Finally, here is my clearer story and it is the story. Enjoy!
It was only eight years ago, when I stepped into high school as a twelve year old kid, unaware on what’s going on in the first day. It was very different to what I used to be at, in elementary school years. The worlds, I entered has completely changed my life. I only had 2 or 3 deaf friends until the year 2000, after being refused to enrol in a catholic college to continue my high school education with my peers. My father and I decided to sue them for the breach of the DDA law (Link can be found here
The court case took me and my father, 5 years to fight over the court against the CEO (Catholic Education Office) and McKilliop Catholic College. The original case has been won in 2003, but the other team decided to appeal the outcome, and took it to Federal court in Sydney. The appeal case has been overthrown, and the appeal has been won by the Clarke family, ordering the CEO and MCC to pay the damages from the last 5 years. Justice was done in 2004.
Brief summary to this court case, that the MCC and CEO refused to provide me full time AUSLAN interpreter during my high school education, and that’s how we were shocked to the stage that they only can provide is a note –taker. But I am fluent in AUSLAN, I can not manage the study and education with a note-taker, they think my friends who knew sign language from elementary school would help also.
So back to the stage, that I stepped in high school, I attended public mainstreamed high school, which was only 10 minutes walk from where I resided. The school was happy to provide me an interpreter; fortunately, the school has enrolled few deaf students in the same year. One of the student, was an old friend of mine, where we went to the same pre-school, haven’t seen for 9 ½ years. The school has a unit for the deaf, called “Hearing Impaired Unit”. The others, I didn’t know them.
At that stage, I was imbalanced in two worlds. Before I was enrolled in that school, my parents considered me to a deaf school in Sydney. I didn’t understand what that was when I was told about. But they decided not to.
During my high school years, practically for the first two and half years, I was a complete troublemaker, and the education where I was taught was not translated into my language of AUSLAN, but the interpreters used “Signed English”, it is similar to ‘Total communication’ (Similar to SEE) but fortunately, I used up all my patience, for 6 years with the signed English, it was different to what I thought, but I managed to understand throughout these years.
Sometimes, whenever I get in big trouble, my parents considered to send me to the deaf boarding college in Melbourne.
The friendships was the worst in the first two and half years, I got bullied heavily, by the deaf girls, I knew when I was in year 8, and the hearing peers in class, it was the worst, but in year seven, I was suspended once for the big fight I have caused with the students and teachers (throwing tantrums, I’d say). Year 8 was the worst year I have ever had – plenty of detentions, time outs, and close calls to suspensions AND VERY VERY close to being expelled. That was the scariest moment when I got in trouble. Being having no friends, was sad.
Only the good things, I experienced in high school years, was when I and the other students went on a one week deaf camp, in NSW (Near Sydney), it turned out the best time and I discovered that I made friends quickly and I was glad that I can chat with them in my language of AUSLAN. I retired in 2004. I attended deaf camps for 4 years.
But in year 9, I behaved and the education has improved myself greatly, that tantrums I threw few times stopped half way though year 9, my mentor and deaf helper, has helped me manage myself through these years (He is now my landlord and a great friend) and I was much better but still having trouble, I mostly avoided the time, because I didn’t want to.
Finally, after up and downs, for the 4 years, I graduated high school (Year 7 to 10) and I moved up to College, where I attended Lake Tuggeranong College – It was the best school I have ever had, but still it was a public mainstreamed college, but it was heaps better than the high school where I attended, I was a senior there. (I miss that school). I graduated fully from year 12 with excellent grades in 2005. I was very proud on the best grade I have achieved in year 12 was the big, fat, ‘A’ grade on my major multimedia assignment, which was the 15 minute short film. I was awarded the best film in 2005.
Right now, as you can see, that as a soon to be 21 year old man, I currently work in a highly professional job, with great background of experience to work in this area. I, unfortunately, pulled out my advanced diploma of New Media and Communications in 2006, but I am now studying IT general and I am in the graduate year. In the end, I am well educated and successful person now.
