Alright, I think now is the time to add my two cents.
As I'm reading on and on, I'm getting more angered by Jackie's comments. It has nothing to do with the battle between oral-bibi-ASL education. The only thing I'm against is LACK of education for many deaf people, and hearing parents. It's sad.
Jackie says, "I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY IMPLANT USERS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO BOTH ORAL LANGUAGE AND SIGN LANGUAGE AT AN EARLY AGE AND BE ABLE TO DO BOTH."
Go to Lake Drive School for the Deaf in Mountain Lakes NJ, and you'll see a LOT of students with CI *and* spoken language *and* sign language. I know, I grew up there. I learned how to speak *and* read/write English. I have COLLEGE LEVEL READING. Not all students from that school is at that level. Some students don't do as well as other, others do amazing. It all has to do with education beyond the school. Same for hearing students. Some students suck, others excel. In fact, one person I know has AMAZING writing skills and reading skills. Hell, she reads 2 books A WEEK! And guess what, she CANNOT speak at all. I'm implanted. I speak English fluently. I sign fluently. My mother signs because she wanted to. All of this occurred when I was 2 years old. My first sign was "cracker". My second sign I learned was "Fart" (Don't ask. 
) There. You met one deaf person who was implanted, exposed at oral and sign language at a young age.
Jillio says something about drilling in someone's head, Jackie responded by saying: "I AM YELLING NOW IN CASE YOU WANTED TO KNOW. YOU SAY ONE THING AND THEN GO BACK AND SAY ANOTHER. SO YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE NOT AGAINST COCHLEAR IMPLANTS. BUT LOOK AT WHAT YOU JUST SAID THAT DRILLING A HOLE IN A DEAF PERSON HEAD IS WRONG."
First of all, jillio DID NOT say ANYTHING about CI! He's merely saying that long time ago, doctors would use a drill, and cut a hole in someone's head to cure them of mental illness. Where did jillio say anything about CI?! Obviously, you need to read more carefully. No comment about that. :roll:
Jackie said this in above post: "My daughter would prefer that I not know any sign language because it is like a secret language for her and some of her friends."
WTF? Now it's making it sound like your daughter is the one that's telling you what to do or what not to do. "secret language" - Hmm..it makes me think that while your daughter embraces her oral education, yet really wants to talk in sign language. That comment just seem so "wrong" to me.
To me it seem to be a little bit of a taunting war between jillio and Jackie. I'm more on Jillio's side simply because he/she does not go around insulting people or telling people that it's "his way or the highway".
Jackie - While you're the mom, and you made the choice to raise your children that way. Good for you. I never said that I'm against the way you're raising your children. I am against the fact that you put down people who are against it. They have their reasons, good or bad. You favor oral education. If some parents come to this forum and wants to know about oral education. You give them the resources they need, but DO NOT ever say, "ORAL EDUCATION IS THE BOMB! YOU BETTER DO IT! DEAF PEOPLE ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL BEING ORALISTS!". You'll scare them off. Instead, just tell them that what oral education is. History of oralism, success stories, failure stories (can't always be successful in oral education can there?).
I personally see there has been a lot of changes in education for the deaf, because there's a lot more options out there. Towns are allowing mainstreaming with interpreters in classrooms. Schools are realizing that the English language skills really needed to be focused on in these schools (sadly, a little too late for most). ADA laws has been in effect for a while, and it *will* take a LONG while before EVERYONE is EDUCATED about the law. 20 years from now, there will be deaf people still going to oral schools. There will be deaf people still be going to a bi-bi/TC environment schools. There will probably be a big improvement in English skills among deaf students. Deaf Culture will always be there regardless what some people think. BUT - I believe that there will be hearing people all over having SOME type of grasp about deaf people. Why? E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N.
Ahh. what a relief. I'm ready for the bashings.
Lady. No bashing here. Good posting.
I disagree with AGBell--their ideology of not allowing sign language for deaf babies, Signs with babies helps find out exactly what is going on in a baby’s mind - what does the baby need? What does the baby want? What does the baby observe before they develop those required for speech.