It is ironic that JKF was well known for her successes at the Hawaii Center for the Deaf and Blind, the only Deaf school in the state of Hawaii. JKF became the first female Deaf Administrator of a school for the Deaf ever, not only in Hawaii, but also in the United States! JKF single handedly saved Hawaii Center for the Deaf and Blind from permanent closure and helped increase enrollment from 12 to 88. With personal permission from Steve Laracuente to use his editorial letter in its entirety seen in USA-L news via GallyNet-L:
The rumor that Dr. Jane Kelleher-Fernandes, or "JK", as we know her in Hawaii, wants to close all Deaf schools is preposterous and false! The reason I say that is JK kept the Hawaii Center for the Deaf and the Blind (HCDB) open at a time when the Hawaii Department of Education (HI DOE) was planning to close it down. I moved to Hawaii in 1988 from New York City and applied for a job at HCDB, the only Deaf school in the state. The prinicpal was a hearing man who did not sign, Mr. Frank Kho. He informed me that there were no openings because there were only 12 students left and they were planning to close HCDB soon.
I was upset, but there was nothing I could do as a newcomer. I had to take a teaching job on another island (the Big Island of Hawaii) as a mainstream teacher. In 1989, JK got a job with the HI DOE. Some how, she managed to keep HCDB open and became the first female Deaf Administrator of a school for the Deaf ever, not only in Hawaii, but also in the USA. Later, she hired me as a teacher for her school in 1994. I was the only Deaf teacher at the time, until more Deaf teachers were hired later.
Many local folks in Hawaii do not understand what the Gally Protest is about. JK demonstrated her leadership abilities time and time again. She came to HCDB this year to give the keynote speech for HCDB's graduating class of seven seniors on June 7, 2006. Two of the seniors were students at HCDB since pre-school, which was started by JK. HCDB has 88 students now. Services have dramatically improved for the Deaf students, not only oncampus, but statewide. The Superintendent of the HI DOE has recognized HCDB's achievements by attending HCDB's graduation ceremonies for threeyears straight. None of HCDB's successes would not be possible if not for JK being in the right place at the right time!
It seems the Gally Protesters need to get their facts straight! The information about what happened in Hawaii is very important to understanding who the real JK is. When JK was in Hawaii recently, she demonstrated to us that she is the still the same JK we all know and love. We congratulate JK on her appointment as Gallaudet's new President!
Steve Laracuente
95-636 Hanile St., #G-203
Mililani, HI 96789
*711-808-623-0109*
Note: Caller MUST DIAL 711 FIRST or use a TTY and dial the number
direct.
It's odd that Brian would say that JKF does not care about deaf schools when in fact JKF sees the importance of having deaf schools (e.g. Hawaii School for the Deaf) and even abroad. However, the sad facts are that a good majority of deaf children in the United States now attend public schools and as a result many residential schools have experienced declining enrollments while some schools have already closed. Maybe too many sign language interpreters and other services (e.g. CART) giving public schools the needed services for their deaf and hard of hearing students that hearing parents are likely to send their kids to mainstreamed schools?
Next, Brian is reaching straws here using a 1998 Congressional Appropriations Hearing papers by comparing the bulleted format on page 538 to that of a bulleted flyer made in 2006 that Fernandes allegedly obtained during the protest which mysteriously had the similar typed bulleted format and is trying to allude something here...not sure...but it's funny as heck.
Copy from the 1998 U.S. Congress Appropriation Committe Record seen above
versus the 2006 flyer below.
The above is an alleged flyer printed in 2006 that was allegedly distributed by protesters about Fernandes that was allegedly done by Fernandes to obsfuscate and confuse readers and protesters. And the flyer is alledgedly but mysteriously so to have the same printed format as the 1998 Congressional testimony papers.
I say. So what? No link whatsoever.
Now, if you have ever used Microsoft WORD and click on the bullets icon in the menu at the top of the WORD program you will get the bulleted looks just like you would in the flyer. It's a simple little program that helps summarize detailed information at a glance. What Brian is trying to allude between the two printed format is simply a non sequitur - "it does not follow." No logic behind this at all. This is pure useless grabbing of the straws here to create doubts for readers by using the format of the "mysterious" flyer and how it "matches" the format used seen in the printed documents of the Congressional testimony. Two completely unrelated papers despite its formatting style. And trying to connect the two for whatever god knows what is beyond incredulity here.
Maybe the real obfuscation resides in Brian's own mind? Brian's words are pretty libelous and defamatory towards Jane K Fernandes and Jordan in my thinking. Sometimes things simply go too far for its own good.
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