Sign Languages ban imposed on NJ girl

sara1981

sara1981

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Sign Language Ban Imposed on N.J. Girl
Sign Language Ban Imposed on N.J. Girl - ABC News

School officials have threatened a hearing-impaired girl with suspension if she uses sign language to talk to her friends on the school bus, the girl's parents say.

Danica Lesko and her parents say sign language is the only way to for the 12-year-old to communicate, especially while riding to school on a noisy bus.

But officials at Stonybrook School — which is not a school for the hearing-impaired — and district officials in Branchburg, N.J., apparently believe signing is a safety hazard. They have sent a letter to the Lesko family ordering Danica to stop using sign language on the school bus or risk a three-day suspension.

The March 30 letter from her principal that said Danica was "doing sign language after being told it wasn't allowed on the bus."

The Leskos may file a lawsuit over the sign language ban, claiming officials are violating Danica's civil rights and violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"She has a hearing problem, and now she's being punished for using sign language," Mary Ann Lesko, Danica's mother, told The Star-Ledger of Newark. "It's absurd."

Danica's parents told the paper that other students who rode to school with their daughter made fun of her, and refused to stay in their seats as they teased other girls who were using sign language. They said school officials are singling out Danica and not addressing those who should really be reprimanded.

Schools Officials: Safety First

In a statement released through the school district's attorney, David Rubin, the Branchburg Board of Education refused to discuss the details of Danica's case, saying only that its version of events differs from the parents' version.

However, the board insisted it has not violated anyone's rights and is only trying to protect other students who must ride on the school bus.

"The Board is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to all students with disabilities, and is satisfied that there has been no violation of that policy in this case," officials said in the statement. "The Board is also committed to assuring the safety of all students who travel on District buses, and will continue to take appropriate steps to accomplish that goal."

One deaf-rights advocate said Danica's parents have a strong basis for a lawsuit because sign language could be a considered a foreign language, and school officials could be violating the girl's First Amendment right to communicate.

"Why should there be a ban?" asked Charlotte Karras, outreach coordinator for the Edison, N.J.-based Alliance for Disabled in Action. "It's a violation of her communication rights. She's said it's the only way she can communicate with her friends … It's [the ban] against the ADA and violates the First Amendment and her family can file a discrimination suit citing the Americans With Disabilities Act."

Karras said her organization would be willing to help the Leskos with any legal action.

Danica's parents say she began losing her hearing last November, when a classmate allegedly shot a bottle rocket near her ear. They have already sued the Branchburg School District over that incident.
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Schools don't know how to really deal with behavior. What they are doing is trying to eliminate it as fast as possible which is to tell the ONE who is signing to stop. Very wrong for the school to do this.

There are several issues: 1) discrimination 2) bullying and harassment.

If the school is telling the student to stop signing it's like cutting off her ability to communicate. It now becomes a safety hazard for her to be on that bus. Not the other way around.

What if she was sick, being sexually assaulted, or who know what? she would not be able to communicate.

Parents have several options: 1) file due process at the school 2) file a complaint with the state or 3) write a Gebser letter. #s 1&3 require a lawyer. #2 no lawyer is needed.
 
The school need to be sued. Signing is a safety hazard while sitting on a seat in a school bus to talk to her friends? How surreal. And totally lame.
 
Part II:

School Bus Sign Language Ban Lifted


April 26, 2001

A hearing-impaired New Jersey girl will not be barred from using sign language on her school bus as long as she obeys all the district's safety rules....

School Bus Sign Language Ban Lifted - ABC News
 
Part III:


STUDENT REFILES LAWSUIT AFTER SIGNING BAN

A deaf New Jersey student who was banned from using sign language on a school bus in 2001 has refiled a lawsuit against Brfanchburg Stony Brook school board and officials. Danica Lesko, who turned 18 in January, has been waiting for justice for seven years, her father, John Lesko, told The Star-Ledger. Danica’s parents contend the ban “set off a chain of events that emotionally traumatized” their daughter and brought in a traumatist who found the youth “mistrustful and defensive.” Said John Lesko: “All we want is to get in front of an impartial jury and be heard.”

Deafweekly December 19, 2007
 
Part IV:

False Reports

September 30, 2009

Two women face charges of filing false reports to police on Sunday.

Around 1:20 a.m., Patrolman Harry Bugal was told by Shirley Henderson, 38, of High Bridge that while she was at a local gas station about an hour earlier, the clerk had grabbed her panties as she was standing up from bending over, and then grabbed and rubbed her buttocks, according to police. They give the following account of the incident.

Danica Lesko, 20, of Bloomsbury, who was with Ms. Henderson at the time, also said the clerk grabbed Ms. Henderson’s underpants and, upon being confronted, “did it two more times.”

Bugal went to the gas station, viewed the surveillance video and determined that the incident did not occur. He confronted Ms. Henderson and she said that she had been tired and worded her first statement wrongly. Ms. Henderson added that her friend told her that the clerk touched her panties and was trying to grab her buttocks. When Bugal confronted Lesko with the details, Lesko said, “That’s what I thought happened, maybe it didn’t.”

Bugal charged both women with fourth-degree charges of making false reports to police. They were released on their own recognizance.

Clinton Township cops: drunk woman danced at gas station | NJ.com
 
I don't think her signing should have been prohibited on the bus.

Just to be clear, she was 12 years old and had just begun to lose her hearing a few months prior to this incident
 
Reba said:
I don't think her signing should have been prohibited on the bus.

Just to be clear, she was 12 years old and had just begun to lose her hearing a few months prior to this incident
Click to expand...

I agree. One really ignorant principal with no common sense instilled.
 
kokonut said:
Thank you, Reba. This happened 11 years ago. O.o
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They are a busy litigious family.

"The Leskos, who said they have filed a complaint and might sue over this, have already sued over the incident which allegedly caused Danica's hearing damage. Another student set off a bottle rocket in a school hallway in November."

4/2001 Anna's News Clippings
 
Welcome to NJ. We sue everything, everybody.
 
Sign Language Ban Imposed on N.J. Girl

Sign Language Ban Imposed on N.J. Girl - ABC News

I am shocked, I am puzzled it I didn't images!


School officials have threatened a hearing-impaired girl with suspension if she uses sign language to talk to her friends on the school bus, the girl's parents say.

Danica Lesko and her parents say sign language is the only way to for the 12-year-old to communicate, especially while riding to school on a noisy bus.

But officials at Stonybrook School — which is not a school for the hearing-impaired — and district officials in Branchburg, N.J., apparently believe signing is a safety hazard. They have sent a letter to the Lesko family ordering Danica to stop using sign language on the school bus or risk a three-day suspension.

The March 30 letter from her principal that said Danica was "doing sign language after being told it wasn't allowed on the bus."

The Leskos may file a lawsuit over the sign language ban, claiming officials are violating Danica's civil rights and violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"She has a hearing problem, and now she's being punished for using sign language," Mary Ann Lesko, Danica's mother, told The Star-Ledger of Newark. "It's absurd."

Danica's parents told the paper that other students who rode to school with their daughter made fun of her, and refused to stay in their seats as they teased other girls who were using sign language. They said school officials are singling out Danica and not addressing those who should really be reprimanded.

Schools Officials: Safety First

In a statement released through the school district's attorney, David Rubin, the Branchburg Board of Education refused to discuss the details of Danica's case, saying only that its version of events differs from the parents' version.

However, the board insisted it has not violated anyone's rights and is only trying to protect other students who must ride on the school bus.

"The Board is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to all students with disabilities, and is satisfied that there has been no violation of that policy in this case," officials said in the statement. "The Board is also committed to assuring the safety of all students who travel on District buses, and will continue to take appropriate steps to accomplish that goal."

One deaf-rights advocate said Danica's parents have a strong basis for a lawsuit because sign language could be a considered a foreign language, and school officials could be violating the girl's First Amendment right to communicate.

"Why should there be a ban?" asked Charlotte Karras, outreach coordinator for the Edison, N.J.-based Alliance for Disabled in Action. "It's a violation of her communication rights. She's said it's the only way she can communicate with her friends … It's [the ban] against the ADA and violates the First Amendment and her family can file a discrimination suit citing the Americans With Disabilities Act."

Karras said her organization would be willing to help the Leskos with any legal action.

Danica's parents say she began losing her hearing last November, when a classmate allegedly shot a bottle rocket near her ear. They have already sued the Branchburg School District over that incident.
Click to expand...
 
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

You know this is a very very old story - there's at least one or two updates overturning the "bann".
 
Unfair

It seems to me that this problem would never arise with a hearing student. It seems like they just don't know how to handle or approach the situation because there is a deaf student involved. Telling a hearing impaired student that she can't sign would be the same thing as telling a hearing student that they cannot communicate with their peers during school hours. It is unfair, and she shouldn't receive special limitations only based on the fact that she is hearing impaired.
 
that school is disgrace.they should be proud others kids are signing with her the kids seem have more intelligence and decentcy than school
 
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