“Fernandes Discuss Protests” – ASL Version


Washington Post.com Radio Interview: Just this morning, Jane was interviewed on Washington Post.com Radio to discuss the protests. Thanks to Helen Quiroz for interpreting the radio interview and to Patrick Boudreault for making this happen! Share your thoughts!

UNITY for GALLAUDET!
For full transcript, go to:

21 comments

  • MikeS 17 years ago

    Thanks for interpreting and production of this radio interview. I don’t buy it. Other candidates will accommodate various deaf students the same. Gallaudet will not disfunction without JF. Her leadership qualities is in serious doubt in response from the communities within Gallaudet and from all over the world. The very fact that she, as a proclaimed deaf educator, keeps going on radio is clear in itself that she oppresses the visual needs of deaf people. This is a leader of disassociation and misinformation. Unity for Gallaudet!

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  • anonymous 17 years ago

    Thank you, Joey (Editor note: its Patrick), for making this interview accessible to us all.

    The underlying issues that has been brewing over the recent years are very real. I have been there. There in the sense of being in (including residential schools) nationwide to serve the unique population and being in the Deaf World. Jane regardless of the fact that she is so disliked by many in the Deaf World is very aware of the new population which in the next few years will reach college age. Gallaudet needs to be prepared to meet their needs while preserving the righ heritage, values, and ASL which has been a big part of Gallaudet\’s history. To go with chjange, this way Gallaudet will thrive, rather than survive. Here I am speaking as an ASL Deafie of few Deaf generations and having Deaf children with CI. Jane\’s interview is not as bad as I originally thought, but she used the word \”new order\” that\’s more than a little bit odd. She should have used a better term or phrase. She may not be the right president for Gallaudet afterall.

    The future is here, we need to change. Wouldnt it be awesome if Gallaudet had a Deaf president who signs fluently in ASL, has charisma, understands the new CI population and thier needs, and has skills in merging both worlds together. Where is that person????

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  • anon 17 years ago

    Has anyone done a captioned version or a transcript anywhere??

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  • Penny 17 years ago

    I, myself, along with other deaf people should be VERY afraid of changes, If we don’t, then Audism is going to eradicate our language and culture. After watching the interview, it seems like we are in the last days of our own language and culture and Audism is going to win. We can’t afford to let this happen. We need to unify to keep our culture and language in existence.

    Dr. JKF mentioned that we are afraid of changes and one example she used was about babies using cochlear implants to help them hear and speak better. I must say that I am appalled that congress and senators have not acted on this because I always considered this as child abuse. I am appalled that Parents today are getting away with it. Big time! Doctors and scientists are still working ferociously to fix our Deafness. I don’t understand what is wrong with being unable to hear or speak. Hitler must be dancing in his grave when he heard JKF’s interview with Washington Post. Hitler had tried so hard to cleanse millions and millions of civilians who practiced religion and other disabled civilians.

    I wonder what is Dr. JKF thinking as she has seen so many protestors who are students, faculty, staff and alumni and many tent city in USA showed support for Dr. JKF resignation. She reminds me of some dictators who refused to resign their important duties and think they are the best ones to run the country or office. I wish she had resigned earlier so she can earn some respect from our community. I think she is hurting herself more harm and damaged. She should have seen many Deaf top leaders who do not agree with her new position. Again, I wonder what is she thinking and if she thinks she is the only one who can administer Gallaudet University? Ouch! that is not true as there are many excellent leaders who can do the job and who support 100% in keeping our culture and language UNCHANGED. There is no need to worry about babies getting cochlear implants. Please!

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  • Jennifer 17 years ago

    Hello from Colorado! Its snowing outside btw.

    Joey, thanks so much for sharing the updates regarding Gallaudet University. As a non-alumni, I am deeply affected by all this and the conducts the Gallaudet Administration and BOT has shown in front of the eyes of the Deaf community and the world.

    It appears the Washington Post took down the transcript of the interview with JKF. I attempted to click the link and it wouldnt pop up. So I went to the Wash Post page and searched for the transcript. It isnt even there either. I ponder- did they take it off or do I have the wrong link?

    Keep up the good work and thanks!!!

    Jennifer

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  • Tara '03 17 years ago

    *Scoff* I don’t believe in everything what JKF said and I honestly feel that she will destory Gallaudet with her ideas of change at Gallaudet.

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  • Ann Jones 17 years ago

    i teach deaf children for almost twenty nine years and i have several children with cochlear implants. They still can’t talk or hear. We need the President to tell the world that ci is worthless.We are not afraid of changes but we want the President of Gallaudet has influence to protect our future deaf children.,, President should encourage to develop more researches about deafness. He should develop more courses about deafness like bibi

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  • testing_the_truth 17 years ago

    Thanks for Helen, Patrick and Joey for making this Fernandes interview available! When I first heard about the interview from Sheila Mentkowski, I immediately tried to find the transcript but it was not available. It is great to have it here in ASL.

    It is sad to realize that the president designate still does not get it:
    1. the protest is very much about her, that she is unfit for president
    2. students are not afraid of future, they ARE the future
    3. many cochlear implanted students are protesting against her presidency
    4. her resignation would be a tremendous help to solve the crisis.

    More frightening is her invention of a “new order of Deaf people”. It almost sounds like a “new race”. Have we already heard about theories like that in the 20th century? I am afraid yes. There was way too much suffering because of theories like this.

    Jane Fernandes entertains a futuristic idea of Deaf education and a utopian view of the role of Gallaudet University with herself in the center of it as president. It is the ultimate evidence that she is completely out of touch with reality, and she doesn’t have any real understanding about the tumultuous events happening around her.

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  • anonymous 17 years ago

    For clarification, I had access to the printed transcript. Jane was referring to the new order as introducing newbies to the Deaf world and ASL. In other words, the majority of the deaf/hoh population would be given the opportunity to be a part of the Deaf world and Jane intends for that to happen.

    Readthe transcript carefully and you will see the interpreter above misinterpreted Jane.

    Not that I am in favor of Gallaudet keeping her on the throne, mind ya.

    To Peggy, I am offended that you speak about CI children as being abused by their parents. There are a great number of successful CI children in the mainstream and a few failures. Some of the failures end up at schools for the deaf. Oh did you mean that taking them away from knowing the culture of the Deaf? That’s abuse? Hmmm. Jane is trying to do the opposite if you read her transcript c a r e f u l l y .

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  • Jen 17 years ago

    Thank you so much, Patrick Boudreault and Joey Baer, for making this happen! We needed to know what she had to say.

    I confess to being completely appalled by her refusal to accept responsibility for this mess and her insistence that it is our problem because we refuse to “face reality.” Jeez. Further proof why she should never ever lead Gallaudet.

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  • Anonymous 17 years ago

    The transcript of the interview is still posted. There is just a letter missing in the link posted here. You can access the transcript at
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/17/AR2006101700872.html

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  • Sarah Stadnicki 17 years ago

    Honestly, I think Jane wants to “clean up” the dwindling numbers of native deaf students enrolment at Gallaudet by inviting those ” lost” souls, no offense meant, so it would become socially acceptable to have CI and mainstream programs.
    That is what my interpretation of her choice of words and interview with Washington Post.

    Unite one, Unite ALL! Unity for Gallaudet!
    Thanks to everyone who contributed to spreading the word – all of you.. you are our unsung heroes, braving through all this and documenting.. *goosebumps here*

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  • TB 17 years ago

    Change is GOOD! NOT YOUR KIND OF CHANGE!
    we DEAF have adopted to change more than you will ever know! Believe it is you that needs to CHANGE, CHANGE YOUR STANCE AND RESIGN!

    TB

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  • Paul Kiel 17 years ago

    Thanks to everyone for that video and clarifying what Jane was saying on the radio!

    She is not to be trusted.

    Look at the past six months… Gallaudet is falling apart…..when will it end?

    Jane needs to turn in her resignation!

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  • John From MA 17 years ago

    Thank you very much for the video and transcript. It appears that Jane changed her strategy from “Not Deaf Enough” to “Fear of Change and Inclusion” message. She is right in a way that we resist to any change UNDER HER LEADERSHIP. We would accept any change from a Deaf leader who wants to transform Gallaudet University into a school that truly represents Deaf people.

    I also notice that, as usual, she shared misrepresented messages about the protesters’ perceptive. It is not simple to say that they fear a change. They have a very good reason and they fight for their culture and language which are currently oppressed. Jane doesn’t address that, but instead she injects a thought into the public’s mind that we must think about the future children who wear cochlear implants. What she fails to consider is Deaf people’s CULTURAL SPACE! The space is very scarce and Gallaudet University seems to be the largest space where Deaf people use to share, celebrate, and develop their culture. Jane should look up Michel Foucalut’s philosophy of social space and begin to respect our space!!

    Jane’s interview is usually disappointing and condescending.

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  • Phillip Easterling 17 years ago

    If she want to change something, she should just resign and go somewhere else to start a new “Change University” instead destroy the rich history at Gallaudet.

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  • Randall Doane 17 years ago

    After reading several documents in various websites and this “radio show” by Jane, again, showed that she is still a defective “product” to run the Gallaudet University.

    She basically sounds like the the America Invention TV show where the contestants trying to win million dollars. Some of the contestants who didn’t win the vote accepted with good spirits and walked out and others argued to stay put.

    Jane, please pay attention to your consciences and soul; Accept the fact that majority of Deaf population does not want you to run Gallaudet.

    Gallaudet is not a “thing”, it is the soul place for human beings who depends on the vision for learning purposes. CI and hearing aids is the “thing” that helps them. I am not against the CI folks; however I am sure the CI folks are using their eyes as their primary communication tools and for the ci and hearing aids as the secondary communication tools.

    Jane, why you choose the “radio talk”? I am sure it will wake up the founders of the Gallaudet College (University) in their graveyards. What is your purpose? Is that activity of yours is a part of your research? If so, then it is an unethical and criminal activity.

    Jane, please show your true love of Gallaudet, step down and let Gallaudet re-heal again. Gallaudet will not fail without you because there are plenty of qualified people out there. You do not own the Gallaudet. Start making plans to step down NOW.

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  • Cindy Jones 17 years ago

    Why wasn’t Jane videotaped directly instead of the interpreter?

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  • no name 17 years ago

    Jane ought to stop acting like Helen Keller.

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  • Penny 17 years ago

    Clarification: Gallaudet University was founded for Deaf students in 19th century. The mission of Gallaudet University is to be an education setting for Deaf students who use American Sign Language for communication and learning. The problem with Dr. JKF is that she wants to add other missions by allowing various communication modes to be used for those Deaf students who come from different backgrounds. Her interview on radio gave me the impression that ASL culture should not be the only mission at Gallaudet University. If that is the case then I believe she is violating the mission policy.

    FSAA did not mention being against C.I. users, hard of hearing and students from different backgrounds. They are for diversity and so am I. However, we must have a leader who can assure Deaf population all over the whole wide world that ASL and its culture are the foremost priorority for communication and learning at Gallaudet University.

    Infants and children can’t speak for themselves and cannot give their consent to cut their bone and move their brain to insert cochlear implants. Some of them experienced side effects…i.e. face disfiguring, meningitis and etc. Anything like that should be considered Abuse. If adults want to have C.I. then allow them to go for it. They can speak for themselves but not the children.

    Elie Weisel mentioned that if we witness oppression, torture, humiliation and intimidation then we must shout!!! That is his word…We must shout! We can’t afford ourselves to be bystanders. Oh I love this man!

    My other advice is no personal attacks to JKF and I. Jordan King but keep on shouting!
    🙂

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  • Johnson 17 years ago

    Why aren’t students being intereviewed by newspapers, TVs or radio? Did JKF make the first move to try to get support from the general public? I would love to see more students being intereviewed by these reporters and educate the public why JKF is a danger to Gally as the next President.

    Reply

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