I haven’t blogged lately because I haven’t had much to say (not that that stops others … hah)
But there’s something on my mind and I want to ask you … do you get adult school catalogs in the mail? What do you do with them? Do you sign up for classes and request an interpreter, or do you toss them in the recycling bin?
I get catalogs regularly and see many interesting classes, but in my life I have taken only one adult school class, in volleyball, in the ‘80s. It was awkward being with all hearing people as I was used to being around people who could sign. I was not used to being marginalized and made to feel weird. I hadn’t even bothered to ask for an interpreter … it was volleyball, after all.
Since then, I’ve never signed up for another adult school class. The catalogs don’t make me feel welcome since there is no mention of special services for the deaf. I imagine that if I registered for a class and asked for an interpreter, they would provide one, or at least try. But I would instinctively brace myself for a fight, and I get tired of fighting about things like that.
Also, I admit that I would feel kind of guilty. Suppose the class fee is $50 and there are 20 people in the class. Suppose the interpreting fee comes to $1,000 (10 classes @ $100 each) – you would be gobbling up every other person’s class fee.
But would you really be part of the class? From my own experience, you’d be sitting up front watching the interpreter and wouldn’t have the foggiest notion who is saying what. Your impressions of classmates would be based on brief glimpses. People would laugh, but you would be 10 seconds behind and could only offer a puzzled grin.
It’s such a different experience when everyone can sign and you associate one another with comments that are made and feel that you are part of the group and not an outcast forced by law to be admitted at the expense of everyone else in class.
When it comes to adult schools, I don’t think it is fair that hearing people have all these opportunities for advanced learning that deaf people don’t.
But we can’t whine about it, we need to do something about it. A century ago, deaf people formed their own insurance company (NFSD) because the hearing companies would not insure them. In a similar spirit, we must now form our own adult schools so that we can continue to learn in a fully accessible environment throughout our lives. We should not have to stop learning just because we’ve received our high school or college diploma and further options are inaccessible.
There are plenty of deaf and signing people with specialized knowledge and the communication abilities to impart this knowledge to other deaf people. All we need is a coordinating system that would set a schedule and sign up the teachers and publicize the classes. It is something that conceivably could be done in any decent-sized deaf community.
I haven’t seen this topic addressed and I’d like to know what people think. Should we crash the hearing schools and demand our rights? Start our own schools? Stay home and eat popcorn?
And where do the interpreters fit in? Why are they so expensive? Agencies charge $50 an hour and I know the interpreters only get a portion of that and don’t work a full 40-hour week, but gee whiz. It gets even worse when a lengthy class requires two interpreters to spell one another.
It is one thing to demand our rights – I wouldn’t go without an interpreter in court, for example – but it another thing to have common sense and not want to create a financial burden for a small adult school or similar enterprise.
Let me know what you think. Also, if you’re in Rochester NY and would like to teach adult school classes in specific topics, please let me know. I am interested in starting a deaf adult school locally as part of a larger non-profit and it’s never too early to begin learning of other people’s interests.
3 Comments
August 18, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Canada is going to have their first Deaf College in Milton. That’s great news for me, though I don’t live in Milton. Still…there are people arguing that not enough people are going to attend. Why?
They say its because the attendance will be low and most Deaf students have cochlear implants or hearing aids. Ugh…big deal. The opportunity must be there anyway! I’d appreciate it being there.
Why must the ASLing and PSEing Deaf be marginalised? Its almost like the hearing want to invoke a Deaf Civil War over who may be entitled to learn anything. “You got prosthetics on? Good, we’ll happily help you.” as opposed to “You’re one of those that only sign? Nope, I’m sorry. You’d be unable to hear the assisted Deaf in the classroom and the speaking teacher.” I mean… does this madness -really- have to go on?
I don’t feel as ranty as usual, but c’mon…we need more adult schools for the Deaf. I’m tired of being left behind and isolated while having to face the constant fear that no Deaf establishments will survive so I can make good use of them.
August 28, 2007 at 11:49 am
Tom – I agree about adult school for the deaf… education is a lifetime and on-going project. No one should stop learning… theonly time someone stops learning, he/she is dead.
After spending many years with clients in advocacy, I notice the lack of educational needs for them. It is because state schools as well as public schools stop teaching them when they reach 21 or younger whatever the law said.
and there is a HUGE gap between that age and to the retirement/death stage.
Everyone needs to refresh on subjects as well as learn new things such as hobbies, arts, personal needs and stuff that gets someone well rounded in life.
We can try a pilot project. I agree Rochester may be an ideal place to try it. I have been out of Rochester so long. I did visit it last March after 30 years of being out of Rochie…. Gosh! the highways are more like can of worms! Last time it was just 390…now it is 490 and 590. (not sure of numbers) but it indeed look like can of worms.
Go for it!
=)
February 7, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I’m sure most implant receivers, such as myself, would still need closed captioning and interpreters; most of us must still deal with people one on one and read lips, too. It’s a good idea, worth persuing.