WEBVTT

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Hello!

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This is DeafDots,
9, December 2022.

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Bringing alerts & news reports at
intervals for all Deaf Canadians!

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Don’t forget to subscribe,
like, and follow

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DeafDots to get
new video updates!

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[ANSELMO]: In DeafDots report
last month on the impact

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of the Carter Churchill vs. Newfoundland
Labrador English School District

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human rights complaint will have
on Deaf Education across Canada.

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This case is about a family who
has been fighting the NLESD

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for the last five years for full ASL
immersion for their deaf son

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named Carter. The Human Rights
hearing took 9 days and

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had over two thousand pages
of testimonies from Carter’s parents,

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student assistants,
teachers, principals and

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the CEO of the school district
and expert witnesses.

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[ANSELMO]: This person, Carey Majid,
executive director of Newfoundland

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and Labrador Human Rights Commission
pointed out that there are

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two parts of the case. First part is
the Churchills needed to prove

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that the school district discriminated
against Carter and denied

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access because of his disability.
Then the second part is the school

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must prove they did everything
to accommodate Carter and if doing

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anything more would cause financial
hardship on the school.

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[ANSELMO]: The Churchill lawyer,
Kyle Rees says the school refuses

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to admit they discriminated against
Carter. To better understand

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how this case is unusual, DeafDots
spoke with Joanne Weber,

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Canada Research Chair in Deaf
Education regarding this case.

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The Churchill human rights case
in Newfoundland is an important case.

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The parents took on an entire system -
meaning teachers, principals,

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administrators, the whole hierarchy,
that has never happened before.

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It’s obvious the parents did their research
“homework” and prepared well.

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They found a good ally,
Dr. Kristin Snoddon. What’s important

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about this case is that it is the
first time to see how language

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deprivation cannot be blamed on one
person, teacher or speech therapist.

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It is systemic oppression -
we see how it first started with

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one interpreter with inferior signing
skills which the teacher accepted,

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which the principal accepted as well
as the senior administration

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who were okay with it. That means
the whole system accepted

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it and made language
deprivation “normal”.

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[ANSELMO]: What was the school
system’s biggest argument,

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and how did Churchill's
lawyer argue against it?

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They have arguments about lacking resources
and not having people that can sign,

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not being able to find interpreters skilled
enough, and many issues related

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to finding resources. Dr. Snoddon pointed
out that the Deaf community

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resources for Deaf community were
limited and the need to solidify training,

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ASL instruction and teaching and
interpreters were all limited,

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not ready or not built up because
of the systemic oppression

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of the Deaf Community also.

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[ANSELMO]: Churchill's lawyer said
the family wants the school district

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to guarantee an educational program
for Carter that meets the bare minimum

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of his human rights to language access.
This is considered important

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to overcome language deprivation
which their expert witness

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Dr. Kristin Snoddon testified at length.
When we discuss language deprivation,

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can it happen only with children who
are ASL users, or is this something

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that you’ve seen happen with
a large number of students?

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As a past teacher of Deaf children
for many years, I have seen many,

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many situations of kids having
language deprivation. It is very common,

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it doesn't matter if kids sign or
are oral. Both groups are language

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deprived and it becomes worse over
time while growing up and it impacts

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emotional, social and intellectual
development and ability to succeed

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at school. It is so sad. I have seen many
students go with an interpreter

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to classes which does not solve
issues of language deprivation.

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Many people think getting an interpreter
is adequate and would solve

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the problem. It does not. What I would
do when responding to that issue,

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deciding on using an interpreter to
get an education is a model that

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does not work. They need to establish
a congregated program where

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students learn from the teacher
directly in signs, and learn from

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Deaf community role models so the
students can build language through

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interactions. It is important to support
the deaf kids to solve problems

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together and in groups or complete
homework together, help each other

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and explain to each other and there
will be a lot of growth in language.

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Also providing and encouraging
students to ASL in a high school

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curriculum is critical to understanding
that language has rules,

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structure and grammar that really help
address language deprivation.

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[ANSELMO]: The Churchill family
is accusing the school system

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of not doing ASL proficiency tests
on people who are teaching their child,

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as ASL is his primary language. While the
school argues that they followed

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his IEP/ISSP, his mother stated that
there were things that she asked

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to have put in his IEP/ISSP that
were often not documented. Is this

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something that happens to parents
all the time or is this a unique case?

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Most school districts don’t have
good data about the students who are

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their responsibilities. Without doing
language assessments yearly,

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they can’t measure progress
in language acquisition to compare with

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their peers. They don’t have all that
data research and evidence

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so when problems appear, the
principal doesn’t understand and

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senior administrators don’t
understand because there is no data

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on the students to really understand
what language acquisition means.

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Parents have to learn to demand these
language assessments be done

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yearly, year after year. With accumulated
data there would be evidence

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that administrators cannot deny
or say they don’t understand

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the conversation, or point
fingers at others.

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[ANSELMO]: The school administration
is doing exactly what Weber

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said happens at other schools.
They are telling people they were

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not equipped and did the best
they could with what they had.

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This is often something that happens
throughout the Deaf community

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with students who are mainstreamed.
Language deprivation is a real

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issue in the Deaf community.
Right now, Carter, an 11 year old boy

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is reading at a Kindergarten level
and is currently just now starting

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to get the immersion he needs
in his classroom. Carter’s parents

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are concerned that after this year,
there is no confirmed plan

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for Carter’s education. They
also want to see the school

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make plans for
other children too.

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[ANSELMO]: A new viral infection
outbreak hit Canada last May.

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Called “Monkeypox” (MPX), there
are now over 1,445 cases across Canada.

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No deaths but 42 people were
hospitalized up to October.

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What exactly is MPX? I asked
a Deaf registered nurse in Ontario.

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Monkeypox is an illness caused
by monkeypox virus. In more detail

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it is a zoonotic infection meaning
an animal with a disease could

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pass it along to a human.
A human can also pass on the disease

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to another person. Even the environment
would pass on to the human.

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This is monkeypox.

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[ANSELMO]: When and how
did MPX come about?

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When, how and where monkeypox
comes from? Did it appear recently?

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No, it first appeared a long time
ago in Africa but now it has

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spread around the world, this
is the latest. Where from?

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A rainforest in central-western Africa
where animals were infected

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and this is how it spread throughout
cities and areas where people live.

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It all came from the rainforest and
now it is worse because people

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on vacation traveling to different
countries pass it around the world.

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Really it all started in Africa.

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[ANSELMO]: How can we protect
ourselves from MPX?

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Four factors - if the person has symptoms
of infection that match monkeypox,

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encourage them to stay home,
not go out and spread it.

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Stay home until you feel better
100% and completely resolved

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before going out. Secondly,
avoid body contact including sex.

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If one person has an infection
and the other doesn't, getting

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together could pass along the
infection. Thirdly, it is important

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to wash hands thoroughly and
also wear a mask tightly and

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not let the air go out. If you
keep sneezing or coughing,

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you could spread it so cover your
nose with your arm to reduce

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the spread. Fourthly, if you
have belongings like a table

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that could be touched, it is
important to clean them before

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visitors see you at your
office, work or home...

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wherever you are. It's
important to keep clean.

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Also after they leave,
you should clean again.

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[ANSELMO]: Monkeypox is not
a new virus but it is less common

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than COVID-19. Symptoms usually
show up within 3 weeks and

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it takes 2-4 weeks to recover.
We need to take care of ourselves

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such as continuing to wash our
hands and keeping clean.

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[ANSELMO]: On November 16th, Canada
Video Relay Service announced

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that Sue Decker, executive director
of CAV-SRV will retire on March 31, 2023.

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Jordan, our street reporter
will share a little more with us!

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[JORDAN]: Thank you Anselmo!

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As CAV’s first Executive
Director and CEO,

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Sue led the design, structure, and launch
of Canada’s first Video Relay Service.

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David Joseph, Chair of CAV’s Board
of Directors says “Sue has been

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an inspiring leader who was able
to bring Canada’s Deaf Community’s

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vision to reality. We wish her
the best as she transitions

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to a well-deserved retirement”.

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[JORDAN]: Sue had been with CAV
since April, 2015 - nearly 8 years.

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Before that she was involved
in several communication ventures

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most notably as general manager
of AT&T's Accessible Communication

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Services for just over 7 years where she
managed AT&T's telecommunications

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relay service, state relay services,
Operator Services for the Deaf,

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Internet Relay and
Video Relay Services.

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[JORDAN]: Sue has a bachelor's
degree in Marketing from Shepherd

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University, a public liberal arts
college in West Virginia.

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What’s next? CAV has contracted
with LHH Knightsbridge,

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a talent and leadership
recruiting firm to manage the

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search for a new
Executive Director.

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[JORDAN]: The CAV executive
director position posting says

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Canada VRS platform, which has
connected over 3.5 million

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VRS calls since 2016, connects
to over 300 sign language

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interpreters both ASL and LSQ.
The executive director,

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who oversees a budget of up
to $30 million dollars from

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the National Contribution Fund,
would report to the CAV board

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which has nine board members.
Priority will be given to Deaf

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or hard of hearing candidates
who meet the criteria listed

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in the posting. No application
deadline has been set.

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[ANSELMO]: Thank you Jordan
for this update. If you’re interested

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in the position, apply
as soon as possible!

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[ANSELMO]: Canadian Association
of the Deaf (CAD) has received

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a "Digital transformation development"
grant of $127,915 to research

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the experiences of deaf consumers
in the financial sector to better

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understand the level of accessibility
available to deaf Canadians

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in both in-bank and online banking
services. The study will also

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focus on the experiences of deaf
Canadians with financial fraud.

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[ANSELMO]: CAD hired Scott Simser,
a Deaf lawyer, professional

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accountant and past Green Party
candidate, as Project Manager

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for this Financial Sector research
project. Scott will explore

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barriers and adaptation needs
for Deaf people, and obstacles

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they encounter when
dealing with banks.

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Does banking fall under the
Accessibility Canada Act?

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Yes. Banking is under federal
jurisdiction so yes, banking does

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fall under the Accessible
Canada Act law.

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[ANSELMO]: What led CAD to apply
for a grant in this project?

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For many years CAD-ASC has gotten
many, many complaints from Deaf

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Canadians about barriers to financial
services in Canada for example banks,

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getting a loan to buy a house, which
investments to make so CAD-ASC

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decided to apply for the grant to
research how to improve access

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by Deaf Canadians to the
financial sector in Canada.

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[ANSELMO]: What kind of research
are you doing in this project?

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Interviews are underway with
many people including banks,

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Deaf people themselves, Deaf
financial professionals and

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Deaf service agencies. Interviews
have been conducted and

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met with banks on how they can
improve their service accessibility.

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[ANSELMO]: What is the focus on -
customers doing banking,

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or also employment
for Deaf people in banks?

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The focus is not on employment
for Deaf people in banks.

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The focus is on Deaf services…
entering a Bank, requesting

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service assistance or meeting
for mortgage application

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or invest money, stocks,
bonds, mutual funds

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and all financial
aspects are the focus.

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[ANSELMO]: CAD uses the term
“Financial Sector”, does it mean only banks?

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No, it is more broad…
more areas will be covered,

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financial services including as examples…
insurance companies,

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mortgage companies, investment
firms, credit unions and,

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yes banks too are included.

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[ANSELMO]: This is one of several
research projects funded

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by the Government of Canada
to help put together accessibility

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standards in federal services
or areas regulated by the government.

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Banks are regulated
by the federal Bank Act.

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00:26:35.179 --> 00:26:46.614
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