October 19, 2006
Dear President and Board of Trustees:
We wish to state our position regarding the controversy at Gallaudet University on behalf of the Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf (CCSD).
CCSD is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to represent the cultural interests of the Canadian Deaf community, preserving history and heritage resources, promoting visual and performing arts, language and literature. In 2006 CCSD established the Deaf Culture Centre, a first of its kind internationally. Featuring a museum, art gallery, giftshop, library and multimedia production studio, it is a convergence point for Deaf and hearing people to immerse themselves creatively within Deaf culture. It is receptive and open to all cultures but its primary function is to enrich and elevate the achievements of the Deaf community for all the world to understand and appreciate.
Leadership that engenders a nurturing environment and celebrates our natural Deaf heritage can leave a positive, rich and powerful legacy for future generations. There has always been a cultural and linguistic richness in our community both preceding and surviving cycles of oppression aimed at taking away the right to use signed languages. With cochlear implants as the favoured trend now, Deaf children are forbidden access and use of a signed language. This is one among many recent examples of “audism”. “Audism is a form of practice that elevates English and other spoken languages and de-values American Sign Language(ASL) and other signed languages (Gibson, Small and Mason 2006)”. “It is the corporate and social institution that makes statements about Deaf people, governing where they go to school, teaching about them, authorizing views about them; audism is the hearing way of dominating, restructuring and exercising authority over the Deaf community (Lane, 1999)”. The leader of Gallaudet University must be skilled at combating audism in his/her actions while ensuring the educational and financial future of the university.
We look to Gallaudet, world renowned liberal arts university for Deaf students, for high quality research, education and leadership. We are concerned that recent events repeat historic oppression of Deaf people through the educational system. We are extremely disappointed with the process and selection of Jane Fernandes as the incoming President of Gallaudet . Her past record has demonstrated clear lack of leadership regarding the cultural and linguistic needs and rights of the Deaf community. This has severe consequences on the direction of the University educationally. We are dismayed by her response to students and faculty after her selection and by administration’s handling of the student protests.
Yes, AUDISM is still living, ALIVE and WELL. Jane has stated that she has been rejected by students and faculty because she is “not Deaf enough”. The issue is not her background – it is her track record as a leader at Gallaudet in combating audism and educationally promoting the culture and language of Deaf people.
This is critical for the future of Gallaudet University and what it engenders in its students, amongst fellow educators and in society as a whole. It is time for a change, time for the education system to learn from the population it serves. Time to select a new leader for Gallaudet who will fight audism, bring Gallaudet to new levels of education that respect the language and culture of the Deaf community in its practices.
A recent article reporting on the Gallaudet situation stated that the protest was “about fending off change rather than accepting it” (USA Today, October 17, 2006). No. The Gallaudet protest is about what nature the change will be in our society in the future as evidenced by leadership at Gallaudet. Will change constitute supposed progress to make Deaf students assimilate as much as possible and be like hearing members of society or will the change be to create a multi-cultural and multi-lingual society that functions richly and effectively with a variety of peoples and a variety of cultures and languages? Deaf people are among these rich cultural groups. Gallaudet University of all places on this earth should promote this.
Respectfully submitted,
Helen Pizzacalla, President, Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf
Joanne Cripps, Co- Director, Deaf Culture Centre
Anita Small, Co-Director, Deaf Culture Centre
Email: info@deafculturecentre.ca
