The kids probably interact if they attend deaf events in GA. Otherwise, I have witnessed no real interaction.
Its like night and day!
My son attended both schools (he has a CI).
At the Speech School everyone was dignified and rich! You could not use sign language there, however there was heavy use of the ILY symbol. You could tell the kids who were there via financial aid! Attendance is mostly parent driven and it seems like all the kids with Cochlear Implants in GA go to school there. The goal there is to get deaf people to talk and CI kids to listen and talk. No bus transportation. Its a private school so the state doesn't HAVE to provide it. Very hifalutin'!
At the Deaf School its like people are people. You MUST use sign language. Having a CI, you are the weird kid per say. Transportation is provided. The goal there is to educate deaf children and prepare them for adulthood. The students are as old as 21. They learn life skills (cooking, cleaning, parenting, etc.) how to handle their own business (banking, paying bills). They even have a WAMU bank inside the school where the (high school) kids can keep their money (like if they have jobs they can deposit their checks) I really like how this school makes these kids feel- independent, successful, loved.
As far as how I feel about the divide, I think its foolish. I cannot believe that a society who screams about being discriminated against, would turn around and discriminate against one of their own for ANY reason. Its like a family casting out a member because they married outside the race or religion. I have more respect for the people who stand in their fight against big business trying to make the world "un-deaf". Being a Black woman (a double whammy at times), I take discrimination personally, even if its not against me. We should focus on coming together at all times and making a better world for everyone.
