It might be a little early to worry, but I am concerned about the education my kids will be getting here in Utah. Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind fully supports an oral educational approach for our deaf kids. In their opinion, oral education is the answer. Deaf kids who are educated orally will be better able to learn and function in society. They will be able to compete on the same level as kids who hear. They will be eventually mainstreamed and be normal happy teenage kids. That is what they want you to believe.
Last night we went to a meeting where we learned that the truth is not just different, but it is scary. A high percentage of kids who "graduate" from the oral and mainstreaming program read on a 4th grade level. A low percentage of them graduate, and an even lower percentage go on to college. Deaf kids who do go through mainstreaming aren't accepted. It's just the opposite. Instead of finding themselves accepted in the normal system, they are isolated as the only deaf child in the school. They are kept from participating in normal activities like sports or spelling bees. They are encouraged to take classes that will help them "graduate", but are not academic enough to help them get into college. An email was shown last night that showed how the administration of USDB in 2005 felt about their deaf students being encouraged to go to college. Basically, that kind of activity was referred to as giving the students "more false hopes". The person who was going to encourage these kids to enroll and apply at the U of U was told to give the deaf students "a good dose of reality, and not sugar coat it." If the statistics and attitudes that were shared last night were happening in a "normal" school district, it would make the news, parents would be up in arms. Yet here it is happening, and no one seems to notice. Why? Because what better can we really expect for the deaf kids? They don't really expect to go on to college, do they?
I expect my kids to go. I am ready to do everything I can to make that happen. My first thought was to move away, someplace like Texas, or Washington, D.C., where there is a strong Deaf community. Where my kids could go to school and get the education they deserve. But if everyone who felt that way moved away from here, who would stay and fight? No one. The USDB would win, and oralism would be the only way here. We decided we will stay and take up the fight. To make our kids' lives better, and make the lives of others better.
So, what is a better way? It's not hard to figure out, I think. The same way that hearing kids are taught, should be the same way that deaf kids are taught. Hearing kids go to school and communicate with their friends and their teachers in their native language. Most of the time, there is no interpreter, because the communication is direct. Deaf kids deserve the same. An all signing atmosphere for school. The communication would be direct. They wouldn't have to struggle to try to listen and read lips. They wouldn't miss vital parts of lessons because the interpretation was unclear. It would be direct. They would be surrounded by positive role models who are like them, who can set good examples for them. They would be surrounded by friends who are like them, and they would all be signing. It would be like any other school. They wouldn't feel ashamed or discouraged because of how they are different. They would be accepted. This would be good for building support for the future, building a community, based on common, positive experiences. I believe their test scores would go up, they would be better able to read and better prepared to go into college. They would be surrounded by adults, who believed and expected them to succeed, instead of knowing they would fail. Imagine the power we would be giving our kids, as they learned to love who they are, and have pride in who they are, instead of always focusing on what they are not.
If we don't speak out, then who will? The USDB will continue on like it has been doing for years. But if we come together and say that what they have been doing is not good enough, and our kids deserve better, if we demand that, how will they be able to deny it? We have that opportunity next week. On Thursday, November 12, at 6:30 at the Sanderson center, there is a Town Hall meeting with the new Superintendent of USDB. We need to be there to make our voices heard, to demand that they do what is right for our kids, which is educate them and prepare them for college.
Resep Perkedel Kentang Telur Dadar Gulung
7 years ago
Whoa- was the meeting you went to extremely biased?
ReplyDeleteI think a child can be successful either way (signing or oral) given the right resources. I'm deaf with CI's and have been mainstreamed my entire life. Never been in an oral or signing program, just lots of AVT and a mom who did everything she could to ensure my success. I was reading at a 4th grade level when I was in 1st grade.
There are a few other girls my age at my school who are also oral with CIs- we're friendly, but most of my friends are hearing. (I also have deaf friends who live out of town from conventions and such.) I would definitely say that I'm accepted in my school, and I'm involved in plenty of clubs and activities.
The one thing I must say, is the school district will do everything they can to get out of giving accommodations. I'm saying this two days after my school district has refused to give me CART after doing an "evaluation." All they did was sit in the back of ONE class period on ONE day. They said I didn't look confused, so I must have been understanding everything. My grades are good enough, so what do I need CART for?
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. I know a girl who is Deaf and signs, and is also mainstreamed. She is in a different school district than I am, but the interpreters they hired for her were bad and inexperienced- her signing skills were better than theirs. Her mom is now forced to interpret for her at a school (she became a certified interpreter).
So yes, education is a fight for deaf students. But that doesn't mean they're going to be unsuccessful.
It's not a question of whether I'll graduate- it's how high in the top ten percent of my class I'll be. There's no doubt I'll attend college- it's whether it will be in-state or out-of-state that I think about.
I hope that the town hall meeting is successful, and that you'll be able to get the best education for your kids. Just don't automatically assume they'll be social and academic outcasts in the mainstream.
Admittedly, the meeting was biased. Also, I understand that either way, a child can be successful, especially when that child has the support of their parents. I think that is a huge key. I think the real frustrating part is that there are such limited choices here in Utah, and that the choices and options they do have seem to be incredibly unsuccessful. That is distressing to a parent. I feel the same about my kids, that they will graduate and go to college, but it will be a fight for us. The experiences we heard were from people who had grown up mainstreamed, and had negative experiences. That's not to assume that every experience would be negative. I appreciate your input. It is always good to get both sides.
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