2 April 2014
Ms. Rose Vasquez,
Search Committee
Chair
And Ms. Marcia
Brunson,
Policy and
Operations Officer
Board of Regents
To Ms. Brunson and
Ms. Vasquez,
It has come to our
attention that the education of Deaf children in Iowa is endangered and as a
national grassroots network of Deaf activists, dedicated to combating audism*,
we feel compelled to respond. It
is clear to us that the recent actions of the Board of Regents translates into
a systematic effort to ensure that the education of Deaf children in your state
is moving toward the closure of Iowa School for the Deaf and resulting forced
assimilation of Deaf students in your state.
Is it intentional that
you have not included on your search committee for Superintendent significant
Deaf representatives nor representatives from vital stakeholders such as ISD alumni
and Deaf Community members?
Is it intentional
that you have not sought a QUALIFIED individual for the Superintendent position
who has an advanced degree in the areas related to the education of Deaf
individuals?
Is it intentional
that it is not a priority that the Superintendent of a Deaf school can
communicate directly with the stakeholders and students she/he is expected to
serve and protect?
Is it intentional
that you are not actively working with the Deaf Coalition of Iowa to build a
stronger relationship between the Deaf community and the Iowa School for the
Deaf?
Unfortunately, these
efforts will leave the future generation of Iowa Deaf students academically at
risk. Not only is this unjust, there
are international documents which your actions violate in principle:
The
International Congress on the Education of the Deaf (ICED) in 2010 noted that,
many Deaf citizens are being prevented from “equal access to decision making,
employment opportunities and quality education” and therefore urged all nations
to “facilitate, enhance and embrace their Deaf citizens’ participation in all governmental
decision making processes affecting all aspects of their lives.”
From the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:
Deaf children have the human right to accessible
learning which “facilitate(s) their full and equal participation in education
and as members of the community.”
At this point in time what is needed is a visionary Superintendent
who is dedicated to improving the education of Deaf children in Iowa by putting
into practice an innovative challenging educational program at Iowa School for
the Deaf that will prepare Deaf students as global citizens. Relying heavily on
a search committee that has minimal knowledge of Deaf culture, ASL, and
community accountability within the Deaf-World does not bode well in leading to
an Audism-free new Superintendent.
The
passion of the members of the Deaf
Coalition of Iowa shows a great investment in the importance of the future of the Iowa
School for the Deaf and the education of all Deaf children in Iowa. This
investment the Board and future Superintendent cannot afford to loose.
Let Freedom Roll,
Karen Christie, Patti Durr and Ruthie Jordan
For AFA
*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.
Cc: Robert
Vizzini, Deaf Coalition of Iowa, deafcoalitionofiowa@gmail.com
Patrick Clancy, Superintendent
of Iowa pclancy@iowaschoolforthedeaf.org
