Comments on: freeSpeech: LaToya Plummer

Deaf Student Speaks About Being Heard

[heyprhere]

Latoya did a wonderful job maintaing her composure. I would've said so much more- knowing that I tend to be vuglar... Basically what she said is true about Jane Fernandes that, "she is deaf to our concern." Jane Fernandes doesn't know and can't lead! She needs to resign so that we can proceed where we have left off. Again, thank you for sharing the segment and I hope it will affect those people who don't understand why we are protesting against Jane Fernandes. For those who do not know her, be glad that you do not.

[kristibm]

kaewansj,

Did you even read our posting? Where did DMKing talk about her? When did DiversityNOW talk about her? Sure I mentioned her name here, but not in any negative light, go read my posting before you jump to any unfounded conclusions. What I said was factual- the 5 minutes was mostly about her, you want to challenge that?

[kaewansj]

KristiBM, DMKING03, and DIVERSITYNOW ...

Wow, you three crabs are fun to read. It tells me that you are hell-bent on destroying LaToya's reputation as a person.

Numerous posts by KristiBM and DMKING03 on this? Come on. You can do better than that. Have you tried talking to LaToya about your grievances? I think not. Stop hiding behind the keyboard and grow a spine here.

Face LaToya and talk to her or hold your peace.

[kristibm]

"Not everyone always agrees with the result of a presidential search,"
Neal noted. "But disagreement does not mean the board was wrong."

"At a time when higher education is facing many challenges, it is the
board's obligation to identify a leader who can address the long-term
goals of the school," she concluded. "The Gallaudet board has made its
choice and is accountable for the results. The trustees should affirm
their choice%u2014and the protesters should allow Fernandes do her job."

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is a nonpartisan, nonprofit,
national organization dedicated to academic freedom, academic quality,
and accountability. ACTA has a network of trustees and alumni around the
country and has issued numerous reports on higher education, including
How Many Ward Churchills?, Intellectual Diversity: Time for Action, The
Hollow Core, and Losing America's Memory: Historical Illiteracy in the
21st Century. For further information, contact ACTA at [phone].

###

Click here to see all updates related to the situation on campus.

Posted: 28 Oct 2006

[kristibm]

Fernandes' appointment was announced on May 1; protests began then and
resumed this month. Earlier this week, protesters seized two buildings
and blocked access to the campus. The faculty has also issued votes of
no confidence in Fernandes, the current president, and the board.
According to numerous media accounts, the protests began amid complaints
that Fernandes is not "deaf enough" because she learned American Sign
Language only in her twenties.

(limit reached, to be continued)

[kristibm]

Got this email from a friend who shall remain nameless. Thought I'd share that. No idea how much influence they have over universities' board of trustess.

******************
ACTA: Gallaudet Board Should Stand Firm

Statement from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Anne D. Neal, 202-467-6787

GALLAUDET BOARD SHOULD STAND FIRM

WASHINGTON, DC (October 27, 2006)%u2014As the Gallaudet University Board of
Trustees prepares to meet this Sunday, the American Council of Trustees
and Alumni urged the trustees to stand firmly behind their selection of
Jane K. Fernandes as the next president. For months, Gallaudet has been
engulfed in controversy over the selection of Fernandes, currently the
provost, who is due to assume the position in January.

"Gallaudet's trustees engaged in an inclusive and thoughtful selection
process and concluded Dr. Fernandes was the best candidate to lead
Gallaudet into the future," said ACTA president Anne D. Neal. "They
should not give in to unlawful protesters who have their own
agendas%u2014rather than the school's%u2014in mind."

(limit reached, to be continued)

[gallyalumni]

It is interesting to see the comments listed here. It touched people in different ways. Especially those with negative personal experiences at Gallaudet University. It is often because of their upbringings emphasizing on mastering speech skills rather than developing social skills with people. Many Deaf people are alienated from socializing because of their negative childhood experiences forcing to use speech or failed to interact with people without any communication barriers. On the other hand, there is another group where American Sign Language (ASL) is honored and used. ASL users are empowered to socialize and communicate thoughts and ideas without any language barriers. By nature, they do not have any baggage or anger. They are attracted to each other at Gallaudet University or at any large meeting places. Unfortunately, this experience does not happen to most Deaf people who were demanded to learn speech or use English to communicate when they were young. Their social skills are delayed and emotional intelligences are somewhat immature. This vicious cycle must STOP and start untifying Deaf people by honoring their rights to use ASL. Dr. Fernandes denies this perspective and continues in the audist's perspective that we must interact and think like hearing people. It is not possible. All Deaf (regardless degree of hearing loss) people are visual. This you cant deny. For Deaf people, Gally Alumni

[paddhd]

Bravo for CBS for hosting LaToya's comment on their site

It is wonderful to see her signing on such high quality video and broadcasting

LaToya - u go girl!

She has stated the FSSA's position clearly - search process was flawed - search needs to be re-openned and the finalist pool must have under-represented groups in it

Yes the message is about her more than about the protest but we do not know the context in which she was invited to give this video speech to CBS - they may have requested her to provide this information to help personalize and represent the protestors better - instead of as how they have been portrayed in the media via IK Jordan and JK Fernandes quotes of them as being anarchists and terrorists

Obviously LaToya is neither of these and her strong foundation - laid by her mom helps us to understand why she stepped up to the plate and is going to bat for Gally and its future.

While I did not have the chance to formally meet LaToya - i did observe her being interviewed by a report at the FLA gate and also around campus during the protest - she carries herself with great dignity and peace. This is what a leader should radiate.

Thanks again CBS

Peace
Patti Durr
NTID@RIT professor
Rochester, NY

[dazedmoon]

LaToya is not just my friend, but she is also a woman of her own words. She set her heart in the right place and speak up what she believes in.

Knowing LaToya, she wouldn't just jump into a bandwagon and protest against our newly selected president just because everyone else is doing it. She fights for what she believes in and it just so happens that she believes, like everyone else, that Dr. Jane Fernandes cannot lead this beloved University of ours. It is because she is protesting, her words are foremost true.

I have not seen a lie coming out of her hands once, but I have seen numerous of lies coming out from Dr. I. King Jordan and his administrators which include Dr. Fernandes and Paul Kelly.

Think again, which do YOU want to believe in? A group of leaders that are TRYING to send out the T-R-U-T-H or just three people along with a few assistance (PR office, DPS, etc) trying to send out L-I-E-S along to medias to be sent out?

Where LaToya leads, she is a true leader. We should hear her our with our hearts and what she said about Dr. Fernandes is true.

Dr. Fernandes cannot, cannot, cannot and cannot lead this University.

[dazedmoon]

LaToya is not just my friend, but she is also a woman of her own words. She set her heart in the right place and speak up what she believes in.

Knowing LaToya, she wouldn't just jump into a bandwagon and protest against our newly selected president just because everyone else is doing it. She fights for what she believes in and it just so happens that she believes, like everyone else, that Dr. Jane Fernandes cannot lead this beloved University of ours. It is because she is protesting, her words are foremost true.

I have not seen a lie coming out of her hands once, but I have seen numerous of lies coming out from Dr. I. King Jordan and his administrators which include Dr. Fernandes and Paul Kelly.

[dazedmoon]

LaToya is not just my friend, but she is also a woman of her own words. She set her heart in the right place and speak up what she believes in.

Knowing LaToya, she wouldn't just jump into a bandwagon and protest against our newly selected president just because everyone else is doing it. She fights for what she believes in and it just so happens that she believes, like everyone else, that Dr. Jane Fernandes cannot lead this beloved University of ours. It is because she is protesting, her words are foremost true.

I have not seen a lie coming out of her hands once, but I have seen numerous of lies coming out from Dr. I. King Jordan and his administrators which include Dr. Fernandes and Paul Kelly.

Think again, which do YOU want to believe in? A group of leaders that are TRYING to send out the T-R-U-T-H or just three people along with a few assistance (PR office, DPS, etc) trying to send out L-I-E-S along to medias to be sent out?

Where LaToya leads, she is a true leader. We should hear her our with our hearts and what she said about Dr. Fernandes is true.

Dr. Fernandes cannot, cannot, cannot and cannot lead this University.

[dazedmoon]

LaToya is not just my friend, but she is also a woman of her own words. She set her heart in the right place and speak up what she believes in.

Knowing LaToya, she wouldn't just jump into a bandwagon and protest against our newly selected president just because everyone else is doing it. She fights for what she believes in and it just so happens that she believes, like everyone else, that Dr. Jane Fernandes cannot lead this beloved University of ours. It is because she is protesting, her words are foremost true.

I have not seen a lie coming out of her hands once, but I have seen numerous of lies coming out from Dr. I. King Jordan and his administrators which include Dr. Fernandes and Paul Kelly.

Think again, which do YOU want to believe in? A group of leaders that are TRYING to send out the T-R-U-T-H or just three people along with a few assistance (PR office, DPS, etc) trying to send out L-I-E-S along to medias to be sent out?

Where LaToya leads, she is a true leader. We should hear her our with our hearts and what she said about Dr. Fernandes is true.

Dr. Fernandes cannot, cannot, cannot and cannot lead this University.

[dazedmoon]

LaToya is not just my friend, but she is also a woman of her own words. She set her heart in the right place and speak up what she believes in.

Knowing LaToya, she wouldn't just jump into a bandwagon and protest against our newly selected president just because everyone else is doing it. She fights for what she believes in and it just so happens that she believes, like everyone else, that Dr. Jane Fernandes cannot lead this beloved University of ours. It is because she is protesting, her words are foremost true.

I have not seen a lie coming out of her hands once, but I have seen numerous of lies coming out from Dr. I. King Jordan and his administrators which include Dr. Fernandes and Paul Kelly.

Think again, which do YOU want to believe in? A group of leaders that are TRYING to send out the T-R-U-T-H or just three people along with a few assistance (PR office, DPS, etc) trying to send out L-I-E-S along to medias to be sent out?

Where LaToya leads, she is a true leader. We should hear her our with our hearts and what she said about Dr. Fernandes is true.

Dr. Fernandes cannot, cannot, cannot and cannot lead this University.

[dazedmoon]

LaToya is not just my friend, but she is also a woman of her own words. She set her heart in the right place and speak up what she believes in.

Knowing LaToya, she wouldn't just jump into a bandwagon and protest against our newly selected president just because everyone else is doing it. She fights for what she believes in and it just so happens that she believes, like everyone else, that Dr. Jane Fernandes cannot lead this beloved University of ours. It is because she is protesting, her words are foremost true.

I have not seen a lie coming out of her hands once, but I have seen numerous of lies coming out from Dr. I. King Jordan and his administrators which include Dr. Fernandes and Paul Kelly.

Think again, which do YOU want to believe in? A group of leaders that are TRYING to send out the T-R-U-T-H or just three people along with a few assistance (PR office, DPS, etc) trying to send out L-I-E-S along to medias to be sent out?

Where LaToya leads, she is a true leader. We should hear her our with our hearts and what she said about Dr. Fernandes is true.

Dr. Fernandes cannot, cannot, cannot and cannot lead this University.

[missconverse]

i know latoya and i know she spoke from the bottom of her heart when i saw this.
i am a student at gallaudet and believe me, every day that we go through this, i find more and more things that are unpleasant with the administration. if you saw the things i saw, you'd be disgusted too.

for those who don't understand. or are against it-- have you gone to a rally? have you talked to one the student leaders or a member of the fssa? i can find so many things wrong with the picture with the things you said. just talk to us. the news doesn't always say everything right.

and FYI- just throw the whole "not deaf enough" issue out the window. it was never the point anyway. Jane was the one who ignited that issue- not us.

[missconverse]

i know latoya and i know she spoke from the bottom of her heart when i saw this.
i am a student at gallaudet and believe me, every day that we go through this, i find more and more things that are unpleasant with the administration. if you saw the things i saw, you'd be disgusted too.

for those who don't understand. or are against it-- have you gone to a rally? have you talked to one the student leaders or a member of the fssa? i can find so many things wrong with the picture with the things you said. just talk to us. the news doesn't always say everything right.

and FYI- just throw the whole "not deaf enough" issue out the window. it was never the point anyway. Jane was the one who ignited that issue- not us.

[missconverse]

i know latoya and i know she spoke from the bottom of her heart when i saw this.
i am a student at gallaudet and believe me, every day that we go through this, i find more and more things that are unpleasant with the administration. if you saw the things i saw, you'd be disgusted too.

for those who don't understand. or are against it-- have you gone to a rally? have you talked to one the student leaders or a member of the fssa? i can find so many things wrong with the picture with the things you said. just talk to us. the news doesn't always say everything right.

and FYI- just throw the whole "not deaf enough" issue out the window. it was never the point anyway. Jane was the one who ignited that issue- not us.

[maureenklusza]

LaToya just told you a true story as a student protestor who loves her university too much.

There were over 4 thousands of protestors who joined and marched to the capitol hill on October 21, 2006.

http://news.gufssa.com/2006/10/21/photos-of-the-march-to-capitol-hill/

You just met only one and that's LaToya.

[kristibm]

8. Of course she removed tenure from the teachers at MSSD and KDES. Who have ever heard of elementary and secondary school teachers getting tenure? No. Teachers are subject to evaluation at certain times. Tenure- that's reserved for college professors. Of course, they're gonna be pissed off at her for that, for loss of a certain "privilege" that other teachers all over the country do not enjoy.

It is silly to assume that everything of poor quality at Gallaudet can be attributed to one person. Does she teach these classes, or is that the faculty's responsibility? Does she handle residential schools doing poorly with literacy issues, or is that the teachers and parents' responsibilities? They didn't say anything for six, eleven years?

[kristibm]

7.She is the first senior administrator at Galladuet to attend *twice* the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity- the largest conference to focus on discrimination on college campuses (gender, race, ethnicity, etc) and has grown to attract over 5,000 higher education people from Presidents, Chancellors, Deans, Chairs of Boards, etc. I know this for a fact because I met her the day she arrived back from that conference and was telling me what she learned. She also attended a very difficult conference that most of the protestors would not stomach- the conference by Dr. Eddie King at the University of Iowa, called %u201CWhite Privelege.%u201D It is brutually honest and Fernandes sat through it. That says more about commmitment to diversity than any of those protestors- the same ones that spurned the Coalition of People of Color by the way- can ever say about social justice, racism, and audism.

(to be continued- sorry limited to 1500 characters)