[nobe-l] FW: National Federation of the Blind Files Complaint Against Baltimore City Public Schools

[Ashley Bramlett]

good idea; schools should stay away from inaccessible devices. Besides there 
is much advantage to using a real textbook in class.

-----Original Message----- 
From: David Andrews
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 3:28 AM
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nobe-l] FW: National Federation of the Blind Files Complaint 
Against Baltimore City Public Schools


>
>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>CONTACT:
>Mark Riccobono, Executive Director
>National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
>National Federation of the Blind
>(410) 659-9314, extension 2368
>(410) 935-4019 (Cell)
>mriccobono at nfb.org
>
>National Federation of the Blind Files Complaint
>Against Baltimore City Public Schools
>
>Says Plan to Buy Nook E-readers Discriminates Against Blind Students
>
>Baltimore, Maryland (January 4, 2012): The National Federation of the Blind 
>(NFB), the nation's leading advocate for access to technology by the blind, 
>announced today that it has filed a complaint with the United States 
>Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, requesting an investigation 
>of the Baltimore City Public Schools' proposed acquisition of NOOK devices. 
>The NFB filed the complaint because the Baltimore City Public Schools 
>recently announced a partnership with the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg 
>Foundation to overhaul the school libraries in six middle schools in the 
>district.  As part of the partnership's plan, the selected school libraries 
>will acquire an unspecified number of NOOK e-reader devices.  These devices 
>are inaccessible to blind and other print-disabled students.  The NFB 
>raised its concern with leaders in the Baltimore City Public Schools but 
>has been told that the district is moving forward with its plans to 
>implement these devices while it seeks "alternative emerging technology"--  
>in other words, a needlessly segregated technology for students with print 
>disabilities. Because the NOOK is inaccessible to blind students, the 
>Baltimore schools' use of the devices violates Title II of the Americans 
>with Disabilities Act (ADA).
>
>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: 
>"The National Federation of the Blind will not tolerate blind students 
>receiving an unequal education.  If e-reading devices are available in 
>school libraries, they must be accessible to all students, not just the 
>sighted.  Appropriately, the date of this comAplaint falls on the birthday 
>of Louis Braille, who first brought literacy to the blind and fought for 
>the right of blind students to read independently.  He would not stand for 
>this glaring inequity and neither will we.  That is why we have asked the 
>United States Department of Justice to act swiftly and decisively to ensure 
>that blind students receive the same education as their sighted peers."
>
>The National Federation of the Blind is represented in this matter by 
>Daniel F. Goldstein and Daniel A. Ross of the Baltimore firm Brown, 
>Goldstein & Levy, LLP.
>
>
>###
>
>
>About the National Federation of the Blind
>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the 
>largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the 
>United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, 
>education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and 
>self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the blindness field today and 
>the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the 
>National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and 
>training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.


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