Proof “Not Deaf Enough” False
Why am I bringing this up again? I have two commenters who are tenaciously arguing that Fernandes was rejected because she was “Not Deaf Enough”. I’ve repeated that I shared the same oral background Fernandes had, but they seem not to get it. So here I am again. For those who remains skeptical, please read the post I wrote few days ago and also take the time to read the comments left by the readers. Mishkazena An Ex-Oralist
Believe me, if Fernandes was rejected because she was “Not Deaf Enough”, heck, I would be completely opposed to the Unity For Gallaudet, instead being one of the leading Unity for Gallaudet deaf bloggers. I am at a loss why these two skeptics refused to accept the refusal of many of us with oral backgrounds, mainstreamed, hard of hearing, and people fitted with hearing aids and cochlear implants, to support the appointment of Dr Fernandes, either and for us, it was never about her “Not Deaf Enough”. Some members of the deaf community may feel rejected by her because they feel she hadn’t accepted them as equals, which only reflects the extent of audism on the university. People have complained to me that Dr Fernandes have taken to targeting at the culturally deaf students while she was a Provost, criticizing them few times unfairly. A good leader embraces all diversity of the deaf people on the university, regardless of their communication backgrounds. Apparently this is not the case, according to those who confided in me.
The proof is in the factual sheet I designed, Updated Factual Sheet For Protest. If these nay sawyers are still not able to get it after reading the factual sheet, then their blinders are too deeply embedded, just like Dr Fernandes did. A good leader would be receptive to the feedback by members of the university one is assigned to lead and the failure to heed these feedback only reinforces the perception that she doesn’t have what it takes to be a good leadership.
I do want to say one thing about these tenacious pro Fernandes commenters. They are very loyal to her. That may blind them to the fact that with them, she may be a good friend, however she is not the right person to assume the presidency of Gallaudet University. Whatever, Dr Fernandes is very fortunate to have very loyal friends.
What do you think?
On a personal note, I am still receiving threats and nasty attacks/bashing, so this blog is still moderated. However, I want to point out that not many blogs publish comments from the other party, especially the pro fernandes ones. I will continue if the pro fernandes commenters show civility, but so far only few are willing to discuss this without including threats and personal attacks on me and other protesters in their comments. elizabeth
email contact: mishkazena@aol.com
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Your factual sheet is your perception as to what happened. Wake up and smell the coffee.
What did you personally have against JKF. Be honest now for once.
I am totally awake. The factual sheet is not only my perception, but also the majority of the Gallaudet stakeholders. Don’t the three votes of no confidences, the failing grade awarded to Gally the last five years by Dept of Education, and the letter from Clerc Center mean anything? If you doubt me, what stops you from asking the majority of Gallaudet constituents? Oh, that is right. I forgot you wear blinders and not interested hearing what others have to say.
Personally I have the nothing against JKF except that she is not a good leader. I just want Gallaudet to heal and move forward, free from paternalism and oppression.
The failing grade score is a direct reflection of the faculty professors and the students lack of effort. It was not JKF fault. Maybe the FSSA was afraid heads would be rolling if JKF was Pres. and roll they should. Did you ever put that into your factual sheet.
good afternoon, jim
That is the job of a provost, not the president.
As a provost, Fernandes had the responsibility of ensuring that the high quality of the academic programs be maintained. Unfortunately during her six years as a provost, the quality of these programs took a nose dive. She had an excellent chance in stemming the deterioration the four years in a row, from the 2nd and 5th year. But she didn’t and it accumulated with the PART giving Gallaudet a failing grade last year, her final year.
MZ, I guess the students and faculty have nothing to do with their own education. Sounds like the blame game again to me. The professors should have been behind her. They a lucky they have a job at all.
JIMMSEL
I was like you. I did not support the protest because I have been hearing from baised medias that “JK was not Deaf Enough” blah blah. I myself am culturally Deaf and strong ASL user,,, I supported JK even though her signing skill seems better than Jordan’s… Well, I thought it was an embarrassment that Gally protesters got fired up just because of her identity issue. Not until a week before Black Friday, I was debating with someone about JK’s ability to lead GU… but as always, I should be open and receptive. I kept telling everyone to give JK a chance, if she does not do her job then boot her out. Simple as that, you know… I was urged to read all people’s comments, blog messages, letters, stats and reports by FSSA people. It hit me hard after reading all about her qualities and poor stats according to Dept of Education. Gally faculty spent on approx 20,000 hours of labor on restructure who wanted to make Gally a better place for students’ education…. JK as provost decided not to use the new changes. Sorry JK, I had the change of heart…I said we give JK no chance to lead Gallaudet based on her 11 years of failed leadership! I was sicken to my stomach, I was sooo ignorant… But we all have nothing against JK personally, she is just not the right person for this job.
wake up and smell the roses! @>— grins (o;
For your information, the faculty and the students cared so much about their own education that they decided to save Gallaudet and its academic programs. With a poor leader out of the picture,the downward decline can be addressed and hopefully reversed. Fortunately the BoT finally heard enough about her performance on the campus the last eleven years and had her resign. I am sure her threat to them didn’t help her at all.
Only time will tell if your personal attack on JKF was justified. I don’t believe Gallaudet has made any head way for the better in the last 20 years. JKF was not here for all of them. It amazes me that the blame is solely being put on her shoulders.
Five years from now you will still be blaming JKF.
I am under the thought that all Professors are leaders of their classrooms and students are lead by their professors. The parents blame the teachers, the teachers blame the administration and at the end of it you are still left with students who have to study and not party their way through college. The blame game is used in schoolsystems all over the country. It gets you nowhere.
By the way she didn’t resign. The board let her hang on the line to dry. She didn’t quit the board did. This board terminated any effectitivness they have in making future decision for gallaudet. The only board they should be on is a surf board.
You seem to confuse criticism of her leadership with personal attacks. I don’t know Fernandes personally. I don’t like her performances as an administrator, especially when she practiced Management by Intimidation (MBI), making the working atmosphere hostile and repressive.
Clerc Center took a big dive under Fernandes’s administration and once she was out of the picture, it took them six years to regain the standing they had prior to her appointment. The academic programs at Gallaudet suffered a similar fate under Fernandes, with the official review PART giving her poor grades the last five years. Many administrators have worked successfully with professors and students and maintained their academic programs in high standings. She didn’t. As a leader, she got the university in a complete revolt and instead of trying to resolve the issues, it was either her way or else. That was not a leadership but a dictatorship which had no business in an university.
Yes, the board forced her to resign. Ultimately Gallaudet is their responsibility and they must decide what is the best for Gallaudet, not what is best for Dr Fernandes. She just didn’t do a good job as an administrator, no matter how much you try to avoid that.
I can certainly accept your opinion that JKF was not an effective leader. You are entitled to that. Even though she wasn’t THE LEADER.
I cannot accept the slanderous, hateful comments you and your clan have cast out about her and continue to do so. This is not what professional people do.
In my opinion the faculty is blaming JKF for their failure to teach the students. Pot calling the kettle black isn’t it. You can toss it around any way you wish but at the end of the day everyone shares the blame in what has happened at Gallaudet.
What the faculty and students protesters puked out of the soles to discredit JKF is appalling and it continues with you leading the way.
The protest was a personal attack on JKF that went way beyond the leadership issue, no matter how you try to avoid it.
Again, JKF did not resign. This is a fact. The board resigned themselves as being effective administrators.
MZ,
When will Jim ever get to read JK’s employment history and records of her failed leadership? If he gets a chance to read those then he will *!pop!* finally understand! You have explained everything so clear, you presented same information that was told and written by Gally insides, right eh?
You make reference to me and my “clan”, but if it’s just a “clan”, how do you explain the fact that almost 90 percent of the students were against JKF? The staff? Over 80 percent of the faculty? The alumni? We had the numbers on our side, if anything, it’s the pro-Fernandes party that deserves the label of “clan”.
There’s no denying that a few crossed the line in their comments about JKF, but her attacks were far worse when she referred to those who opposed her as “dissenters, terrorists and anarchists”. Her comments were heard from one end of the country to the other
Theresa, I think she does get it. I am not sure, but I won’t be surprised if Jim is a close friend of Fernandes and trying to clean up her tarnished reputation. Unfortunatley it was Fernandes who did the damage.
mz,
or jimmsil is jkf? Seems to me that this is one person who is obsessed in protecting jkf. The community, faculty, staff, and students have spoken! Facts speak for itself!
I don’t believe 90 percent of the students were against JKF. I do agree with you on the Faculty. It was either the professors that were going to take a hit or it was send JKF down the river.
The oppression comes from you to the students that may not be a part of your deaf culture. To not welcome these students with open arms is Real oppression.
While reading Kathleen Ward’s editorial in the Washington Post today it is clear to all that your deaf culture cult wants Gallaudet for themselves and and not for All Deaf people.
Your own spokesperson Kathleen Ward makes it perfectly clear. Gallaudet is for the sole benfit for people who use ASL only. Not for everyone. That my friends is the epitomy of oppression and discrimination. You read it and spin any way you wish it is short and sweet.
This is not what Congress appropriates money to the university for. The federal government is not into funding dicrimination.
Your own proponent just solidified the fact that this protest was about the issue that JKF is “NOT DEAF ENOUGH”.
It said nothing about her lack of leadership in this op-ed to the contrary she simply stated that Gallaudet was not for everyone and that the new Gallaudet would not be for everyone.
Folks if you think this is how a federally funded university should be run your minds have to be twisted back in their sockets.
At least one of your people came out of the closet.
Jon, hmm, I hadn’t thought of that. Whoever this person is, JKF is very important to her/him. The comment: Protest itself a personal attack on JFK. Whoa. That really said a lot.
I am as obssessed with protecting JKF as you are in trying trying ruin her.
Kathleen Ward said it all in the Post today. If you are “not Deaf Enough” you don’t belong at Gallaudet.
Jim, you seem to be oblivious Fernandes have already ruined herself. It was her actions that did her in, not anyone else.
How can one be “Not Deaf Enough” if one is audiologically deaf?
Gallaudet University was set from the very beginning to provide instruction in sign language. People who go to Gallaudet University are expected to learn sign language as the main visual communication mode so did many students, including me. If you don’t like that concept, well, that is not our problem.
Get over with your obsession about “Not Deaf Enough” because you know it is completely misleading. The more you insist on it, the more you look like a f**l because it is obvious you know the real issues but you choose to ignore them, just like IKJ and JKF. If you want to look like a f**l, that is your prerogative.
Oh my! jim, you are still here?
everybody, let’s give him/her a silent treatment
He/She’s going through a denial stage and it’s not worth
to continue this controversial issue!
Denial my Thersa is what you are in. Your are so afraid of change that you are willing to deny students of all race, color and backround the opportunity to get an education which best fits them. That is called Bigotry and it has no
place in a federally funded university.
theresa, yes she is still here and she is very stubborn.
Let me make this perfectly clear…we are not here to ruin JKF. The protestors and everyone else are hungry for a strong leadership at Gallaudet. Jimmsil, accept the fact that we won, after a long battle with MBI and twisted public relations, before you know it, Gallaudet will shine and become a mecca for ALL D/deaf people. It doesnt matter if they are oral, have cochlear implant, hard of hearing, or culturally deaf person, they ALL derserve guidance, nuturing, and education. That’s the whole point. JKF has proven over and over again that she has failed to lead Gallaudet as a provost. We simply want better university who could provide top notch education. The way you are responding to comments is becoming so obvious that you are not open minded. Accept that the Board of Trustees made a decision that you don’t like. This is a civil rights movement at its best. Everyone fought for what they believe in. The majority believed in FSSA and stepped in when IKJ or JKF didn’t do anything to resolve the issues. As a experienced administrator, in my opinion, the BOT should have hired a interim President, then do a search for a permanent President AFTER IKJ left, instead MBI became pervasive and clear, thus leading to protest. Sorry, jimmsil, its too bad that you are narrowminded. It would be great if you could look at a different perspective but its your decision.
Go ahead and be a fool…….