Letter to Georgia Department of Corrections: Unjust treatment of Deaf Inmates

 29 January 2014

Commissioner Brian Owens

Georgia Department of Corrections

300 Patrol Road

Forsyth, GA  31029

Dear Commissioner Owens,

This letter calls upon you, Commissioner Owens, to take action in regards to the discriminatory practices that are taking place under the Georgia Department of Corrections with regards to Deaf and Hard of Hearing inmates.  In addition, we believe you are denying one particular Deaf prisoner, Ricardo L. Harris the right to a speedy trial.

Having one’s case brought to trial in an expedient manner is a constitutional guarantee and yet Mr. Harris has been imprisoned for over a year. The Americans with Disability Act title II covers the judicial system and prison facilities.  Reasonable accommodations to ensure effective communication are a right that Deaf and Hard of Hearing inmates in Georgia been denied.  These inmates have limited or no interaction with other prisoners and guards.  They lack access to information and programs within the prisons.  Your prisons do not provide avenues for these individuals to communicate with their families. Such unequal treatment results in your effectively sentencing these inmates to solidarity confinement.

This also means that the Georgia Department of Corrections is guilty of audism.  Audism is attitudes and practices based on the assumption that behaving in the ways of those who speak and hear is desired and best. It produces a system of privilege, thus resulting in stigma, bias, discrimination, and prejudice—in overt or covert ways—against Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and Deaf people of all walks of life. 

We, Audism Free America (AFA), are a grassroots advocacy network.  AFA, the National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA), Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf (HEARD), other members of the national Deaf community and Hearing allies are aware of the injustices that are being experienced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing inmates in the Georgia Department of Corrections.  Such injustices are NOT acceptable.

We urge you, Commissioner Owens to be accountable for these inmates and their treatment.  We urge you to follow your Department of Corrections core value of integrity -–doing what is right legally and morally.

Let Freedom Roll,

Karen Christie, Patti Durr and Ruthie Jordan

on behalf of Audism Free America

Indiana EHDI Director - Master's in Audiology only. AFA letter objecting

AFA's Letter to the Indiana Interim EHDI Program Director about the requirement for the director position being a MS in audiology - with no other options for qualifications.  To see the job description and requirements go to: https://hr85.gmis.in.gov/psc/hr91prd/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=587546&SiteId=1&PostingSeq=1&

AFA's letter sent Jan 17, 2014

Julie R. Schulte, MA, CCC-A
Interim EHDI Program Director
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program
Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education
Indiana State Department of Health

Greetings Ms. Schulte:

It has come to our attention that Indiana is seeking an EHDI Program Director yet requires applicants hold a Masters in audiology.  Based on the job responsibilities - there is no reason for that specialization to be the only acceptable degree for the post.  Since only a handful of Deaf people have pursued degrees in audiology, your agency is in effect disqualifying Deaf applicants.  Furthermore, the statement of "effective verbal and written communication skills are required for this position"
shows a discriminatory hiring practice favoring only speaking applicants over signing ones.

The International Congress on the Education of the Deaf 2010 Accord for the  Future has several resolutions that call for the involvement of Deaf people in key decision-making positions about services for Deaf infants and children. 

• Call upon all Nations to facilitate, enhance and embrace their Deaf citizens’ participation in all governmental decision making process affecting all aspects of their lives;
• Call upon all Nations to involve their Deaf citizens to assist parents of Deaf infants, children and youth in the appreciation of the Deaf culture and sign languages;
• Call upon all Nations to support a child-centred approach in  educational programs  and a family-centred approach in all support services for both Deaf and hearing family members;
• Call upon all Nations to refer all identified Deaf infants to regional and national organizations of the Deaf,  schools and programs for the Deaf for support with early intervention

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the World Federation of the Deaf also recognize the importance of having Deaf people be actively involved in early intervention and government decision making in matters that affect Deaf lives and their families.

Given the fact that the "EHDI programming is aligned with grantee expectations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) which are the primary funding sources for the EHDI program" and there at stipulations in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 503 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II that prohibit discrimination against Deaf people and also endorse encouraging Deaf applicants for certain government related positions, the restriction of the audiology degree is unneeded, unwarranted, and unjust for this job. 

We, Audism Free America, request that you expand the job requirement to accept applicants who hold Masters degrees in Deaf education, communication studies, bilingualism and other related fields.  These degrees often include studies about early intervention, assistive listening devices, audiology and speech, American Sign Language, Deaf culture, bilingualism, cognitive development, language acquisition and development and more.

Once the degree requirement has been justly expanded to include these other appropriate areas, we will gladly help promote this position and search.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter.  Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Let Freedom Roll,

Patti Durr, Karen Chrisite, and Ruthie Jordan on Behalf of Audism Free America 

AFA letter to Co. Newborn Hearing Screening Program

AFA has sent a letter to the Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment about their biased brochure for Newborn Hearing Screening.  We have CCed our letter to Co. Hands and Voices and the Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  Brochure can be seen at bottom of this entry.  

15 January 2014

Dear Sir or Madame:

It has come to our attention that the Colorado Newborn Hearing Screening Program brochure is devoid of any information on American Sign Language, visual acuity, and an Early Healthy Deaf Identity.  Instead the brochure emphasizes a pathological view of being deaf and fails the newborn before they even leave the hospital.  

This material is biased towards medical and audiological specialists over multilingual-multicultural specialists.  It stigmatizes being Deaf and casts a shadow over the birth of a new child - be they Deaf or Hearing.  

We have CCed Hands and Voices since Hands and Voices is listed on your brochure.  The organization bills itself as being committed to fostering and respecting access and outcomes without a bias towards any particular mode or method; yet, it allows itself to be listed on your brochure that omits any recognition of the benefits and milestones of sign language and cognitive development.  The Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has also been included in the CC as they should be aware of the bias presented in your Newborn Hearing Screening brochure. 

We request that you, the Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment, revise your brochure & program to show cultural competency and respect of Deaf culture and American Sign Language.  

Let Freedom Roll,

Audism Free America

CC: Colorado Hands and Voices and the Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 

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Audism Free America (AFA) is a grassroots Deaf activist network in the US, which advocates for Deaf American rights.  Audism is attitudes and practices based on the assumption that behaving in the ways of those who speak and hear is desired and best. It produces a system of privilege, thus resulting in stigma, bias, discrimination, and prejudice—in overt or covert ways—against Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and Deaf people of all walks of life.