Thought while watching a ASL-related vid

D

dogmom

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
8,596
Reaction score
234
I'm watching author Mark Drolsbaugh utube vid <and true- my ASL isn't good enough, I'm using the captions too> about his new book- "Madness in the Mainstream" and he's gotten to a part where's he discussing in his son's IEP meeting, and where the first and mostly only thing discussed as a "choice", as part of the IEP, was how staff in discussion said his son must go to be evaluated for CI right away, like they wanted it to be done NOW. The two parents want a terp and the staff don't want one, unless the "CI fails".
A question he has on his Powerpoint presentation is -"What just happened here?"

Immediately, I thought - well, right away, here's the de-value of ASL and the myth of "choices" that I learned about from seeing what folks on here say.
Seems like instantly they thought - the presenter's son should be "fixed" <I'm pondering how -they- seem to be thinking of it> and ASL or anything other is a last resort, an afterthought, in case the son "fails" to be Hearing.
So the "professionals" set the kid up for failure right away.
ASL is considered an "option" as opposed to a right, and not the preferred one.

Yeah I know for many, not "eye-opening" and I wasn't un-aware, thanks to here, but it struck me as so obviously....one-sided and pejorative, the degree of imbalance. The idea of - power-over. I just wanted to share my thoughts here.
 
Interesting, thank you for sharing it here. I have seen him around at gallaudet years ago.
 
Yah, I just just lost my hearing completely less than three months ago. Already all of my doctor's are pushing me towards the CI rout. Don't get me wrong, I was raised in a hearing world, and adjusting is extremely hard for me right now, but I don't have a problem with my hearing situation - I was prepared for that. What I have a problem with is random eight-hour attacks of debilitating vertigo every other day that prevent me from holding a steady job and stop me from driving too far away from home for fear of not being capable of driving back myself. And another thing I have a problem with are doctors who assume my hearing loss (something that literally can't be salvaged) is more important than a situation that is progressively getting worse. I don't understand how a doctor who has likely seen hundreds of cases of Menier's can think like that. A patient is supposed to have a good and trusting relationship with their doctor and not feel like they're being taken advantage of.

Sorry for making this comment all about me, but I thought it was relevant to the original post.
 
Back
Top