[NFBMO] Blind Missourians Want Increased Literacy for Blind Students, Accessible Voting Machines, and Better Pay for Rehabilitation Counselors

Cory McMahon cory.j.mcmahon at gmail.com
Thu Feb 8 02:32:03 UTC 2018


All,

Overall, I believe the news release is good; but, long; is this typical?

Sincerely,

Cory McMahon

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMO [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel Garcia via
NFBMO
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 4:51 AM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List (nfbmo at nfbnet.org) <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Daniel Garcia <dangarcia3 at hotmail.com>
Subject: [NFBMO] Blind Missourians Want Increased Literacy for Blind
Students, Accessible Voting Machines, and Better Pay for Rehabilitation
Counselors

For Immediate Release

Blind Missourians Want Increased Literacy for Blind Students, Accessible
Voting Machines, and Better Pay for Rehabilitation Counselors


Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri Will Converge in
Jefferson City in Support of Its 2018 Legislative Agenda

Kansas City, Missouri (February 7, 2018): On February 12 and 13 members of
the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri will be in Jefferson City
to promote the legislative priorities of blind Missourians. "Our 2018
legislative agenda makes evident the NFB of Missouri's commitment to
increase employment among the blind and to remove barriers to full
participation in society," said Shelia Wright, President of the NFB of
Missouri. "Blind people have to contend with an unemployment rate of 70%.
Blind people who know Braille are more likely to be employed. The NFB of
Missouri calls upon the legislature to provide schools with better tools to
ensure blind students have more access to Braille instruction, for
rehabilitation counselors to be adequately compensated for their work, and
for blind people to have the opportunity to be able to use accessible voting
machines to independently cast their own ballots during all elections
regardless of where they live in Missouri."

Missouri law recognizes the fact that the equivalent of print for the
sighted is Braille for the blind. However, schools don't have a clear way to
determine whether Braille, print, or a combination of both is the most
appropriate way for a student to learn. Senate Bill 681, introduced by
Senator Jacob Hummel, is designed to modify the law so that schools would be
required to use the National Reading Media Assessment (NRMA) or another
research-based assessment to give them solid reasons to make this
determination. The use of research-based assessments to objectively evaluate
students would ensure that blind students throughout the state could get
access to the Braille instruction they need.

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) which was enacted into law in 2002
recognizes the right of the blind to independently cast their own ballots by
requiring that all voting machines in Federal elections be equipped with
accessible non-visual systems. The state received Federal funding to ensure
that at least one machine in each polling place complies with this
requirement of HAVA. Some election boards set up these machines during state
and local elections, but this is not done uniformly throughout the state. As
a result, many blind people do not get to exercise their right to privately
cast their own ballot in many local elections. The cost associated with
setting up these machines is minimal since all election boards already have
these accessible voting machines in their possession. The NFB of Missouri is
asking the state legislature to ensure the right of the blind to
independently cast their ballot by requiring the use of these machines in
all elections.

Missouri's Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB) is the state agency
charged with providing blind people with the resources and skills necessary
to independently function in society. Although RSB counselors are very
diligent and work very hard to meet their client's needs, they are paid less
than their counterparts in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation which
helps people with other disabilities. The reason for this is that the salary
ranges for RSB Counselors are determined by the Department of Social
Services. It is therefore difficult for RSB to attract and keep highly
qualified people with the requisite level of education and experience that
translates into quality, competent, dedicated, and effective counselors. The
NFB of Missouri is asking the state legislature to remedy the situation by
increasing the salary range for RSB counselors, thus leading to RSB
providing better services and more blind Missourians getting the necessary
skills to allow them to be productive members of society.
###
About the National Federation of the Blind The National Federation of the
Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or
your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because
low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You
can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

CONTACT:
Daniel Garcia, Public Relations Chair
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
(816) 621-0902
dangarcia3 at hotmail.com

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