freeSpeech: LaToya Plummer

Deaf Student Speaks About Being Heard

(CBS)  My mother, who can hear, inspired me to challenge the world. When I was young she told me that I had three strikes against me: I am black, deaf, and female. I could either count myself out of the game of life, or I could change the rules.

So I changed the rules. I'm very competitive. I love sports. I used played basketball at Gallaudet University.

Maybe you heard about my university and that we are protesting, but maybe you don't understand why this is happening. Some people think we are saying that the new President isn't deaf enough. That's not true at all. It's that our deaf leadership is being deaf to our concerns.

There are diverse groups within the campus community are not being heard. This is important and worth fighting for.

You would think that the obstacles of being a black, deaf person would
make my life full of frustration and misery. It's really like this: My life is richer. I know it might be hard for people who can hear to understand that.

I have many goals I want to achieve, and one is to become an attorney. Another is to have children and pass my values onto them. One day those things will happen. But first of all, I must lay the groundwork for the future.

---

LaToya Plummer is a student at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

[kristibm]

I'm confused. Is this about her and her aspirations, or is this about the Gallaudet protest? Sure sounds like it's all about her, with a brief soundbite about the protest. Maybe I am missing something, I guess having 5 minutes was impossible to give a coherent, clear reason for this protest. MBI, audism, racism, social justice, deafhood, oppression, flawed process, not Deaf enough, poor ASL skills, so on and on, I can understand why it's hard to pinpoint on one issue.

[daveym4]

Hello- I'm new to the Gallaudet protests. But I wanted to say that this was so different than what I was hearing on the local news. It was the first time I'd heard about why the students were really protesting, and I was touched by LaToya's mission because it gave real purpose to the protest. It was like she couldn't accomplish her goals until she was sure social justice could happen.

[daveym4]

Hello- I'm new to the Gallaudet protests. But I wanted to say that this was so different than what I was hearing on the local news. It was the first time I'd heard about why the students were really protesting, and I was touched by LaToya's mission because it gave real purpose to the protest. It was like she couldn't accomplish her goals until she was sure social justice could happen.

[daveym4]

Hello- I'm new to the Gallaudet protests. But I wanted to say that this was so different than what I was hearing on the local news. It was the first time I'd heard about why the students were really protesting, and I was touched by LaToya's mission because it gave real purpose to the protest. It was like she couldn't accomplish her goals until she was sure social justice could happen.

[borntwice-2009]

Isaiah 35: 5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.

[juliebourne]

LaToya Plummer told her story. There are hundreds of stories on the Gallaudet campus and this is simply one of them. It will take the university a long time to unravel the issues and heal. In the meantime, students like LaToya must tell their stories to allow us to understand why they are fighting for a better Gallaudet.

Thank you, LaToya, for sharing your story.

[dsammy5]

Confused?

Her goals and her aspirations are threatened by the indifference and disregard for the students, staff, faculty and alumni.

JKF has to resign or be removed for the sake, not only of the university but of the deaf/Deaf everywhere.

JKF's claim of "not deaf identity" is just a smokescreen to cover up her gross coldness, alienation and worse.

If you all will go to gufssa.com and read the open letters from more than 300 individuals and organizations, only then you will realize there is something very serious wrong with the administration for last 11 years.

For the eyewitness accounts, go to mishkazena.wordpress.com

[dsammy5]

Confused?

Her goals and her aspirations are threatened by the indifference and disregard for the students, staff, faculty and alumni.

JKF has to resign or be removed for the sake, not only of the university but of the deaf/Deaf everywhere.

JKF's claim of "not deaf identity" is just a smokescreen to cover up her gross coldness, alienation and worse.

If you all will go to gufssa.com and read the open letters from more than 300 individuals and organizations, only then you will realize there is something very serious wrong with the administration for last 11 years.

For the eyewitness accounts, go to mishkazena.wordpress.com

[dsammy5]

Confused?

Her goals and her aspirations are threatened by the indifference and disregard for the students, staff, faculty and alumni.

JKF has to resign or be removed for the sake, not only of the university but of the deaf/Deaf everywhere.

JKF's claim of "not deaf identity" is just a smokescreen to cover up her gross coldness, alienation and worse.

If you all will go to gufssa.com and read the open letters from more than 300 individuals and organizations, only then you will realize there is something very serious wrong with the administration for last 11 years.

For the eyewitness accounts, go to mishkazena.wordpress.com

[dmking03]

I found your comment very interesting. I am deaf and black too. I was one of leaders of the Coalition of Students of Color, and later one of Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni (FSSA) Coalition leaders. That makes me a living witness of how the protest started. The May 1, 2006 protest (immediately after Board of Trustees announced Dr. Jane Fernandes as the 9th President of Gallaudet University) was built on %u201Cnot deaf enough.%u201D Admit it or deny it, it will not change the that truth most of us know within Gallaudet University and deaf community at large. On May 2, 2006, the theme for protesting was changed to flawed protest and social justice, which now is not even the theme again. There are so many issues in this protest, that even within deaf community; we have people who still do not understand.

[jamorgan3]

It would have been nice if she had elaborated on what CONCERNS of the "diverse groups" are not being addressed by the leaders. Why are the students protesting? I didn't see a clear answer to this question.

[diversitynow]

Wow. Your comment that says "There are diverse groups within the campus community are not being heard. This is important and worth fighting for." really conflict about what's happening on campus now. People that are members of FSSA were the ones who ignored people of color in the beginning, the ones who are genetically Deaf and strongly Deaf were the ones that said JANE IS NOT DEAF ENOUGH and shouting BEST PRESIDENT NOW. Let me name those leaders who ignored students of color during NOT WITHOUT US, RYAN CAMMERSON, Student Body GOvernment, Buff and Blue, Tower Clock, RYan Digiorni, Christine ROswant, MAtthew Lockhart, TAWNY HOLMES who repeateadly said JANE IS NOT DEAF ENOUGH. The very same people that are claiming that the process is flawed, fighting for social justice, diversity oh whatever! UNITY FOR ASL shows diversity? Members of the protestors threatening others is part of getting the protestors voices heard? Weren't they the ones who oppressed those who do not want to support the protestors position? Don't be too hypocrite just because you are earning spotlight on this protest. I feel bad for those who originally fought for diversity that were not even given any credit because you and other students took the spotlight from them. I think that they are the true leaders because they are humble enough not to silently push their own agenda like you do.

[bwanagwana]

Still nonsense. It's time for Deaf people to discard their addiction to drama and join the rest of the world in the 22nd century. Adapt or perish. You adapt to the world, the world doesn't adapt to you. This is way it's been for every living organism on earth. You can evolve or go the way of the DoDo bird. How telling is it that the leader of this protest is a 25 year old junior, incapable of writing a complete sentence? I know lots of people who went to school for 7 years... they are doctors, not rising seniors. So much for the merits of a visual based language, eh Alexander Graham Bell?

[kristibm]

I agree with diversityNOW and DMKING's comments, for I too am black, deaf, and an alumnae of Galladuet. I too was part of the National Black Deaf Advocates giving support to the Coalition of Students of Color, protesting the process we believed to be flawed. We did not get any outside community support. The same leaders of the protest- Ryan, Tawny, et al- spurned us, ignored our concerns, and held a pep rally calling for this flawed process to continue, with using evaluation forms to dictate which one they favored the most and the least. Only when they didn't lost their preferred candidate to Fernandes, did this protest occur. This protest has nothing to do with diversity as LaToya professed, but sore losers unwilling to accept that they lost the gamble they played.

[bwanagwana]

Kristi BM is speaking the truth. There was no "flawed process" until the Deaf community's guy didn't win the presidential search. It was then, and only then, they decided to protest. They don't like Jane for several reasons:

She doesn't sign pretty
She isn't "pretty" in the classical sense
She isn't "one of them"
She earned her success on her own terms, which is very frightening to the Deaf community, most of whom can't take two steps without holding another Deaf persons hand
She doesn't tolerate incomptence, which would be 99% of Gallaudet

Now you can begin to see what's at work here: They would rather cut off their own nose to spite their own face.

I have a solution: take deafness off the disability rolls for SSDI payments. 70% of Deaf people are unemployed, so how are they surviving? On your tax money, that's how. There's no reason why a Deaf person shouldnt be pumping gas or bagging grocerys just because they didn't want to study hard in school. Social Security is going under and SSDI is a big reason why, millions of dollars flushed down the toilet every year.

If you were to examine the bank records of those Deaf people who recieve SSDI, you would see the vast majority of transactions are ATM withdrawals. It won't take you long to realize what they are spending your tax money on.

It's time for Deaf people to stand on their own two feet and quit being a cancer on our society and our hard working taxpayers.

[bwanagwana]

By the way, in a hunger strike, no food touches your lips. Drinking V8, Boost, and Chicken Broth isn't a hunger strike. You can't even do that right.

[captjpk]

It is plain for everyone to see that the protesters began than "not deaf enough" campaign" and when they realized it wouldn't fly they began attacking Jane personally.
Jane never let the fact that she IS Deaf hold her back from doing anything. She just moved ahead, working FOR the deaf community. She never felt that being a deaf women was considered as having strikes against her. The members of our family who are deaf moved on to become productive people by working hard to achieve their goals. Not by distrupting the places which helped them achieve them!

[alyssaj200]

This protest talks about diversity and social justice but the protesters cannot even accept diversity within their own deaf community. They try to create social justice by oppressing others? To them there is one way of being deaf and that a a full capitulation to their code of behaviour. I know this very well from experience as a student there who was a new signer. I was constantly told to stop using my voice when talking to other students and was verablly abused when I when I was with hearing friends. I spnet a lot of long years working on my lipreading and speech skill and while I hated it as a kid, I am very happy now. Students are not being prepared for the outside 'hearing world'. Yes it is nice an cozy inside the gates but eventually you have to leave. I can live in the world outside the iron gates of Gallaudet.

[alyssaj200]

This protest talks about diversity and social justice but the protesters cannot even accept diversity within their own deaf community. They try to create social justice by oppressing others? To them there is one way of being deaf and that a a full capitulation to their code of behaviour. I know this very well from experience as a student there who was a new signer. I was constantly told to stop using my voice when talking to other students and was verablly abused when I when I was with hearing friends. I spnet a lot of long years working on my lipreading and speech skill and while I hated it as a kid, I am very happy now. Students are not being prepared for the outside 'hearing world'. Yes it is nice an cozy inside the gates but eventually you have to leave. I can live in the world outside the iron gates of Gallaudet.

[adros01]

I think people have to see J.K. Fernandes for what she is. She is not a leader. Look at what she has done in her previous positions at the elementry and high schools. When over 85% of the facilty and over 80% of the student body have a vote of no confidence, hello, I think someone should wake up and smell the coffee.

[forgally]

Thank you LaToya for that explanation. You are right! JK has worked at Gallaudet for 11 years and she has yet to be able to get people to follow her. She intimidates people instead of motivating them (as is plainly clear by her actions over the past 3 weeks). While she was dean of the high school and elementary school she told parents, teachers and staff "If you don't like it, too bad, leave." Is this the type of person any would want to work for? So, I agree with LaToya, this has nothing to do with being deaf enough. The deaf card needs to be put away. bwanagwana says we started the protest when "our guy" didn't win. Who is "our guy?" Neither of the 2 other candidates were qualified for the position. One did not have a PhD and had no university experience while the other did not have enough general experience to take the position. Our complaint is there was an African American man with a PhD who had sat on the Gallaudet board for many years and has many years of experience at the university level. He did not even make it to the final 3 candidates. This sounds like blatant lack of diversity to me. There were many other candidates that were very strong as well and they also did not make it to the final 3. Why?! That is what we have been asking for months. We are not getting any answers from anyone. That is the frustration. We are not against JK as a person, but as a leader. Over the past 11 years she has shown the type of leader she is and for that we do not want her as our president.

[kristibm]

Adros01,

Bush is enjoying an average of 30% popularity rate, meaning 70% of Americans don't like him, but do you see anybody flocking in throngs over the White House demanding he resign or be impeached?
I'd be happy to look at what she has done in her previous positions. Under Fernandes%u2019s time at Galladuet

1.The President%u2019s Fellows- her idea on how to increase the number of DEAF faculty to replace retiring faculty at Galladudet. How many of them benefitted from it to date? Ray Merritt (biracial), Dr. Derek Braun, Julie Bourne, Marie Shook-Ogork, Laurene Sims, Cheryl Wu- in the past six years

2.Clerc Center. Teaching Fellows was designed to increase the number of DEAF teachers of COLOR at the Pre-College level. Do you know any comparable program at Riverside? Fremont? Indiana? New Mexico School for the Deaf, Stern%u2019s base? Hmm? For example, Fellow Tyese Wright (black deaf) is finished with her masters and now enrolled in a doctoral program. Fellow Dwight Alston (black deaf male)is on track to finish his masters and become a teacher.

3. Fernandes never objected to putting audism and racism front and center. Did she disagree with the ASL/Deaf Studies and Deafness related programs be the core of the new SLCC? Quite on the contrary, Deaf Studies expanded the last six years. Why is she talking about making the building visual-centric, if she is %u201Cnot of the deaf community%u201D?

(To be continued)

[kristibm]

4. Ask Steve Novers how his CAEBER Project got established at Gallaudet.

5. The Honors Program also expanded the last six years.

6.More students of color were receiving assistance to stay in school and graduate the past six years. Ironically, LaTonya Plummer would not be there this semester if Fernandes hadn%u2019t agreed to waive her debt and allow her to come back after a two year absence. Biting the hand that saved her, hmm? That%u2019s certainly gratitude for you.

(to be continued)

[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)

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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

[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

[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)

[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]

"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

[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]

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?

[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.

[nikkygally]

All comments here apparently show that Gallaudet University community is grievously divided. Whatsoever is your perspective, Jane remains admirable to many. Those who are looking for leader in Deaf community in US should turn their attention on National Association of the Deaf. Those who want leadership for deaf world or deaf sports world should take their attention on the World Federation of the Deaf and CISS respectively. It is interesting to know that LaToya is fighting for a cause she believes. Those who opposed her believed in their causes too, therefore why should be appropriate for the like of LaToya to lockdown the university against people who do not share their goal? LaToya who want to be a lawyer, I wonder how can she achieve that when she keep skipping class and failing for a month, not taking examinations and quizzes. I have two classes with her. That is really sad. She just is having spotlight and nothing more. As a black, she would be a role model, but unfortunate, she was stripped of her crown as Miss Black Deaf America. I am not going to be surprise if LaToya did not make it to school next semester for poor academic performance. Jane Fernandes is a STRONG leader.

[nikkygally]

If Jane does not listen or show concern, LaToya Plummer would not have been give much needed financial assistance to come back to school after two years of leave of absence, even when her GPA is so low for her to be awarded a scholarship. If she was honest to her Mother, I am sure her mother will take a journey to Gallaudet and thank Jane Fernandes for what she did to her daughter. I think she enjoying affirmative action. It is no new that if the white want to talk about diversity in Gallaudet they would put a black person in frontline. Sad!

[mairin1958-2009]

I think it is time for all of us to come together for the good of Gallaudet's future. Non-negotiable demands from either side get us further along the path to peace and reconciliation. Like Senator Barack Obama, I will have the "audacity of hope." I will hope that we can all come to the table and drop our defensive postures. I hope we can stop playing the blame game. To quote from Senator Obama inspiring book we have to come together "based on the simple idea that we all have a stake in one another, that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart, and if enough people believe in the truth of that proposition and act on it, then we might not solve every problem, but we can get something meaningful done." I have been working with a group called The Reconcilers since this latest crisis began and I know there are concerned people, people of good will who love Gallaudet and want to see us come out of this a stronger, more vibrant community that embraces diversity. Lets start right here by stopping the personal attacks and start a constructive discourse. I know this can happen, I have seen it happen in my classes where all opinions are aired and all are respected. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree on some things and seek the common ground.

[dmking03]

Kaewansj:

Many of you at Gallaudet knows who is DMKing03 %u2013 I am simple David King, and you know what I am saying is true. Truth is always bitter, and I am very sorry to say that we cannot sweep it under carpet%u2026no matter how much we try. One thing I realize in recent is that, once a person said lies and not prepares to admit it, will always try to cover the lie with another lie. The issue of %u201Cnot deaf enough%u201D is valid. I appreciate it if the like of you would admit it and state that it was a mistake. Lying over it won%u2019t work. Read deaf blogs and vlogs as well as listserv, you will see their messages refer to %u201Cnot deaf enough%u201D issue. If we ask people what hard evidence that Jane Fernandes cannot lead, they would fail to support it with valid facts. I was one of protester from the beginning before aggressive protesters come to spotlight. I am student of color think the process was flawed but because of vested interested in the whites, they never support us about stopping the process. They did baptized and anointed the process %u2013 yet fun enough they are not ready to accept the product of the process they advocated. I am sorry it is too late to talk of diversity.

[pug135]

BRAVO Latoya!
Just being able to get on the Katie Couric news is awesome. What she did was educate the world about Gallaudet. Many don't even know it exists.
These leaders are brave to stand up in front of their peers, teachers, alumni and community to speak out on what is REALLY happening at Gallaudet University.
As a parent of a student at Gallaudet, I am proud of all you students who are speaking out for all.
I know there are some who disagree. I don't understand how you could possibly support an administration that has publicly hurt our children, and called our children terrorists. I have never in my life seen any university accuse their students of terrorism when they stand up for what they believe. How can an administration ignore students on hunger strike for more than 13 days? Open your eyes everyone!

Again, Bravo Latoya! Bravo to all who are fighting for what is RIGHT!

Parent from California!

[pug135]

I would also like to say BRAVO to Katie Couric and CBS for allowing this free Speech to be aired.

Thank you and I know I speak for all the parents of students at GAllaudet University

Do you know that the university has yet to send one notice home to parents about this crisis on campus? Yes, I have received a bill from this school, but not one notice about the current crisis. Do you call this leadership?

Gallaudet University is the only place I have ever thought to send my daughter, that was never a question. I sure hope my daughters dreams will come true and she can graduate from Gallaudet too.
Thanks again CBS!

Parent from California!

[joeybaer1]

Beautifully said, LaToya. You have won many more people's hearts. Keep on fighting on what you really believe in and you will gain even more supporters.

Unity for Gallaudet!