The local newspaper here in Rochester, N.Y., the Democrat and Chronicle, printed an opinion piece last week by Jack Slutzky, a retired Rochester Institute of Technology professor. The gist of his essay is that deaf culture does not exist. To me, this is like a white person saying black culture does not exist. I had no choice but to respond.
Here’s the link to Slutzky’s original essay:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006611030381
And here is the letter to the editor that I wrote in response. I don’t know if they will accept it for publication, but here it is anyway:
November 3, 2006
Democrat and Chronicle
55 Exchange Blvd.
Rochester, NY 14614
Dear Editor:
Jack Slutzky’s attempt to deny the existence of deaf culture (Speaking Out, Nov. 3) is one of the most mean-spirited and repugnant things I have ever read.
“Culture” has many meanings, and Slutzky conveniently overlooked this one: “The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious or social group.”
The irony is that deaf people developed their own culture as a response to the sort of insensitivity and discrimination that pervades Slutzky’s essay.
It is incomprehensible that someone with such a profound disrespect for deaf people was allowed to be an educator of the deaf for 40 years. If nothing else, this helps us to understand the sorry state of deaf education today.
I have been a deaf journalist for many years and I’ve followed the Gallaudet protest very closely. I can assure you that the protest had nothing to do with Gallaudet’s former president-designate, Jane Fernandes, being “not deaf enough.”
This was a cynical ploy created by the Gallaudet administration and promoted by the public relations firms they hired, with no regard for the damage they were doing to deaf people everywhere.
For goodness sakes, retiring President I. King Jordan was late-deafened and, like Fernandes, didn’t learn sign language until he was an adult. But no one cared, and he was embraced by the deaf community – until he tried to impose his will and hand-pick his successor.
The real reasons for the protest had to do with the underhanded way Fernandes got the job, her dismal track record over 11 years at Gallaudet and her utter lack of personal characteristics for the job. She is a cold, aloof and vindictive advocate of management by intimidation.
Did you know she dismissed the school librarian just one week before the woman’s 30th employment anniversary, denying her an immediate pension? Did you know she had campus police barge in on a counseling session after two campus murders, telling students to come to her office immediately, only to cancel the meeting when they arrived?
She even threatened the Gallaudet board of trustees in an email that was leaked to The Washington Post, warning them that Congress would investigate their failures if they were to dismiss her. To their credit, they ignored her threats and sent her packing.
But Slutzky’s misunderstanding of the Gallaudet protest pales in comparison to the contempt in which he holds the deaf community.
Perhaps he can be excused because he is obviously a very ignorant person. But what is the Democrat and Chronicle’s excuse for printing such an offensive, hate-filled piece?
Tom Willard
Rochester, NY
19 Comments
November 7, 2006 at 12:19 am
Thank you, Tom!!! We definitely need people like you in our Deaf community.
November 7, 2006 at 12:29 am
Keep up your good work!
We all need to be doing this everyday to educate these people that are spreading false informations about the Deaf Community/Culture.
November 7, 2006 at 12:40 am
I’m surprised to read about claiming against the existence of the Deaf Culture by someone from NTID/RIT. Wow! In 1995 I was the ASL Camp director at Mark Seven Camp, and I met several people from NTID/RIT who rejected the language and culture of the Deaf. Some of them left the program after we presented ASL because they wanted to learn how to pass some sign communication evaluation (I don’t remember exact words for it). As the ASL Camp director, I told them that we encouraged them to be language smart, not test smart. They just disliked it and left. It was my “lasting” impression by the NTID/RIT power people. Today I am listening to the same broken record. My goodness…. Tom, you did an outstanding job!
November 7, 2006 at 2:05 am
Gee whiz, already I had to delete a comment. If you have legitimate criticism to offer, make your case using factual information and include your real name. Otherwise, there are plenty of other blogs where you can bash people while hiding behind fake names. Just not here.
November 7, 2006 at 2:47 am
Tom, I always knew that we always could count on you! Well said!
I am fluent ASL but with English writing, I am struggling. However, I wouldn’t ask my English Professor to pass me if I don’t deserve it. (Carl, I am glad that you stand firm and not pass the students if they don’t deserve them.) I want to learn. I rather work very hard to improve my English writing. I currently attend a English tutor two times a week. A year ago, I refused to write on any Blog because I was so embarassed. But with all help from my English tutor, I begin to build my confidence in my writing and to improve my skills. I feel good about it even though I have some more left to do.
Without ASL, I wouldn’t be here. I lost many years where people spent their times to force me to speak. As a child, I loved to write but my teachers refused to teach me to write unless I learn to speak and not to use ASL. They would punish me by ripping my journals in front of a class. Whenever I tried to turn in my essays, my teacher demanded me to speak but I refused. She would write with a red marker an “F” on my essays.
I knew if I met right teachers who support ASL, my English writing would have fluent as my ASL. I am good at creative but not grammar. But my English tutor keeps on proving me wrong that I will be good at grammar.
Don’t give up! Embrace ASL.
I want people who grew up in oral to understand that it was not about them as a person. It is about a system itself where it forbid to use ASL and look down on Deaf people who use ASL. I suggest you with your open mind to research history about before 1880 and after how the system had created. Yes, it is painful to learn and to realize what it had done to Deaf people. When I learned about history of system itself, it broke my heart. I was one of survivors. I lost all years of my education because I chose to use ASL and I got punished for it.
Aidan
November 7, 2006 at 4:13 am
[...] So I happened to sign in to wordpress.com this evening, and I noticed a post on the list of top WordPress posts today. It’s entitled “Deaf Culture Doesn’t Exist??!!” Naturally, this reminded me of my, er, somewhat uncouth comment on this topic, which several people thought ought to be a post. So, here are my thoughts, cleaned up this time. [...]
November 7, 2006 at 4:34 am
Fantastic. As someone who does not know nearly enough about Deaf Culture–but who is learning ever so steadily–I thank you for being assertive and voicing your opinion on that article!
Peace,
Julia
November 7, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Your blog is wonderful!!! Thanks for letting me know about your blog! I love your style! Keep up your great work!
November 7, 2006 at 3:01 pm
To say that this protest had nothing to do with teh “Not Deaf Enough” issue is just plain denial on your part. From the first day throughout this protest you and fellow protesters have always reverted back to the exclusion from ASL in JKF’s plan for the future at Gallaudet. Only your perception may I add, Dr. Fernandes would Never not embrace ASL as the main tool of communication on campus. The comments made by some that JKF did not learn ASL til 23, that she married a hearing person so she can’t understand what it means to be Deaf, that she sometimes reads lips and acually has been witnessed by some actually speaking, etc. How dare she use all the tools she has learned to communicate in the world.
To this day we have Carl Schroeder harping that ASL is being abolished at Gallaudet and he needs to somehow rescue his alma mata from this terrible situation. Carl, that will never happen at Gallaudet and you all know it.
Then we have Kathleen Ward throwing every deaf person in the world not part of your Deaf Culture under the bus. To say Gallaudet, a federally funded university, is not for all deaf people is oppression and segration in its purist form. She should be asked to leave Gallaudet for these statements.
So I have a few one questions.
If all of this protest is about JKF’s poor leadership why have all you gone off in a different direction in the beginning during and after her termination.
Meaning, why all the personal attacks at JKF concerning her loyalty to Deaf Culture? She is as deaf as anyone!
Why was their no protest during her 12 years at Gallaudet where all this so-called oppresion and discrimination was taking place?
You can deny it all you want, that’s what other than honorable people do when they can’t speak up for what the know is the truth, but this protest was fueled by deaf culturalists and their friends to smear a person who was actually was going to do something good at Gallaudet and despite what you say is a part of the Deaf community.
Maybe you should all try to be a part of the Deaf Comminity as well and stop blaming everyone and every situation as being some else’s doing. This situation has been YOUR doing.
November 7, 2006 at 3:33 pm
Thank you for the nice feedback to my new blog. Your comments are most appreciated.
Aidan, that is such a sad story. I can’t imagine a teacher tearing up a student’s work in front of the class. I hope you will continue to speak out like this. You are a beautiful writer because you write from the heart.
Ken, I never once said anything about Jane Fernandes’ signing skills. Why would I, since I’m in a similar boat? I became deaf slowly and learned sign language around the same time she did. I will never be a proficient ASL signer but I try and do my best.
It has nothing to do with signing skills, it is all about attitude. I would work at booths at deaf-related events and talk with people all day long. Compare that to the stories of Jane Fernandes walking through campus and ignoring those around her, or hiding in her office most of the time, or sitting at a table at a dinner event and not talking with anyone for two hours, including a prominent donor who decided not to give to Gallaudet anymore as a result.
It’s not about “deaf enough.” It’s not about her signing skills. It’s about her personality and the kind of person she is. “No one but me can lead Gallaudet.” Yeah, sure. Get lost, lady.
November 7, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Oh, wait, I CAN imagine a teacher tearing up a student’s work. Know why? Because I just remembered something someone told me about Jack Slutzky. Apparently he didn’t like a student’s artwork and he took a marker and scribbled all over it. Yes, I remember now, the student told me about it later and was still upset. I can’t imagine doing such a thing myself. You have to wonder how (and why) people like this get into deaf education in the first place.
November 7, 2006 at 4:14 pm
Tom,
Its about what all protesters have said during and after this protest which the rest of the world has seen. The character assassinations directed at Dr. Fernandes created the “Not Deaf Enough” term. These three words summed it up in a nutshell and were created by the protesters.
If the protest is about the fact that she perhaps didn’t acknowledge someone walking on campus or not being the life of the table at a party, then the boards decision to terminate her should be revisited. These are not reasons for termination of a position she was rightfully appointed to.
I can only assume that you never had a bad day and didn’t want to talk with everyone that was in your presence.
To the Prestigious Donor who will not contribute anymore because JKF was quiet, Oh Well. Most people with humility donate to causes because they believe they can help out the instition and get a tax write-off. Not to be recognized by and have their Ego’s inflated at the same time. Besides, the federal government funds this school to the tune of 100 million and Dr. Fernandes has successfully soliceted hundereds of thousands if not millions of dollars in contributions from a long list including herself. It is always a few negative stories that protesters have harped on without adding the tremendous contributions she has made to the Gallaudet Community. When was your last contribution made to the university you say you love?
November 7, 2006 at 4:24 pm
A college president needs to be warm and friendly and outgoing and have good people skills and put a good face on the institution.
From everything I’ve seen, Jane Fernandes does not have these qualities.
This does not mean she is a bad person, it just means she was not the right person for this job.
Perhaps she is better off tucked away in a back office writing grant applications, since you allege she is responsible for “millions” of dollars in contributions.
I haven’t seen any evidence to back up this claim, frankly.
November 7, 2006 at 6:21 pm
Ken,
There’s no such thing as “not deaf enough”. That is a meaningless phrase.
If you want to talk about whether or not Fernandes is a “non-culturally deaf person”, then say it! Don’t use sneaky and meaningless language that can be used to manipulate people who don’t understand the issues.
Do you want to say that Fernandes was rejected because she is not a culturally Deaf person? Then say that! I personally don’t think that is true. She could be non-culturally deaf, but still have a good attitude about Deaf culture and people would not have objected to that.
The problem was her *attitude*–She oppressed culturally Deaf people. On top of that, she had horrible interpersonal skills and horrible administrative skills. She was an unqualified crony of Jordan who was selected by a flawed process.
People like you use that meaningless phrase as a vague claim to some kind of right to keep Fernandes in there. We’re not so stupid. Stop the ridiculous propaganda.
November 7, 2006 at 7:02 pm
Tom,
I am an ASL Student at Xavier University and I think your response to this clown is perfect. I am adding you to my blogroll. Keep up the good work.
November 7, 2006 at 8:38 pm
Brian, Their must be a thing called “not deaf enough” that is what you were all saying in the blogs I have read since day one. Nobody has erased the Gallypost blogs go do some homework. Her qualifications speak for themselves. She has held many positions where she was a leader. What do you personally know about being a Provost at a Gallaudet. That’s what I thought , Nothing.
What you do know how to do is complain about everything under the sun and race all over the country putting your nose where it doesn’t belong.
Stop denying what the issues are they are plain as day for everyone to see. If she was such a bad provost why did it take you 6 years to protest her record?
Brian, what part of the spectrum do you lay under that makes you an authority of how a university should be run. HOH,Deaf or Culturally Deaf?
November 8, 2006 at 1:20 am
[...] Deaf culture [...]
November 12, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Ken,
It’s time for you to reevaluate your position.
I never claimed to have all the answers to all the problems, but I *was* able to help in uncovering some of the problems, and I played a role in bring them to the attention of a lot of people.
My main role in the protest was to act as a lightning rod, and deflect attention away from the other protesters. I’m still serving in that role, to some extent. That’s fine by me.
March 16, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Dear Tom-
I just read your response to Slutzky’s (that’s enough to make you giggle) article. Fantastic.
I will try to make this brief as I don’t even know if this will reach you. (I’m just learning computers.)
I am a returning student after a 16 (whew) year absence. I am taking ASL as I have always wanted to and never had the chance. I love it. I am writing a paper for my writing class and I chose Deaf Culture. I would like to take an informal survey at my school asking people what they know of Deaf Culture, but I am having a difficult time deciding what questions to ask. Any ideas?
If not, thanks anyway. I loved reading your web page ( Tom’s Deaf Advocacy).
m