Dear Joe,
>> I'm sure J.J. and our delegates from Washington Seminar will report
>> soon or at our next board meeting. Correct me if I am wrong, but it
>> seems whenever this topic of list management is brought up you seem to
>> get personally offended. I believe J.J. and Fred have valid points
>> about list traffic and the lack of discussion brought upon by your
>> numerous messages to this list, and believe discussion at our next
>> board meeting is warranted.
>> This issue is not about stifling your right to free speech, it is
>> simply about common mailing list courtesy and the reputation of our
>> organization.
>> Just my opinion,
>> Matt
>> 
>>> On 1/31/14, joe harcz Comcast <joeharcz at comcast.net> wrote:
>>> I would like to see a complete report to this list about the Washington
>>> Seminar and your activities J.J.
>>> 
>>> Thanks.
>>> 
>>> Joe
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "J.J. Meddaugh" <jj at bestmidi.com>
>>> To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, January 31, 2014 12:41 PM
>>> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Proposed Mailing List Policy
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> I'd like to propose a list policy that we do not allow official government
>>>> 
>>>> business, FOIA requests, etc. to be sent and then copied or forwarded to
>>>> this list. In addition to the potential overload of email it creates, it
>>>> has the possibility  of giving the impression that the NFB of Michigan is
>>>> 
>>>> a party to the request where it was not. This is potentially damaging to
>>>> our reputation and may hinder the progress that we are trying to make.
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Best regards,
>>>> J.J.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
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