This superb article from the Houston Chronicle by Clarence Page of Washington, D.C., and Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist. It looks at mainstreaming, Galludet and its presidential challenges, the culture, and cochlear implants.
Everyone should read the last four paragraphs.
When you divide the world between “us” and “them,” even in reaction to prejudices, you run the risk of developing dangerous prejudices of your own.
3 comments
You gotta be kidding – the Gallaudet protests were about mainstreaming?
Sorry – that was not it!
I see Jane as the “Abe Lincoln” martyr. She worked to liberate the deaf communities from the grips of dependence only to be shot down by the dependency confederates.
Another abolitionist will take Jane’s place and the battle’s will return.
Hi, I am a deaf person who prefers oralism rather than sign language. Of course, I definitely see sign language as one of these beautiful languages I have learnt, such as Cantonese(Chinese language in Hong Kong), English, and some Spanish. BUT having two hearing parents, I grew up dealing with hearing people most of time. Unlike people in USA, we HongKongers tend to believe that we need to communicate with our hearing friends due to jobs and activities outside our homes. I went to hearing schools in HK and Canada.I have fought for the right of captioning and notetaking since my parents sent me to those schools. However, what I have done with my professors and school offices just give me the opportunity to explain to others about my hearing loss. So I won’t say my parents’ decision is a mistake. I am really lucky to have the support of two loving parents, and I feel it’s my job to work with hearing people. They will be more friendly with us if they have some understanding of the challenges we are facing. And we can even make some friends out of that! I just hope you can give me some details about the battle between Gallaudet University and its students. I am currently residing in Hong Kong and I really want to find out more about the news of the school. And more, it would be interesting to see the school through the eyes of these students.