Rachel Kolb...choices and challanges in life as a deaf person.

Who is Rachel Kolb?

Here's a video of her at Stanford University doing a TEDx presentation about her life as a profoundly deaf person using the opportunity to transmit her ideas to a mostly hearing audience in a language that they understand. She describes her experiences growing up who learned how to lipread and how she struggled to communicate on a daily basis what other people are saying. After 18 years of speech therapy sessions she is reaping the benefit of courageously going on stage to do her TEDx oral presentation about her life as a deaf person.



 

Twitter Dies.....

Well, at least it did for me. I wasn't even following Twitter much less twitted my twits to all those twitters who like to follow my Twitter. I just officially deactivated my Twitter account. It is now no more. Thank god. I never tethered my smartphone to Twitter or Facebook. It'd be too annoying and a drain on my smartphone's battery, btw. I mean, at least FB allows much more that 140 characters. Twitter has no value. It is dead to me. It has no social value to me. Using that and writing your twits is the equivalent of Valley girl speak trying to summarize one's thoughts into 140 characters. Like, fur shur, gag me with a spoon. LOL. OMG! Bye bye, Twitter. No more twitter droppings for me. I happily flushed it down the toilet.

AB 455 bill to be reworked

I was in close contact with a person who shall remain unnamed here  regarding the development of the AB 455 bill in California who was working with a particular group  who had some concern about the bill's language. They were able to successfully turn the bill into a two year bill.  That means no action this year while the legislature work to rewrite it and make it appropriate for all Deaf, deaf, and hoh kids in California. This means the bill will not go before a committee or get a floor vote. The bill simply needs a revamp. I was correct that the language of the bill was a bit unclear, even vague, enough so it would warrant justified concerns.  One big reason is that the bill failed to define "Deaf" in the write up. For a recap go here -  http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/2013/05/ab-455-california-bill-to-force.html UPDATE: I had my suspicions about the bill when the terms "deaf" and "hard of hearing" original language in the bill were struck and replaced with "Deaf." An undefined term. One deaf Californian contacted the assemblyperson about the bill and asked if (a) the bill was intended to establish state content standards for ASL like English and math, or (b) was it intended to translate into ASL for those who use it? The assemblyman responded in the affirmative but when asked for clarification on which question was being affirmed the person didn't get a clarifying response. That pretty much says it all.

Video: Brain-stem implant and cued speech for a deaf boy

Grayson Clamp, who was born with Charge Syndrome, recently became the first child to receive an auditory brain stem implant as part of a Food and Drug Administration trial.

Go here to the original site to see it in CC.

Before you track this parent down, which I suggest you do not, just so you can give him unsolicited advices or worse berate him. Here's a reminder why you should not.

Is Daniel Winship's art seen as "bullying"?

This what Tara Congdon wrote in her blog piece about Daniel Winship's own drawing depicting a deaf boy's head getting his cochlear implant drilled to his head:

"Precisely because of all the reactions posted on the image and its iterations across the Internet, Winship’s art must NOT be censored, as some demanded, or even labeled as bullying, as the operators of thedeafcommunity.org have done."

Art is fine. It's a form of expression based on many things. Some people don't even consider certain art as being art but a heap of mess instead. I understand that, too. Censoring art isn't a great idea, either (of course, perhaps with extreme prejudice that could depend on some things). Having said that, people do have a right to feel or think that certain art is seen as a form of "bullying." Seeing how it is provocative through the art's view own hyperbolic expression helping spread the myth continue to grow and misinform.

The owner of thedeafcommunity.org has every right to label certain art as the "bullying" kind if the person feels it has that kind of feel to it. Not quite the same thing but I think I understand the reason behind it when people think it's a form of "bullying" such as the claimed example seen in the "Bully File."

De'VIA (Deconstructing the Forced Assimilation of Deaf People) resistent art used as tactis to scare, bully and silence anyone who is pro-options for deaf children. De'VIA art is exhibited in places such as Gallaudet University.  For the an example of one such work, click on one of these links:

http://www.zazzle.com/the_deaf_militants_battle_with_the_hydra_monster_poster-228388261844109024

 

http://pinterest.com/silentmobster42/deaf-militants-battle-with-hydra-monster/

 

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=349626648493186&id=325226907599827

 

This example was shared among numerous sites on the internet in May 2013. Do note, "The Deaf Militants Battle with the Hydra Monster" poster is available for sale but without the permission of the person(s) represented on the image.
 

But are those art examples truly a form of bullying? Perhaps not. Perhaps not in the bully context as we know it but I believe I understand where this person is coming from. I cannot say that this person's viewpoint or perspective is entirely wrong saying it's a form of bullying. That kind of context need to be explored further.

Maybe some people feel that some art or drawing exhibit a form of "bullying" because of the pushiness it exhibits constantly at certain people or organization through examples of hyperboles and total exaggeration. Or that it mocks, demean, or ridicule certain people. And so on. After all, art is all about interpretation and people interpret art differently. Seeing it as a form of "bullying" is one of them.

"F*ck you, Deaf community!": Part II

Sometimes people who think they are doing the right thing actually end up hurting their cause and image when it comes to certain deafness related issues and concerns. I blogged this before a few years back and I think this warrant another blog piece in light of Daniel Winship's Facebook piece that generated lots of negative and positive reactions as a reminder that spewing hate and vindictiveness could simply backfire where targeted parents wrongly accused get the full wrath of the Deaf community's ire. Sometimes quite skewed in their outlook while other times sobering. The thread I'm about to link provide an insight look into the views and perspectives of mostly hearing people on the discussion of cochlear implant. It's a sobering read and seeing how many of them experienced the wrath from certain inner circles of the culturally deaf community their ire and hate. The author of the thread, Fuck you, Deaf "Community"   , is a hearing parent who exemplifies the very example of how the venting of the culturally deaf community can backfire in getting the very parents their support on the cochlear implant issue.

---

1. My 4-year-old daughter is deaf. She is not "Deaf" with a capitol D. She simply has no hair cells in her cochlea, she has no functioning inner ear. Even though she is deaf, she is not automatically part of your little world of shame and exclusion, and her native language is not ASL. It is not child abuse if we decide to raise her in a household that speaks English. So: fuck you for claiming her as your own, without a second thought to the wishes of her parents.

2. We gave our daughter cochlear implants when she was an infant. We made this long and difficult decision based on the research that was available to us, based on the educational resources available in our area, based on the nature of her deafness, and, yes, based on our own biases and desires. She had her surgeries before she was old enough to make the choice for herself, because to wait so long means to give her hearing long after her developing brain can make the best use of it. It is a well-known and long-researched phenomenon that pre-lingual implantation leads to vastly improved speech and hearing skills. But you call it child abuse. You call it cosmetic surgery on an infant, and more than once you called me a monster for it. It is not child abuse, to make complicated decisions about your kids without their input - it's called parenting. Nor is it cosmetic to give my kid a developmental boost. So: fuck you for heaping accusations of pre-lingual cosmetic surgery child abuse on me.

3. Our family is learning ASL, and have been since we learned our daughter was profoundly deaf. We will use sign as a second language, indefinitely. My wife is in school to become an interpreter. Nor do we believe in a purely oralist tradition; we acknowledge the importance of communication between deaf people without assistance. We get it, ok? We're committed. But because we gave our daughter cochlear implants, you automatically believe that we're out to destroy ASL, to destroy Deaf culture. You never listen to our reasoning, because what do we know? We're motivated by a desire to mingle in both worlds, and yet we're constantly scoffed at by the Deafies on principle. So: fuck you for your pernicious false dichotomies.

4. Speaking of false dichotomies: what the hell do you mean by the "Hearing Community"? You mean the 99% of the world...with functional ears? They form a single community separate from your own? Because obviously it's the Deaf Community vs. the world. Yeah, fuck you and your false dichotomies, again.

5. It's funny how your handicap isn't a handicap. You aren't missing a major sensory organ, it's simply that you have chosen a primary language which is signed rather than spoken. You embrace and welcome the nature of your language and your community, and you are, you say, just as capable as any hearing person. I get it - it's not a handicap. It's not a disability. You feel that there's nothing wrong with your bodies. You aren't broken machines in need of repair. You're not incomplete people deserving of pity. You're a close-knit community because, I gather, there's a conspiracy of doctors and audiologists and educators and academics and hearing-aid industry types, who are, to a person, out to suck your wallets dry then utterly crush and humiliate you, simply because...they hate your lifestyle choice. But you look past all that. You're complete and beautiful human beings and you're happy with the way God created you. There's nothing wrong with being deaf. Deafness is beautiful! So fuck you for demanding - and happily accepting - constant special accommodation for your alleged non-handicap. (And fuck you for demanding respect and understanding from my family, without giving us any in return.)

6. Your precious ASL doesn't have a sweet simplicity; it's just as capricious and arbitrary and fucked-up as any other language. I mean, come on! In our current class, we're learning three - THREE - different signs for the word "car". Which you don't apparently use interchangeably. What the hell? It kind of messes up your principle of "conceptual accuracy". Especially considering that there are many signs for most common words. A lot of the difference is regional, but a lot is just "we do it this way, they do it that way". ASL is, simply, fragmented. English, at least, has standardized on "wh" question words: "who", "why", etc. But English, even in signed form, is "too ugly" for you. Fuck you and your "beautiful language" high horse.

7. ASL purists, who want to distance ASL from English as much as possible, who advocate removing as much fingerspelling from the language as possible, who want to remove as many initial letters ("T" for toilet, "B" for box, etc.) as possible... yeah, I see you fingerspelling common words, I see you happily using intial letters. Fuck you for...well, for being uppity elitists. Go drive a Hummer while you're at it.

8. ASL has no written form. It must use another language - the hated and maligned English - for written communication. Therefore, it's nigh-impossible to look up a new word by its sign. Therefore, memorization plays a much larger role in ASL than in most languages. Therefore, more effort goes into learning how to sign, when other kids are learning how to read and write. Guess what kind of impact that has on illiteracy rates? And...you seem to prefer it that way? Before I met y'all I thought the illiteracy was the result of educational and developmental difficulties. But the more Deaf people I meet, the more I find that you don't much care about reading and writing proper English. ASL and TV is all you need. So...yeah. Fuck you for that, too. By the way, my deaf daughter is learning how to read, you dipshits.

9. While I'm at it, Alexander Graham Bell has been dead for 86 fucking years. When he was alive, he didn't gas any Deaf babies, he didn't sterilize anyone. If you honestly believe that he wanted to prevent deaf people from reproducing, even when his mother and wife were deaf, then I honestly believe you're pretty damn stupid. At any rate, it's a vastly different world today than it was back then. Believe you me, there are plenty of other villains to worry about today. Fuck you for not getting over A.G. Bell already.

10. Again with the calling me an audist in denial of your beautiful heritage. Which is funny, because from my perspective, you're being "deafists" in denial of your own handicaps. But you don't see me calling you out on it several times a week. Fuck you and your utter lack of tact.

But mostly, fuck you for putting a claim on my kid. I've been at this for more than four years, and you're just getting more hostile at us hearing-family-with-deaf-child-who-has-cochlear-implants. Our world, the world of the hearing, the world we're raising our girl in, the world you loathe so much -- our world is fucked up, sure, but it's roses and cotton candy and day-long free pony rides compared to yours.

Cochlear Implant Surgery - "It's a Beautiful Thing"

Two extremes, one is an exaggerated drawing of a boy getting cochlear implant by Daniel Winship where people responded both positively and negatively.

Commenters have used a range of words to describe the illustration, including powerful, evocative, propaganda, utter nonsense, crap, an evil depiction, sensationalistic, and patently false. Winship himself has been accused of brainwashing, labeled a sick person, and called a cunt, “closed-minded arrogant twat,” and wacko on the same level as members of the Westboro Baptist Church. Others have made assumptions, including that Winship must be an ex-implantee, that he doesn’t have children – much less any with “a birth defect” – and that his illustration reflects the opinion of the entire deaf community.

It's acknowledged that people see things differently based on a variety of reasons including life experiences whether it was a positive or negative one.

Tara Congdon went on to write about her interview with Daniel Winship his drawing seen in his Facebook.  The interview was an interesting read and insightful but I couldn't help noticed when Tara used one comment by posting a screen capture of an unknown commenter who described cochlear implant surgery as a "beautiful thing."

"I do not support a sick person who thinks this is what a cochlear implant surgery looks like.  I'm 100% sure you have never seen the actual surgery. It's a beautiful thing!"

You can see the whole context in the screen capture right before the comment was made on how beautiful cochlear implant surgery is and understand the perspective of why that person said that.  It is after all a whole different and positive viewpoint seeing that a cochlear implant surgery can be a beautiful thing. This unknown commenter have had her/his own cochlear implant surgery done and saw that it was a beautiful thing because she has gotten so much positive benefits out of her own first cochlear implant at age 4. and 21 years later will get a 2nd one this year. The unknown commenter was responding to Daniel Winship's exaggerated drawing in his Facebook of a cochlear implant surgery.

But it takes two to have a dialogue and a discussion, good or bad.

It's not surprising to see people respond negatively to this unknown person's own positive experience that cochlear implant surgery is a beautiful thing such as Dr. Don Grushkin seen in another Facebook discussion.

I'd say a lot of the vindictiveness is due to lack of understanding, miscommunication, and lack of respect instead of agreeing to disagree and that various opinions are valid in more ways than one. Sometimes the vindictiveness is at the fault in some circles of the culturally deaf community who tend to side on hyperboles and myths much like what happened in one blog I covered called, "F*ck you, Deaf community!" which serves an example of how such protestations by certain Deaf people can simply backfire instead of lending a helping and understanding hand.

We gave our daughter cochlear implants when she was an infant. We made this long and difficult decision based on the research that was available to us, based on the educational resources available in our area, based on the nature of her deafness, and, yes, based on our own biases and desires. She had her surgeries before she was old enough to make the choice for herself, because to wait so long means to give her hearing long after her developing brain can make the best use of it. It is a well-known and long-researched phenomenon that pre-lingual implantation leads to vastly improved speech and hearing skills. But you call it child abuse. You call it cosmetic surgery on an infant, and more than once you called me a monster for it. It is not child abuse, to make complicated decisions about your kids without their input - it's called parenting. Nor is it cosmetic to give my kid a developmental boost. So: f*ck you for heaping accusations of pre-lingual cosmetic surgery child abuse on me.

Our family is learning ASL, and have been since we learned our daughter was profoundly deaf. We will use sign as a second language, indefinitely. My wife is in school to become an interpreter. Nor do we believe in a purely oralist tradition; we acknowledge the importance of communication between deaf people without assistance. We get it, ok? We're committed. But because we gave our daughter cochlear implants, you automatically believe that we're out to destroy ASL, to destroy Deaf culture. You never listen to our reasoning, because what do we know? We're motivated by a desire to mingle in both worlds, and yet we're constantly scoffed at by the Deafies on principle. So: f*** you for your pernicious false dichotomies.

What a way to lose the support of that parent.

So, yeah, people do see certain surgeries as a "beautiful thing" because to them they see is liberation, access, and freedom. And, yes, parents who do the right thing and make an informed decision still get flack from certain inner circles of the culturally deaf community who run on hyperbolic emotions.

Did Daniel Winship's drawing help or hurt the culturally deaf community?

UPDATE: Check out "F*ck you, Deaf Community!: Part II"

Don't miss it!

Deafread continues to improve

Elsewhere on a positive note, Deafread continues to improve in its standing. This uptick is slowly gaining grounds since 2011 after an all time low global Rank of 2,553,855 per my screen capture. Visiting the Alexa site reveals the changes. Looking at my screen capture from last year in December of 2012 showed a global Alexa Traffic Rank of 2,124,154 while ranking in Canada yielded a rank of 86,239. Today showed a global rank of 2,064,335 and a ranking of 56,297 in Canada. A definite improving trend. For what it's worth I am noticing more and more people using Deafread now and it is now becoming much more adequately diverse on the type of blogs and people that grace the aggregator site's. So much for certain Deaf factions' boycott attempt over petty reasons in their effort to control Deafread's aggregator output and to force Tayler Mayer to fall in line with their ideology and deaf politics.

Tayler refused to so do and refused their online bullying tactics.

Good. We need people like Tayler Mayer who can think independently and not become coerced by people who think bullying and slandering are the answer.

Another interesting finding is that people are actually looking up my name in Deafread as seen in the "Top Search Queries results for Deafread.com" search results near the bottom of the Alexa page. Approximately 3.51% of the traffic searches in Deafread went for looking my name up in Deafread.

Dudes. I can't be that popular!

Deafread, still surviving, still thriving since the big boycott walkout of 2009.

Death of a Deaf Forum

It's dying of natural causes because naturally no one cares to visit this forum because it has become so one sided with everyone agreeing and nodding their heads together like bobbleheads.

No real diversity of thoughts allowed, practically so, without the risk of getting lambasted by zealots for having an alternative opinion or thought. Never daring to be different. The last group of lemmings was seen heading over the cliff.

Even in Facebook shows inactivity for a year with no hope for revival. Because who would want to go to a deaf-run forum with everybody agreeing on just about everything involving deaf politics and politics itself? It was a place seen as a "safe-haven" so to speak.  But the forum is wretchedly and slowly dying of natural causes. What is the forum I'm speaking of? Not gonna say. Just let it be and let it die naturally.  But if you do find the site via Google search you will find a warning beneath the link that says, "This site may harm your computer."  Might as well be a leper colony that nobody in their right mind would want to go and visit.

Yeah, let it die. Tis only humane. No one really cares. Life moves on.

Remove "Deaf people can do anything except hear" phrase

The phrase "Deaf people can do anything except hear" is an oft repeated phrase used by many culturally deaf people but it's a phrase that I and millions of other people with hearing loss do not really care for.

Why?

Well, it's not entirely an accurate phrase for one thing because people with hearing loss can do anything including the ability to hear. Not everybody, mind you. Having said that it's unclear what the term "Deaf" seen in the phrase is referring to. If we're using Humphries and Padden's definition to mean culturally deaf people only, then perhaps the phrase is adequate for the most part when that phrase was invented at the time. Then again you'd have this deaf band Beethoven's Nightmare to contend with that question with their most recent YouTube video. If it's not Humphries and Padden's definition and instead to mean anyone with a hearing loss from mild to profound (all inclusive) then the phrase is sorely outdated and antiquated in the era of hearing technology.  There are Deaf (new definition) people who can hear and do the jobs just like hearing people can using their ability to hear with the aid of existing hearing technology to perform the same type of jobs. This is another example of how the term "Deaf'" does not help make the case for culturally deaf people who insist on the newly defined term.  And this is why.

CAD and the AB 455 California Bill

The AB 455 bill is looking more like a bill that needs to be thrown out because it lacks an official definition for the term "Deaf" seen here in the bill. Unless the bill can provide an official definition to the term "Deaf" then perhaps the bill can be saved rather than scrapped.

But there's a problem.

The confusion could be blamed on zealots who wanted to change the definition of the word "Deaf" with the capitalized "D" to mean all inclusive of those with a hearing loss from mild to profound, whether they know sign language or not.  In fact, you have people like Dr. Genie Gertz, Ella Mae Lentz, and  others who are in the same boat and would even agree with what Dr. Grushkin said,

I choose to capitalize "Deaf" for all Deaf (and Hard of Hearing) people, not to signify any cultural affiliation, but to emphasize the common ethnicity of Deaf people. I believe that the d/D distinction is unnecessarily divisive, cumbersome, and ultimately more trouble than it is worth, although it did serve an important purpose in its time. But using Deaf for all does not signify cultural membership, just as not all Black people are necessarily part of Black culture or all Jews are practicing religious Jews.

And compare that to the official definition of "Deaf" according to Carol Padden and Tom Humphries, in Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture (1988) who invented the capitalized, big D, word explains the meaning and difference between "D"eaf and "d"eaf:

We use the lowercase deaf when referring to the audiological condition of not hearing, and the uppercase Deaf when referring to a particular group of deaf people who share a language – American Sign Language (ASL) – and a culture. The members of this group have inherited their sign language, use it as a primary means of communication among themselves, and hold a set of beliefs about themselves and their connection to the larger society. We distinguish them from, for example, those who find themselves losing their hearing because of illness, trauma or age; although these people share the condition of not hearing, they do not have access to the knowledge, beliefs, and practices that make up the culture of Deaf people.

In short, the term "Deaf" has always been defined as people who are culturally deaf and signs in ASL. That already defined word has already entered into the collective conscious minds of people for almost three decades. But people have a nasty habitat on putting the term "Deaf" into a bill or a bylaw without providing an official definition as a clarification.

California Association of the Deaf bylaws is another good example who used the term "Deaf" peppered throughout but no definition explaining the meaning "Deaf." Yet also, their bylaws make no reference to the term "hard of hearing," either. They didn't write down "Deaf and hard of hearing" in their bylaws like the AB 455 bill did but used only the  "Deaf" term instead. In other words they made the term "Deaf" to mean all inclusive those with a hearing loss from mild to profound rather than to mean only for culturally deaf people.

 At the very bottom of the bylaws CAD has a definition of the term "Deaf":

"Deaf is a term that includes all the individuals: born deaf, deafened in early, sometimes late childhood, for whom American Sign Language and Deaf community/culture collectively represent their primary experience and existence regardless of hearing disability they have.”

Was that an official definition of "Deaf" from CAD? Curiously so in their most recently updated bylaws as of August of 2011 they presented no definition for the term "Deaf" in various forms such as "Deaf community," "Deaf individuals," and the single term "Deaf."

Over the last three decades Deaf (culturally deaf) people have made a point that they "own" the word "Deaf" and for it to mean explicitly one thing, a deaf culture group that uses ASL. They have always agreed with Padden and Humphries' definition of that term.

Deaf with a capital D is a cultural term, rather than an audiological one. As defined by Carol Padden and Tom Humphries in Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture (1988), Deaf refers ‘to a particular group of deaf people who share a language—American Sign Language (ASL)—and a culture.”

Hence, it's understandable seeing the confusion of the bill's language writing in "Deaf and hard of hearing" into the bill when earlier it was written as "deaf and hard of hearing."  Exactly what is the official definition of the term "Deaf" seen in the AB 455 bill?

Well? What is it?

I'm waiting.

UPDATE: Of course, this is something that Tara Congdon failed to realize in her "investigative" reporting on CNN that the bill lacked any definition for the term "Deaf" which might become the unexpected monkey wrench. We'll wait and see, and get a more definitive report elsewhere whether the bill might present a problem or not.

Gallaudet's Mysterious Underground Tunnels

For those who have lived or worked on the campus of Gallaudet University may have heard of stories of underground tunnels snaking beneath the campus. Tunnels that could be accessed from above. Tunnels that were rumored to snake as far as to the Capitol grounds. Gallaudet University isn't alone. Georgetown University (founded in 1789) located some 5 miles away directly west have their own set of underground tunnels, even connecting to Washington, DC.

Though many of the tunnels are now said to be boarded up at the ends (thus would not lead to downtown Washington), the student body at Georgetown has long been fascinated by the importance of the tunnels and where they can lead to. The adventurous students search the school looking for entrances to the tunnels, hoping to travel through them to see where they may lead. There are rumors of many entrances to the tunnels, but the most popular of them seem to be from Healy Hall. 

There are doors on the side of the building that are always open, and lead directly into a maze of tunnels. Upon entering, you will see a lot of secret society type drawings on the wall. The tunnels from Healy seem to end at a broiler and contain heat pipes all along the way, which lends credence to the theory about heat pipes. Though other tunnel entrances are said to go much further into the city, the farthest I have heard of someone traveling is 3 blocks from the main gates of campus.

The "secret society type" mentioned in the article would be the fraternities. Greek letters of fraternities drawn on the tunnel walls.  It would be expected to find graffiti in abandoned or little used tunnels.  Washington, DC is known for some of their hidden tunnels. Just like the one under Dupont Circle located some 3 miles to the west of Gallaudet University.

Few are likely to know what lies beneath them: more than 75,000 square feet of tunnels that haven’t been open to the public in 15 years.

To access them isn’t simple: The only way the public gets there is through a tour led by the Arts Coalition for the Dupont Underground, which has permission from the city to lead groups to the site it hopes to redevelop. And the only pathway to enter those tunnels is by walking down a narrow underpass where cars and buses whiz perilously close by. Upon entering the tunnels through a nondescript door, visitors are greeted by a cloud of darkness and stale musk. Welcome to the Dupont Underground.

The tunnels – which run N Street to S Street – originally served the city’s streetcar system from about 1949 to 1962. Since then, the tunnels have been virtually unused, save for a short-live food court called Dupont Down Under that opened in 1995 and failed spectacularly, closing the following year. Today, on a tour led by flashlight, visitors see little more than graffiti, signs indicating station exits, and rail tracks that haven't been used in a half-century.

There's even an underground tour of the tunnel under Dupont Circle. And a video of a vision of turning DuPont Underground into something else.

 

Gallaudet University's own tunnels are believed to be connected between different buildings used by maintenance workers though I cannot really know for sure if this is true. Some say that the manhole near the library accesses the tunnels below. Some even believe manholes around campus are rigged with an alarm system so if anybody attempts to lift the heavy steel cap an alarm will go off notifying the campus police.

There are stories of the past that Gally students climbed down a few of the manholes around campus just for the heck of it and make graffiti on the tunnel walls like using their Greek organization's Greek letters. The big rumor is that these supposed tunnels that lurk beneath the campus of Gallaudet University can reach as far as to the U.S. Capitol .

If any graffiti drawings were done in the past they may have been painted over a long time ago. Unless somebody took pictures of those drawings then we'll know it's true.  If tunnels do exist and people have accessed those tunnels need to come out and tell their stories in the effort to preserve the little known history of Gallaudet University.

AB 455 California Bill to Force Students to Learn ASL?

California Bill AB 455 is in the process of being written to force(?) students with hearing loss from K - 12th grade to learn ASL (as opposed to "sign language" which would be broader in scope). Nothing in the bill says anything on other modes of communication such as CUED speech, SEE, PSE, or aural-oral uses.

You can visit the AB 455 section of the legislative page to check in for updates.  The Bill was introduced on February 19, 2013. It has been amended three times so far. And was voted on as well. Check the current status in the legislative page. 

The author of the bill is Assembly member Jose Medina for District 61 (map) which is Riverside. The bill has the hallmark touch coming from an over-zealous faction of the culturally deaf group.

Here's the relevant section of the bill. Note the revision of the term "deaf" which was struck and changed to "Deaf"? The handmark of the zealots in changing those terms in the effort to define deaf people per their own agenda.

This bill would additionally require the Superintendent, upon
consultation with a group of experts on the  deaf 
 Deaf  and hard-of-hearing, to develop standards that are
aligned to the common core academic content standards, for 
deaf  Deaf  and hard-of-hearing pupils to learn,
and achieve mastery of and literacy in, American Sign Language as a
child progresses through kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
The bill would require the Superintendent to recommend these
standards to the state board by March 30, 2015.
   (2) Existing law requires the state board to adopt braille reading
and mathematics standards for visually impaired pupils by June 1,
2006.
   This bill would require the state board to adopt braille reading
and mathematics standards for blind and visually impaired pupils that
are aligned to the common core academic content standards by June
30, 2015, as specified. The bill would require county offices of
education, school districts, and special education local plan areas
to provide blind and visually impaired pupils opportunities for
instruction to master the standards adopted by the state board,
thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.
   This bill would also require the state board to adopt American
Sign Language standards for  deaf   Deaf 
and hard-of-hearing pupils that are aligned to the common core
academic content standards by June 30, 2015, as specified. The bill
would require county offices of education, school districts, and
special education local plan areas to provide  deaf 
 Deaf  and hard-of-hearing pupils opportunities for
instruction to master the standards adopted by the state board,
thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.

And this section as well.

Article 3.6.  Individualized Education Program for Deaf and
Hard-of-hearing Pupils


   56355.  (a) The Superintendent shall consult with a group of
experts on the  deaf  Deaf  and
hard-of-hearing to develop standards that are aligned to the common
core academic content standards to learn, and achieve the mastery of
and literacy in, American Sign Language as a pupil progresses through
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
   (b) The group of experts shall include, but shall not be limited
to, members representing all of the following:
   (1) Parents of  deaf   Deaf  and
hard-of-hearing pupils.
   (2) Teachers of  deaf   Deaf  and
hard-of-hearing pupils.
   (3) Researchers in the field of deafness and auditory impairment.
   (4) Curriculum and instructional specialists with experience with
 deaf   Deaf  and hard-of-hearing pupils.
   (5) Groups that advocate for teaching of, and use of, American
Sign Language.
   (c) At least one-half of the members of the group of experts shall
be currently employed public schoolteachers.
   (d) The standards described in subdivision (a) shall be developed
for pupils who are  deaf   Deaf  or
hard-of-hearing and who use American Sign Language as their primary
language or literacy access mode.
   (e) The Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the state
board regarding the standards developed pursuant to subdivision (a)
by March 30, 2015.
   56356.  (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), by June 30,
2015, the state board shall adopt American Sign Language literacy
standards that are aligned to the common core academic content
standards for pupils who are  deaf   Deaf 
or hard-of-hearing and use American Sign Language as their primary
language or literacy access mode.

UPDATE I: The problem in this bill is that they included the terms "Deaf AND hard of hearing" pupils. "Hard of hearing" by itself does not mean the person knows sign language or is a culturally deaf person. It appears to reek of "entitlement."

UPDATE II:  From one group (a closed FB group of parents and adult CI users) who said:

"We oppose AB455 and any legislation that forces a language or culture upon any group of beings. We are opposed to AB455 because it infringes upon the civil rights of parents and the right to choose what's best for their deaf or hard of hearing child."

UPDATE III: Another potential problem for this bill. The term "Deaf" has always meant for culturally deaf people but as of late over the last few years some of the militant deaf group in the Bay area of California and elsewhere have been pushing to redefine the term "Deaf" to include all people with hearing loss whether they know sign language or not. So, that group is actually shooting themselves in the foot over that one with this bill. And here's why.

UPDATE IV: This bill is just a bit funky in the way it is written. It is now gaining legs with the attention of parents of deaf and hard of hearing children and one powerful lobby group. The big problem could be the bill is not clear on what they want to cover or it has every intention to force all kids with hearing loss to learn ASL from K - 12th grade. The shouts will only get louder from here on out until something is made clear by the author of the bill or the bill itself.
 

Printed 3D Bionic Ear for Superpower Hearing!

Ain't no joke but science and technology have gotten a lot geekier with this new 3D printed bionic ear that can hear beyond human ability.

Creating this bionic ear was not really intended for those who are deaf or don't have ears, McAlpine said, but rather: "The idea of this was: can you take a normal, healthy, average human and give them superpower that they wouldn't normally have?"

Superpower hearing? More here.

What's next?

The unknown history of how FROГ got started at Gallaudet University

It all began innocently enough in the spring semester of 1988 when sophomore Robert Johnson approached a group of Kappa Gamma fraternity boys sitting around at their preferred Gallaudet University cafeteria tables and asked a simple question, "What does it take to join Kappa Gamma?" One of the Kappa Gamma boys retorted and called Robert a "frog" signing by mimicking the bulbous throat of a croaking frog. It was an obvious insult because calling him a "frog" is a person who "hops around" (like a frog) asking different fraternities (or sororities) on how to join. Feeling insulted and seeing Kappa Gamma's lack of courtesy and respect, Robert soon had an idea on how to get back at Kappa Gamma's own arrogant and elitist attitudes. After a little investigation he decided to form an ad hoc "Greek organization." He named it "FROГ" with the Greek capital letters phi (F), rho (R), omicron (O), and gamma (G) or (Г ). When finger-spelled it is spelled out as the letter “F,” “R,” “O,” along with an upside down “L” (Г) spelling "FROГ" which spells almost like FROG.
 

FROГ

That was the day when FROГ was born. It was sheer genius by Robert Johnson. A clever way to make a strong statement.  

His new non-designated "Greek fraternity" got the attention of students who were independents and supported this new so-called FROГ Greek organization. Over a course of a few weeks some 450+ students signed up to be a member of this FROГ "fraternity" and even shelled out $8 bucks to buy a FROГ T-shirt.  Some FROГ members continued to wear their FROГ T-shirts well into the 1989 school year even for their 1989 yearbook pictures.

 

Green T-shirts were for male independents while pink T-shirts were for female independents.  No fraternity or sorority members allowed, so to speak, because they were not independents to begin with.   It was easy to join with no secretive interviews, intimidating tactics, no hazing or the need to become a pledge in order to join this FROГ "Greek fraternity" organization.  Basically anyone could "join" except, of course for obvious reasons, for fraternity and sorority members who were not independents at all.

Word got around quickly to Kappa Gamma where some actually got upset with FROГ designation because of the way the Gamma letter (Г) was signed which was the same as Kappa Gamma's as you can see in the two animated GIFs below.


 
 Kappa Gamma spelled "KГ"



FROG spelled "FROГ"

It was quite outrageous even elitist when Kappa Gamma felt that the Gamma letter (Г) should not be allowed to be signed in that manner. One thing for sure, they certainly felt the jab of Robert Johnson's response to their classless, elitist attitude that day at the Gallaudet cafeteria.

The real surprise came was during Rock Festival night. A plan was in the works that independents would wear their FROГ T-shirts at the festival in April of 1988. They came in droves that night which got the attention of the Kappa Gamma fraternity boys who were also at the Rock Festival, including Kappa Gamma member Roger Kraft seen in the 1988 Gallaudet University's yearbook.  

In fact, there were so many of them around it alarmed Kappa Gamma because they didn't know the true number of FROGs.  With that lack of solid information on the numbers it kept them at bay for even trying to complain further about the ad hoc Greek organization. Now they know number of FROГs that signed up, 25 years later that is.

Even though Robert Johnson was the founder of the FROГ Greek ad hoc organization it was meant only to be short-lived just to prove a point when it came to elitist attitudes.  Robert Johnson went on to join the Kappa Sigma fraternity during the 1989 school year. Kappa Sigma is one the oldest international fraternity who do not believe in hazing, a total opposite of what Kappa Gamma believed and practiced back then. In fact, hazing was their mainstay and part of the Kappa Gamma Greek organization and history. Something that they have not apologized yet for their hazing and intimidation practices on pre-pledges (interviewees) and pledges who were looking to join the Greek Kappa Gamma organization but sustained injuries through intense paddling and other physical and mental abuses.

Rest in Peace Robert Johnson who was killed in an auto accident on Sept 7, 2003 .

And now you know the rest of the story.

Supt. Robert Hill's Letter to Teachers at ASDB

Below is a letter from Supt. Robert Hill from the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind. Some people are calling this a "threatening" letter never mind the fact that teachers at ASDB are expected to display professional behaviors while on campus because ASDB belong to the public, not to the teachers. This letter is a simple reminder to those who insist otherwise. There is a difference when it comes to protesting on and off-campus. The letter noted that various levels of protesting were done on campus over the course of several weeks. Note the highlighted yellow below.

 

TO: All Schools Staff
FROM: Robert Hill, Superintendent
DATE: May 9, 2013
RE: Conduct Expectations in the ASDB Workplace and Schools
Over the past several weeks our schools have been involved in multiple levels of protests on and off campuses. While employees may voluntarily choose to participate in protests and related activities off campuses during non-work hours, employees are expected to maintain conduct during the school day and on campuses that promotes an environment conducive to learning, focuses on the approved curriculum, minimizes disruption, and ensures a safe and productive environment for staff and students. This communication is to remind all employees of specific policies in this regard.  

Board Policy GBEB, Staff Conduct: All employees of the Schools are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with effective and orderly education and to protect students and Schools property. No employee shall, by action or inaction, disrupt any Schools activity or encourage any such disruption. All employees shall at all times attempt to maintain order, abide by the policies, rules, and regulations of the Schools, and carry out all applicable orders issued by the Superintendent. Potential consequences to employees of the Schools who violate these rules may include, but are not limited to:  

• Removal from Schools grounds.
• Both civil and criminal sanctions, which may include, but are not limited to, criminal proceedings under Title 13, Chapter 29, of the Arizona Revised Statutes.
• Reprimand.
• Suspension.
• Dismissal. 

Administrative Regulation GBEB-R, Staff Conduct: No employee while on or using Schools property, otherwise acting as an agent, or working in an official capacity for the Schools shall engage in:  

Failure to comply with lawful direction of Schools officials, security officers, or any other law-enforcement officer, or failure to identify oneself to such officials or officers when lawfully requested to do so.
Any conduct that may obstruct, disrupt, or interfere with teaching, research, service, administrative, or disciplinary functions of the Schools, or any other activity sponsored or approved by the Board.
Maintain order in a manner consistent with Schools policies and regulations.
Dress and maintain a general appearance that reflects their position and does not detract from the educational program of the school.  

Board Policy GBEA, Staff Ethics: All employees of the Schools are expected to maintain high standards in their school relationships...The employees acknowledge that the Schools belong to the public they serve for the purpose of providing educational opportunities to all. However, every employee assumes responsibility for providing leadership in the school and community. This responsibility requires the employee to maintain standards of exemplary conduct. It must be recognized that the employee’s actions will be viewed and appraised by the community, associates, and students. The Schools employees:   

Make the well-being of students the fundamental value of all decision making and actions.    

Maintain just, courteous, and proper relationships with students, parents, staff members, and others.  

Fulfill job responsibilities with honesty and integrity.  

Refrain from using school contacts and privileges to promote partisan politics, sectarian religious views, or propaganda of any kind.  

Avoid using position for personal gain through political, social, religious, economic, or other influence.   

The specific expectation is that all employees conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times as they carry out their duties and responsibilities. Conduct that negatively impacts staff and student morale and productivity, and that disrupts the work environment and the educational programming for students is strictly prohibited.   

Employees are asked to be mindful of conduct that may be found to violate ASDB policies, including but not limited to the following:    

Active or passive encouragement of students to refuse to comply with directions of any school official.  

Active or passive encouragement of students to be out of classrooms for non- instructional or non-curriculum purposes (e.g., protesting, making protest signs/posters, allowing students to wear masks or T-shirts with inappropriate comments, etc.).  

Obvious or subtle bullying, intimidation, and discourteous treatment of others who may not share the same opinions or views. 

More obvious bullying and intimidating tactics may involve the display of signage, buttons, stickers, T-shirts with inappropriate comments, etc., in the workplace and/or in the schools. 

More subtle bullying and intimidating tactics may involve an orchestrated effort to wear the same color T-shirts on the same day as an attempt to identify those who are for or against a specific point of view.  

There are approximately two weeks of school remaining with many activities happening on both campuses including graduations. It is imperative that we make these last days of the school year meaningful and safe for all involved. Your cooperation is critical to fulfilling our commitment to students and to closing this year on a positive note. I ask you to continue to lead by example and remember that our primary focus is the students.  

Thank you for your continued dedication to ASDB.

The letter notes one example, which I assumed has happened, on the wearing of same color T-shirts on the same day as a show of protest which is also a way to identify teachers or staff who don't wear the same color T-shirt. Clearly a case of intimidation and bullying tactics. It's one thing to protest off campus or file grievances but it's another to try all kinds of protests, intimidation and bullying on campus over the course of several weeks.  Wholly unprofessional in my opinion. Even worse would be to get students to help with the protesting while on campus. I frown on this one because kids are easily made impressionable and are likely more gullible, especially on complex issues as this one involving both sides which is why an investigation is required.  And I welcome that.

An incorruptible ASDB?

Incorruptible? Depends on which side we're talking about at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind.  This won't be known exactly how until the investigation is over. But some of the corruption is now coming to light based on a blog I wrote over two years ago about a mysterious anonymous commenter with a pseudonym "Fiver" appears to have merits at this point.  This anonymous person made some bold claims about publicly funded deaf schools and how it's time state lawmakers need to look into those schools for impropriety. The protests at ASDB may have simply been an impulse reaction in the effort to protect their "Queen Bee" and their supposed agenda that has been secretly building from within the confines of ASDB the indoctrinating deaf and hard of hearing students may finally be showing their colors. All these protestations sound very much like a case of biting the hands that feed you which may spell trouble in the end once the investigation is over. But I digress. We'll have to wait and see although I'm not sure if this would actually be the case but various comments (here and here) that I have come across about the ASDB fiasco seems to corroborate Fiver's claims which leaves me wondering at this point.

Remember this one? "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers." Especially when they have some support from the Government. Deafhood is not merely a movement, it's a hideous, dangerous and counter-productive ideology. Many of the people associated with Deafhood are mere followers, they really have no idea just how destructive this movement/ideology is. This "thing" has destroyed and altered terribly the lives of many already, usually those who cannot stand against them and succumb. Among them are young children whose parents unwittingly commit them to deaf schools where those pushing Deaf Culture and Deafhood assimilate them into "Deaf Culture" as a source of raw recruits for future members. Deaf Culture is dying, yet they're trying to revive it. These children are shut out of the usage of speech and hearing as much as they can possibly be, without raising suspicions and creating a conflict with state authorities. Deafhood has expanded it's control of state schools for the deaf and enforces it's Deaf Culture and ASL-only doctrine as the only mode of communication. I have witnessed the repudiation of "SIMCOM" or "Total Communication" where any staff member using this means faced discipline and termination. NO speech is allowed, ASL only! Turn off your voice! The parents of these children unwittingly placed within those cultures have no idea what their child is being subjected to. The Deaf deny them that right to know, going so far as to use speech during parental visits, but speech ends as soon as the parents are gone!

State lawmakers need to investigate what is going on within government funded schools. These schools do not belong to the Deaf! These schools are publicly funded schools for all of society and have been hijacked.

I am going to stop here but will be posting more in the future. My pseudonym for this forum: Fiver. I fully expect the Deafhood "leadership" to start looking for me now, as I am within their ranks, the most dangerous threat to their plans.

I am: Fiver! 

This anonymous person "Fiver" raised some important questions from me now that I look back. Exactly what roles or influences have these "Deafhood" leaders had over Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind, if any? Or any deaf schools for that matter. What are the connections, if any?  Can anyone corroborate Fiver's claims in the above? Is there an official policy at ASDB outlining their "ASL-only" policy and that using your (oral) voice is not permitted or allowed?  Are parents (both deaf and hearing) being fully informed on what takes place at school with their son or daughter in class?

According to the ASDB 2012 Performance Audit Report:

ASDB’s mission is to work with parents, school districts, and others to enable children with a vision or hearing loss to develop their abilities, strive to achieve academic excellence, and develop skills to help them become productive and responsible members of society. This mission aligns with ASDB’s statutory responsibility to provide educational services, including instruction in a direct communication environment, so that deaf, hard-of-hearing, and visually impaired students may become self-sustaining and useful citizens.

Direct communication environment involves both ASL and aural-oral training/exposure for students who wear cochlear implants (what about hearing aids?) according to the audit report.  If teachers from within the ASDB are actively trying to suppress any speech and hearing development as much as they can then, according to Fiver, they are violating state law. As Fiver said, "Children must be taught English in order to function and be economically viable in the world, once they leave the school." Suppressing speech and hearing development from students who have the capability is a part of the process ensuring that they become economically viable once they leave safe bubble world of ASDB.

Poll: Should Kappa Gamma officially apologize to pledges for past hazing practices?

Here's an online poll. Should the Kappa Gamma fraternity at Gallaudet University officially apologize to all past pledges for hazing them whether they made it into the Kappa Gamma fraternity or not?

feedback surveys

Deaf staff bullying others at ASDB?

Where is this "I am - Fiver!" when you need her or him around (see near bottom of page)?

If this bullying actually happened then this would be the first known example of Deaf teachers or staff bullying others in the effort to get him or her in trouble by making up nonsense stuff. The practice of instilling fear into those who have alternative opinions or beliefs when it comes to deaf education, mode of communication and language development. Here's one hard of hearing staff or teacher at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind, who may have worked there at one time, recalled his time the going ons while working at ASDB as seen in the comment section of the Arizona Daily Star reporting on the  explosive ASDB story.

Working at ASDB not being in the in crowd, everyone watches you and reports silly crap to your supervisor. I know I was good at my job, but I allowed myself to be pushed out because going to work in a hostile work environment everyday is not healthy. Being watched and being called into your supervisors office everyday for petty stuff becomes old and tiring. I look back now and wish I would have went and talked to Robert Hill, but Nancy A. would have probably told the deaf community and I would have hell to pay.  

Bullying some of the teachers and/or staff as well as bullying hard of hearing students at ASDB? Have these incidents actually taken place at that school? If so, then it's a disturbing revelation.

Do you recall one anonymous commenter from two years ago under the pseudonym "I am Fiver!" who proclaimed to be "the most dangerous threat to their (Deafhood) plans" and discussed the idea of this so-called "assimilation" plan?

Shel has been the most vociferous with her attempts to rationalize these methods that are oppressive to those children with residual hearing and speech that can be developed. The “bi-bi” approach, or rather “movement” is operating under the guise of “teaching language and culture.” This implies that ASL and Deaf culture are only incidental to the teaching, when in fact, those concepts are the main goal. Auditory methods and speech articulation are suppressed under the rationale that it is necessary in order for these children to “assimilate” ASL to proficiency. There are many fallacies regarding this assumption. But just bear in mind that these people are profoundly affecting the lives of these children by altering the primary language to ASL and by exposure to a culture that has not been defined.

There is no theory or empirical evidence that ASL is a “bridge” to English language learning, even though this very premise has been claimed by many renowned (unnamed) educators of the deaf. In the past these advocates for “bi-bi,” ASL, etc. have alluded to, or insinuated that such a thing exists. But when pressed, they admit that there is no evidence. This has not stopped them, however. They are fervently working to manufacture “studies” and seeking out established language experts to validate their methods, by claiming parallels about how hearing persons learn foreign language. It is not the same! Learners of a second language have already acquired their primary language!

The goal of our schools, whether they are public schools for the hearing or public (state schools) for the deaf, the majority of states require that English must be taught as L1 (English=First Language). This is not happening in deaf schools where ASL is being taught as L1 (ASL=First Language). In such cases, this is clear violation of state law. Children must be taught English in order to function and be economically viable in the world, once they leave the school. I suppose, I do not know, but suppose, that they will rationalize their actions by saying that deaf require a visual language in order to communicate. All that they are doing is engraining these children into a language that is little known or used outside of deaf circles.

The minds of young children are “in the process” of being wired in early childhood. Although much of this “wiring” occurs in the first 2-3 years, it continues for many years after this “ideal window” for language development. Once a child is “wired” for a language of a certain type, that mode becomes life-long and unlikely to change. Proponents of the “bi-bi” movement know this, and are pressing forward with this misguided approach that will create a whole new generation of deaf individuals bereft of English language skills, recognizable speech, and enculturation into an extremely small minority “society” that has historically, and likely to remain a social and economic under-class in perpetuity.

Sounds like this "Fiver" person is somebody from the inside of ASDB or was on the inside or at another deaf school. At least the person appears to know a lot more details than he or she would care to share. Is this really about regaining a sure toehold on the whole indoctrination process the reason behind the constant bullying, if true, and the taping of a hard of a hearing student's mouth for talking in class, if true? Then perhaps once the investigation into these allegations on both sides at ASDB gets done it might shed some light on the veil of secrecy among the staff and the going on. Then again we might not get to the bottom of this. But one thing for sure, it won't be pretty once the investigation is over. 

To the teacher(s) of ASDB

Wow. If this is true and actually took place at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind then the offending teacher(s) ought to be ashamed of this action and attitude. The story reported in the Tucson, Arizona Craigslist about how a hard of hearing student's mouth was physically taped shut because he was talking.

One of them being that hard of hearing students should not be permitted to talk - only sign in American Sign language - she did not care what parents thought. Even in the last couple of months, a current ASDB teacher taped a student's mouth during class-time for "speaking" as well as hit him with many students and staff witnessing this. It was reported, but due to her "ties" with Nancy and certain administrators, she still remains. The bullying continues on campus from certain deaf staff. Was this disclosed in the AZ star? NOPE.

For the sake of the school I surely hope this isn't true but if it is true then the teachers and administrators chose a poor course of action through the willful discrimination, abuse and neglect towards hard of hearing students who may have a preference to speak as it is their natural habit.  If those things actually took place by menacing, warning, or punishing deaf or hard of hearing students for talking in school then those teachers and administrators involved need to be fired.  Is there a school policy at ASDB of not allowing hard of hearing students to talk in school?  If so then it's possibly a poor policy to begin with, especially if punishment calls for taping a student's mouth shut or hitting students to get him/her to stop talking with their voice.