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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br>
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<b>CONTACT:<br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br>
Director of Public Relations<br>
National Federation of the Blind<br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br>
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br>
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<h1><b>National Federation of the Blind Postpones Planned Protest
Tomorrow</b></h1> <br><br>
<h1><b>New York City Schools Panel Cancels Vote on Amazon
Deal</i></b></h1> <br>
<b>Baltimore, Maryland (August 25, 2015):</b> The
<a href="https://nfb.org/">National Federation of the Blind</a> (NFB),
the nation’s leading advocate for equal education for blind students,
commented today on a proposed $30 million contract under which Amazon,
Inc. would construct an electronic storefront for New York City schools
and become the primary provider of educational materials for students.
The NFB planned to protest the deal before a meeting of the school
system’s Panel for Educational Policy tomorrow, but will not go forward
with the protest because the panel has canceled the vote on the proposal
in order to investigate NFB’s concerns.<br>
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Mark A. Riccobono, President of the
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NationalFederationoftheBlind">National
Federation of the Blind</a>, said: “The National Federation of the Blind
is firmly committed to the principle that blind students must have equal
access to the materials used by their sighted peers if they are to
receive an equal education and live the lives they want. That is why we
have expressed our strong opposition to the deal with Amazon as currently
proposed. While we stand ready to take any and all steps necessary to
protect the rights of New York City’s blind students, we are now hopeful,
in light of the cancellation of tomorrow’s vote on this deal, that we can
resolve the issue through an amicable and productive dialogue with school
officials. We continue to urge everyone concerned about the rights of
students who are blind or who have print disabilities to contact
Chancellor Carmen Fariña and let her know that equal access and equal
education are one and the same.” <br>
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<b>About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
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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.<br>
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