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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
<div align="center"><h1><b>Blind School Board Member Has Settled With
School District</b></h1>National Federation of the Blind Applauds
Agreement Resolving Accommodation Issues<br><br>
<b>Baltimore, Maryland (October 18, 2017): </b>A blind man's litigation
against a California school district on whose governing board he serves
has been resolved by agreement of the parties.<br><br>
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Timothy R. Nonn, who was elected to the board of the Cotati Rohnert Park
Unified School District last year, sued the district and its
superintendent with the assistance of the National Federation of the
Blind because three sitting members of the school board had voted against
his request to use an aid that he personally hired and trained to read
documents to him at school board meetings. The agreement specifies that
Mr. Nonn can hire and train his own aids to assist him at board meetings
and in most situations where he is acting in his official
capacity.<br><br>
“We assisted Mr. Nonn in this litigation because it is critically
important that political opponents of elected representatives who are
blind be prevented from discriminating against them by denying
accommodations and access to information,” said Mark Riccobono, President
of the National Federation of the Blind. “We are therefore pleased that
this litigation has been amicably resolved and that Mr. Nonn will have
the accommodations he needs going forward.”<br><br>
“I am profoundly grateful for the support of the National Federation of
the Blind,” said Mr. Nonn. “Without its help, I would not have been
provided with proper accommodations for my blindness. This experience has
taught me the importance not only of blind people standing up for our
rights, but standing together. This victory also enables me to
effectively advocate for the rights of students with special needs who
are being denied accommodations.”<br><br>
The United States District Court, Northern District of California,
approved the agreement and dismissed the litigation (Case No.
3:17-cv-00761-JCS) on September 13. Neither Mr. Nonn nor the school
district admit any wrongdoing.<br><br>
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About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
</b>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in
Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind
Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and
divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB
defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information
and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are
losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind
people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about
our many programs and initiatives at
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/" eudora="autourl">www.nfb.org</a>.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
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