[nfbwatlk] FW: NFB stand on Blind Child Area signs?

Wed Aug 29 03:38:24 UTC 2012

Hi,
I've been where there were signs saying "blind child crossing" or "deaf 
child crossing."  Jim even saw one once that said "blind senior crossing." 
EEWW.
Thanks
Lauren

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The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Leslie Fitzpatrick" <lfitz50 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List" <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 7:48 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] FW: NFB stand on Blind Child Area signs?

> it was supposed to say danger blind children.
> On Aug 28, 2012, at 7:07 PM, "Kaye Kipp" <kkipp123 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> What the ... Were they saying the blind children were dangerous?
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Leslie Fitzpatrick" 
>> <lfitz50 at gmail.com>
>> To: "NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List" <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 6:39 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] FW: NFB stand on Blind Child Area signs?
>>
>>
>>> this reminds me of when I was going to the Oklahoma school for the 
>>> blind. They built a new sidewalk from our school to what we called the 
>>> corner where there were a number of stores that we liked to go to and 
>>> when they first built the sidewalk they put up a sign that said 
>>> "dangerous blind children" Maybe they were right Les Fitzpatrick
>>> On Aug 28, 2012, at 4:51 PM, "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ben:
>>>>
>>>> You are correct. I am unaware of any official NFB policy regarding 
>>>> these
>>>> "BLIND CHILD" signs. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that were a
>>>> resolution to come before the national convention opposing such signs, 
>>>> it
>>>> would be passed unanimously.
>>>>
>>>> As you say, there have been many local protests of these signs 
>>>> including, I
>>>> believe, one involving Kris Kolcock here in Washington. Invariably, the 
>>>> NFB
>>>> members confronted with such signs are angry at the stereotyping and 
>>>> the
>>>> implication that somehow blind people (from childhood on up to 
>>>> adulthood)
>>>> are unsafer than are sighted persons. It's the old saw that the sighted 
>>>> bear
>>>> responsibility beyond the norm for the safety/welfare of the blind. 
>>>> Isn't it
>>>> funny that we don't see DEAF CHILD signs, even in neighborhoods with
>>>> railroad tracks?
>>>>
>>>> Mike Freeman
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>>> On
>>>> Behalf Of Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 1:38 PM
>>>> To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
>>>> Cc: NFB Talk Mailing List
>>>> Subject: [nfbwatlk] FW: NFB stand on Blind Child Area signs?
>>>>
>>>> Hi Listers,
>>>>
>>>> I can't remember whether we have had any policy statements on the issue
>>>> raised by Steve Ice's query of me in the E-mail string below, but 
>>>> thought
>>>> I'd post it for any comments.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> /s/
>>>>
>>>> Bennett
>>>>
>>>> From: Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 1:17 PM
>>>> To: Ice, Steve (ACF)
>>>> Subject: RE: NFB stand on Blind Child Area signs?
>>>>
>>>> Hi Steve,
>>>>
>>>> I don't know that we've adopted a formal resolution on a state or 
>>>> national
>>>> level, but the issue has come up many times on lists, etc. There is
>>>> unanimous opposition, and concern about these types of signs.  There 
>>>> have
>>>> been many instances when individuals, and I think even chapters have 
>>>> fought
>>>> and had them taken down. They really are disturbing. May I post this to 
>>>> our
>>>> NFB list?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.'
>>>>
>>>> /s/
>>>>
>>>> Bennett Prows
>>>>
>>>> From: Ice, Steve (ACF)
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 1:01 PM
>>>> To: Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)
>>>> Subject: NFB stand on Blind Child Area signs?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Ben,
>>>>
>>>> In my neighborhood there are two very large, very prominent, yellow and
>>>> black cautionary road signs that say "Blind Child Area".
>>>> The signs have been there for 10 to 20 years. I am sure the child is 
>>>> off to
>>>> college if not on social security by now.
>>>>
>>>> I feel these signs are demeaning and have the untended consequence of
>>>> spreading the belief that caution is warranted around blind people who
>>>> cannot otherwise develop orientation and mobility skills to be safe and 
>>>> self
>>>> sufficient.
>>>>
>>>> Researching the web, I discovered quite a few sign vendors pushing 
>>>> these, a
>>>> few state application forms in the Southeastern US and at least 2 'you 
>>>> tube'
>>>> videos made by adolescents who show blind people walking head first 
>>>> into the
>>>> 'blind child area' signs.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What's next? "My husband has Alzheimer's" signs? "Warning: crack house 
>>>> on
>>>> this block" signs?
>>>>
>>>> I do not view these as an accommodation such as improved crosswalk 
>>>> stripping
>>>> or warning bumps on curb cuts because they are not in any way 
>>>> instrumental
>>>> or accommodating to the blind person's independence.
>>>>
>>>> In any case, I would like to know, before writing the county or state, 
>>>> if
>>>> NFB has a policy on these types of signs. I feel that a policy 
>>>> statement
>>>> from those who are blind would go a lot further than my personal 
>>>> opinion.
>>>>
>>>> Steve
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
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