[stylist] Blind and segregation

Donna Hill penatwork at epix.net
Wed Dec 31 19:54:31 UTC 2008 

Judith,
Then, pray tell, what would you do?  Your objections are valid, but 
almost seem to be a throwing up of ones hands in defeat.  After all, if 
society's really as far gone as you suggest -- and I would not want to 
argue against that perspective -- then we're all doomed anyway, so 
what's the point?  Personally, I have a very negative view of society.  
I'm the one who thinks educators are so poorly educated themselves that 
they don't know what literacy means.  I also believe most teachers are 
so poorly educated about financial matters that they are poor role 
models and worse teachers on that score as well.  My feeling and 
suggestion is that we proceed despite these facts and on all fronts.  
Use PR like the NFB video on Time Square, encourage Braille literacy 
through programs like Braille Readers are Leaders and the new Braille 
oriented Writers' Division contest, talk to parents of blind kids, talk 
to educators, write things for national and local media -- both 
blindness related and mainstream -- and make the changes in legislation 
that will give some parents the amunition they need to insist upon 
Braille literacy.  So, what's your suggestion?
Donna

-- 
For my bio & to hear clips from The Last Straw:
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Apple I-Tunes

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Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind
www.padnfb.org





Judith Bron wrote:
> What you could legislate are guidelines to school boards for visually 
> impaired or legally blind students.  But then you are depending on 
> school districts to enforce a law that will cost them more money.  
> Perhaps you could lobby the NEA, but don' count on results.  Their 
> priorities go in this order:  salary, benefits, more control over 
> students to garentee docile behaviors and on time dismissals.  No, I 
> don't have much faith in unions who are handed more and more money 
> each year to come up with negative results. Want to go this route?  
> You will feel better for making a dent in a failed system, but it 
> won't make a darned bit of difference to blind students.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
> To: "NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 11:00 AM
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Blind and segregation
>
>
>> Angela,
>> I'm just saying that getting all of those parents to do that wil take 
>> even longer than legislation  requiring it.  Obviously, 
>> consciousnesses need to be raised, PR needs to be done, people's 
>> minds need to be opened to the capabilities of blind people.  
>> Nevertheless, a law requiring the teaching of Braille to all kids 
>> whose visual limitations prevent them from reading at a speed and 
>> with the comprehension of what is considered average for their age/IQ 
>> or however you want to measure it would catch some kids who would 
>> otherwise fall through the cracks while waiting for the sensabilities 
>> of the nation to catch up.  Also, isn't that what NFB is currently 
>> recommending, state laws mandating Braille education?
>> Donna
>>
>> -- 
>> For my bio & to hear clips from The Last Straw:
>> http://cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
>>
>> Apple I-Tunes
>>
>> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374 
>>
>>
>> Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind
>> www.padnfb.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Angela fowler wrote:
>>> Donna,
>>> Legislation is only part of the solution. A piece of legislation 
>>> without the
>>> backing of heart and determination is a worthless thing. The civil 
>>> rights
>>> act didn't make one less racist. The ADA didn't make one less person
>>> closed-minded to the capabilities of blind people. We can legislate 
>>> if we
>>> will, but real change must take place at the grass-roots level. In 
>>> short, it
>>> is more important that parents all across this country stand up for 
>>> their
>>> children's right to literacy!
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Donna Hill
>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 3:59 PM
>>> To: NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Blind and segregation
>>>
>>> Parents don't insist because they are strong-armed by the public school
>>> officials with budget concerns who tell them that their child 
>>> doesn't need
>>> Braille.  We still live in a world where authority figures are 
>>> deferred to,
>>> whether they're right or not.  I think it would be easier to convert 
>>> the
>>> school authorities with a change in the legislation than trying to find
>>> every parent who isn't standing up for their kids and train them in 
>>> time to
>>> avoid having the kid miss out on their education.  Surely, the 
>>> parents who join the NFB are given some support for standing up
>>> for Braille literacy, but how many parents don't belong?  I really 
>>> think the
>>> schools must be forced to do it.
>>> Donna
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> For my bio & to hear clips from The Last Straw:
>>> http://cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
>>>
>>> Apple I-Tunes
>>>
>>> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374 
>>>
>>>
>>> Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind
>>> www.padnfb.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> LoriStay at aol.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> No.   The main reason is that parents don't insist, loud and long, 
>>>> with advocates behind them when the schools balk.   Braille has 
>>>> been taught to
>>>>
>>> the two
>>>> blind children in Chatterton School in Merrick, and all their work is
>>>>
>>> presented
>>>> to them in Braille.   Actually, one of them is now in Middle 
>>>> school, and
>>>>
>>> I've
>>>> no idea what they do there, but her background is solid because her 
>>>> parents insisted.
>>>> Lori
>>>>
>>>> In a message dated 12/29/08 2:26:11 PM, penatwork at epix.net writes:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> The main reason that Braille is not taught in public schools is 
>>>>> two-fold.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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