The problem is that those who oppose this bill often spend more time going after AGBell and other similar organizations rather than to focus and promote ASL itself. AGBell has a position paper written up some 5 years ago on their position on ASL.American Sign Language(ASL), Total Communication, Cued Speech, and Listening and Spoken Language communication options for children with hearing loss, including, but not limited to, information about deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies and early intervention centers, and educational programs.
AG Bell acknowledges that a chosen approach depends on culture, family interests, and desired communication outcome. AG Bell believes that the language and communication approach chosen should be based on an informed decision made by the child’s parents/family and based on their own unique circumstances.Again, it's about parental choice but parents need to be informed of all communication options, including ASL, the educational choices and the many services and advocacy groups on hearing loss that are available to the parents. AGBell believes in choices and believes that the AB2072 bill is about that in a letter to Tony Mendoza.
With respect to American Sign Language (ASL), AG Bell acknowledges ASL as a language in and of itself. AG Bell also recognizes ASL’s importance in Deaf culture as a unique feature, and a language that many take pride in learning. AG Bell does not believe that ASL should be prohibited or restricted as a choice, nor does AG Bell advocate against learning ASL as part of a child’s overall development if that is what the child’s parents desire.
Regardless of chosen language or communication approach, AG Bell believes that families should have early access to professionals with specialized education and training in the desired language or communication method."
AG Bell believes that the language and communication approach chosen should be based on an informed decision made by the child's parents/family and based on their own unique circumstances. Regardless of chosen language or communication approach, families should have early access to professionals with specialized education and training in the desired language or communication outcome.Senator Elaine K. Alquist who is the chair in the Senate Health Committee wrote up an analysis (on June 9, 2010) on the AB2072 bill, deafness, the issues involved, and about the deaf culture and community. This analysis has a firm grasp of everything. Senator Elaine K. Alquist makes a conclusion and recommendation to the committee (note the bolded portion):
AG Bell believes it is important that organizations that advocate for or work with individuals with hearing loss work together to broaden health care providers' understanding of all communication methods so that upon identification, unbaised information about all options can be made available to parents and their children.
Both parties agree that information ought to be in an unbiased format and that stakeholders in each of the communication option shall be a part of helping the development of this pamphlet for parents of newborn babies diagnosed with a hearing loss.Both supporters and opposition to this bill agree that any information provided to parents of deaf children should be unbiased, based on scientific facts, and come from a reliable, neutral third-party source. To address this, the committee suggests amendments to require that either DDS or CDE develop or approve the use of standardized, objective pamphlet of information about communication options for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, that is sufficient to allow the child's parents to make an informed decision. This information shall be decided upon by the department in conjunction with a stakeholder panel, comprised of representatives of the various communication options. The cost for developing the pamphlet and conducting the stakeholder panel shall be covered through the development of an additional state fund to accept private donations for this purpose. The provisions of the bill shall only be made operative after sufficient funds have been collected to cover necessary expenses.
No conspiracy theories.
No AGBell boogie monster under the bed.
No Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies in the attempt to label this bill and Tony Mendoza.
And none of the eugenics stuff that Edwin Black erroneously tried to infer about the Deaf community and culture's own future.
Just a straight up bill that is designed to help parents make an informed decision regarding their child diagnosed with a hearing loss.
If you disagree, disagree on the merit of the argument itself and not about trying to concoct some "end of the world" scenario here. The bill does include ASL as one of the many communication options whether used alone or in conjunction with other options. So, that is an important step. The ASL community will still have a stake in this once this bill is signed by the governor which, ironically so, at one time played a deaf and mute hit-man for a mob in a 1973 movie "The Long Goodbye."
9 comments:
Thank you Mike for pointing out the obvious.
As for Edwin Black, I checked him out at youtube and saw that he was not too popular. Very low traffic count. That in itself might suggest why he's getting involved with AB 2072. He probably see AB 2072 as a publicity stint, thinking it'd give him a new lease on life.
Two words to describe him. Desperate. Pathetic.
Mike,
That AGBell position statement: http://www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?p=ASLPosition
Read the last line on the bottom: Approved by the AG Bell Board of Directors by a unanimous vote June 11, 2008
This position statement was put in the website several weeks before DBC Conference in Milwaukee.
This is AGBell's political motive rather than the sincere motive to announce their American Sign Language position statement.
A typical character of "Mask of Benevolence"
AG Bell is having a convention on June 25 - 28, 2010 in Orlando, Fla.
No protest at all from DBC/AFA! Yay!
They should leave AG Bell alone and let DBC/AFA focus on their own cause.
White Ghost
John Egbert,
Before you go any further, there was no evidence that AG Bell was responsible for destroying ASL for the last 50 or so years.
Milan Convention during 1880 did not ratify from US Senate and it was never brought to a Senate floor. US Education has never been affected by Milan Convention.
Since 1880 to 1980, state schools with sign language grew 50 which includes Fremont School for the deaf, Riverside, New Mexico, Colorado Springs, Vancouver, etc. Sign Language grew thousand fold during 100 years.
Did AG Bell destroy it? Not really. They never bother them, NEVER! They ran their own business and minding their own business. They have over 30 private schools including Clarke Schools. Clarke has expanded to 7 private schools.
Vincent Cerf is the father of internet who happens to be a member of AG Bell. AG Bell members have been front runner of technology like TTY and relay system. Sprint, Purple, other relay companies still sponsoring AG BELL.
AG Bell has a yearly camp for the kids and they do have sign language counselor. You haven't seen it since you're biased with information.
Audiologist and pathologist who are member of AG Bell do believe ASL to teach their students to speak effectively.
AG Bell has been open minded about every sources and they do believe that once a child can benefit from hearing devices will do well in speech.
John, look up the word called "Fanatic" and that's who you are. We cannot change your mind or subject. You refuse to see what AG Bell has to offer.
Now, with AB 2072...it's effortless for supporters of AB 2072 because you guys acted like a fool. More parents will move away from the deaf community than before. You're killing the deaf community on your own. AG Bell didn't do that...you did.
Good luck with dying breed because the opposition of AB 2072 didn't make any sense and it does die itself.
Adios.
Freezepop
Two years ago, what was AG Bell?
A year ago, I learn little about
AG Bell.
This year, I became intrigue in
AG Bell.
Now, I want to learn more, and more about AG Bell.
Thanks to the detractors.
Tomorrow, I may join AG Bell.
~BBF
I’d like to make a point in regard to AB2072, it only passed in Senate Health Committee this morning with several amendments made since it passed from the Assembly floor two weeks ago. I will have to applaud the Deaf Community’s involvement in the process with recommendations to make the bill more fairer to both hearing and deaf communities. The Deaf Community have been heard by the Health Committee whereas Assemblyman Tony Mendoza did not. Without Deaf Community’s input, AB2072 would have passed quicker in no time. After a careful consideration from the Senate Health Committee, they know that there are more amendments to be made before this bill goes to a vote on the Senate floor. Senator Elaine K. Alquist did mentioned in the meeting that she will oversee the process of the amendments added to the bill to soothe out more reasonable that will make more sense for both communities to agree for the future of our deaf children.
My only pet peeve is to acknowledge the audiologists that they will not be a factor in the decision-making process for the parents to know what’s best for their deaf children. Hence, there will be no one monitoring what the audiologist will say in a room with the parents of deaf newborn baby when diagnosing a hearing loss. The audiologist will need to be unbiased when it comes to giving the brochure for education or program option available for them to explore and decide what’s best for the families and their deaf children.
Language acquisition is also essential to child’s early development which the parents have to be informed about it as well as other options they were offered by the audiologists. I can go on with more but I think I have said enough for now.
I just read RLM's post linking here. LOL I must say reading his insane post keeps me sane. That is the thing that deaf people don't realize, 1880 Milan did not have adverse effect on America as Freeze Pop just indicated. It did expand oralism in America but, the ban on ASL was never mandated here. I do not see ASL dying anytime soon, not until maybe 100 years after a successful stem cell cure.
Good points there, Freezepop!
Candy, I just saw that. RLM needs to calm down with the violent tendencies of his. Also, I didn't grow up in the south. I was born in the Northwest and grew up there and then later moved to Georgia before I became a teenager. Hardly a Southerner even though I have a slight southern accent. Secondly, this bill allows parents to make their own decisions. The govt, audiologist, other agencies, advocacy groups (e.g. NAD, CAD, DCARA, etc) and so on DO NOT get to decide what's best for parents of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss. The very nature of independent decision making without interference is what makes this bill a beauty. If a govt starts making decision for parents of newborns with hearing loss then it'd be the day when the govt begins practicing communism.
RLM, dude, calm down. Stop thinking about me all the time. Look at this bill as an opportunity to expand ASL even further.
Speaking of RLM, we were one friends on Facebook. I never personally met Robert, but he was starting to get on my nerves as of late. Hell, I even tried to debate the merits of AB 2072 with Robert, but it was like talking to a brick wall. We couldn't agree to disagree, and he started to post all kinds of insane comments on my wall. I did not need to put up with that, so I "unfriend" him.
RLM, if you are reading this, I agree with Mike, you do need to take a pill.
Anyway, Mike, thank you for your latest posting. I found it to be truly informative, especially on AGB organization. As for AB 2072, I think the bill is heading into the right direction, and I do foresee this becoming a "win-win" when this bill reach it's final conclusion. I know we're still a long way from seeing it come to fruition, but I'm starting to feel good about it because as a community we are starting to come to a "consensus" about how to inform hearing parents of deaf children on all communication modalities.
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