[stylist] Blind and segregation

[Angela fowler]

I've been listening to the discussion on here about whether blind children
should be segregated or not with interest, and not just because I'm looking
for points of view to use in my web site. I've seen the benefits of teaching
blind children in a more-or-less isolated environment, and I've also seen
some sinister draw-backs.
	Kindergarten through second grade, I split my time between regular
school and the VI office, where I learned Braille, worked on academic stuff,
and learned to use a cane. The days at ABK, the VI office, I loved. I
learned a lot, made friends, and fit in well. My days at the public school I
dreaded. The only thing I really remember about those days is being teased
incessantly by a group of kids who were compelled by the teachers to take me
from place to place, and understandably resented the responsibility. I would
eventually grow to mistrust my sighted peers. 
	Third grade on I was mainstreamed. Because of the academic training
I received at ABK, I was an A student, but because of my lack of social
skills and mistrust of my peers I had difficulty fitting in. I eventually
figured out that the way to compensate for my social deficiency was to act
like I was better than everyone else. This would lead to a good bit of
struggle over the years. 
	Why am I giving you this background, because I am making a case for
segregation? Quite to the contrary. The point is, I was set apart from my
sighted peers, first because I spent two days a week in an isolated
location, and second because my well-meaning yet ignorant public school
teachers made it the responsibility of my classmates to take me from place
to place, forcing relationships which were unhealthy and ultimately
detrimental both for me and my peers.
	I don't know the answers ... I wish I did. I do know however that
when blind kids are portrayed as needing extra help, or sequestered and not
left to mingle at will, it is very difficult for them to learn social
skills. It wasn't until I went to Colorado, and met some kind and
understanding people who understood my difficulty and took me under their
wing that I finally learned how to relate on equal terms to others. Today,
I'm still not as good at it as I'd like to be.
	Not that schools for the blind don't have there place. A friend of
mine, who has learning disabilities as well as being blind and was forced by
her parents to live pretty much in the closet (don't get me started)
benefitted greatly from a few years at the school for the blind. She was at
the level, however to which the school catered, and her home life was so
lousy that any change of scenery would have been beneficial. For kids of
"Normal intelligence" (whatever that is) it is a difficult choice which must
be made on a case-by-case basis.   

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of LoriStay at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 4:24 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [stylist] Blind and segregation


In a message dated 1/1/09 2:05:00 PM, johnlee at clarktouch.com writes:


> 
> 
> All of that is pretty bad.  Curious, did that school have blind 
> teachers, blind principals, and a blind superintendent?
> 
> 

There was one blind teacher that I know about.   He was so bad, the students

moved his desk and it took him half an hour to find it.   I don't think he 
used a cane.   So the real answer is...no.
Lori


**************
New year...new news.  Be the first to know what is making headlines.
(http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)
_______________________________________________
Writers Division web site:
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>

stylist mailing list
stylist at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
stylist:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/fowlers%40syix.com