A Deaf Caste System?

I am sure there are many deaf or hard of hearing people who have wondered about whether there is such a system among Deaf people that follows a “caste system” of sorts. A “caste system” is defined as “a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity.” For some people this could be seen as similar to “Deaf elitism” which could be how some Deaf people may view other Deaf, deaf and/or hard of hearing people in terms of how one is born into a family whether it’s a Deaf family, a mixed one, or a hearing family. Perhaps it's all about whether one carries the deafness gene ensuring that hereditary deafness can indeed be passed on down with each generation? Wouldn't this be a trait seen as favorable by many Deaf people? Wouldn't this be descriptive of a "Deaf caste system"? If you have read Dennis from 'The Talkie' who posted a short conversation he had with his friend over IM when his friend discussed DoD and DoH over the subject of a “caste system” you may or may not agree on what his friend had to say.

But I'm sure the question get asked by many from time to time who are not familiar with the subject on whether if any of the Deaf organizations or Deaf groups do practice a "Deaf caste system” of sorts. It'd be interesting to see whether or not if this is the case and whether people consciously or subconsciously reject those who not are not “quite like them.” And how extensive this is, if any. Would these people rather prefer to have Deaf people who are born into Deaf parents over those who are “late deafened,” “hard of hearing,” or born deaf into hearing parents? Or would this be a simple matter of those who can sign over those who do not sign? And if it a matter of those who do sign then would this boil down to over those who are native signers versus those who are barely fluent in it? Or should this be seen as a “superiority complex” issue rather than as a “Deaf caste system” of sorts? Maybe none of the above?

Let’s take the case of a hearing blind guy's own opinion in his blog when Deaf people complained about the possible merger of Ohio School for the Deaf with the state’s school for the blind:

When yesterday I read the article referenced below in the Columbus Dispatch about the anger from some deaf "alumni" of the Ohio School for the Deaf at the proposed merger of the deaf school with the state's school for the blind I was flat out "gob smacked" into temporary silence. I simply passed the article on with the assertion that I was trying to "count to ten" because it's good to take thought for one's anger and we all know this from kindergarten.
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Contempt for the blind emerges in this instance with the force of a geyser. The reasoning works like this: deaf people are not disabled; to put them into a facility where they would have to share space with people who really are disabled would be demeaning to deaf students.

My response to this is that specialized schools for people with disabilities should quite likely no longer be necessary if we are serious in America about making public education accessible to every student.

But let's leave that issue for the moment.

My real feeling is that if deaf people are not disabled and are essentially a cultural group, then why should they have a school that's funded by the public? I think this is a fair question. The public doesn't fund specialized schools for kids who want to learn French or Latvian, as noble as those pursuits might be. Why should deaf people have any public funding at all if they don't have a disability and if they don't even want to be seen in the same place as those who do have disabilities?

The answer to this question is that of course deafness is a disability. You can decide later in life that you are unwilling to be a member of any group that would have you, as Groucho Marx once famously said, but that's an adult position. Learning sign language and alternate technologies is an important, even crucial thing for deaf children, just as learning Braille or computer skills or orientation and mobility skills is central for blind children.

There are some good points he is making if you actually read all of his blog post. Of course, you’d have to understand that this is coming from a blind hearing man’s perspective rather than as a Deaf person who also face everyday obstacles just as many deaf and hard of hearing people do.

Now, for the OSD controversy wouldn’t this form of rejection by Deaf people over the OSD merger possibility with the state’s school for the blind be seen as a sort of a “Deaf caste system” in the works? Or would this rather be seen as “Deaf elitism” at work? Or maybe not at all? A little bit of both? None at all? Why or why not? Is this the "dark and dirty" secret that many do not want to come out into the open for discussion? A denial in the works or imagination gone wild?