The Oral Survivors Are Not Alone
After covering the abuses in oral deaf schools in my last post, the suffering of the countless children who experienced abuses in the state residential schools for the deaf needs to be recognized, too. Unfortunately there were many similar incidents in these settings, not just at the oral schools. Mostly the lack of awareness of abuses occurring had contributed to a severe failure of the educational officials to monitor the welfare of the students in its programs. Since mid 1970’s to 1980, more stringent regulations and additional safeguards have been implemented in the residential and day educational settings. New laws were also established, like mandatory screening of employees for sexual misconduct with minors and prison records. The teachers and the staff received better training since then. These changes help reduce the incidence of the abuses in the deaf schools, however they exist to this day.
Boston School for the Deaf: Tales of abuse at the hands of Sisters of St. Joseph from 1944 to 1977.
Instead of receiving an education, they received beatings and sexually abusive actions…The six men and three women who are the plaintiffs claim they were abused at the school for the deaf when they were between the ages of 7 and 16. They are now between 41 and 67 years old.
Garabedian and the plaintiffs estimated that one out of four nuns at the school were involved directly in abuse, and said the school’s principals severely punished students who spoke up.
William Ross says he was 9 years old when a nun at the now-closed Boston School for the Deaf in Randolph force-fed him soup, causing him to vomit. And when he was 12, the same nun locked him in a dark closet for long periods of time, according to a lawsuit filed in Boston Tuesday.
Violet Guertin, now of Rockland, says that when she was a 9-year-old student at the school a nun put her head in a toilet bowl until she passed out, the same lawsuit alleges
Garabedian said additional suits alleging assault, battery, false imprisonment and infliction of emotional distress would follow Tuesday’s suit. He said he has met with a total of 31 plaintiffs and has appointments to see seven or eight more potential plaintiffs Attorney: 1 in 4 Nuns Abused Deaf Kids
Governor Baxter School for the Deaf: “A large group of Deaf alumni filed a class action lawsuit against the government of Maine for failing to protect its residential students from multiple abuses, physical, mental, sexual, and emotional, inflicted by its personnel for decades.” After a long battle, they won the lawsuit. Now they are asking for more funds from the state: Baxter School Abuse Victims To Ask Lawmakers For More Compensation (Feb. 2, 2004)
Unfortunately, these abuses continue to this day. From a Seattle reporter:
At least half of the nation’s 50 taxpayer-funded schools have been embroiled in controversies about sexual and physical abuse over the last two decades, an investigation by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has found. In state after state, abuse remains a silent threat at the schools.
And yet the federal government has not stepped in, and many states have refused to deal with the problem — or even acknowledge it exists.
At least six sexual-assault calls to 911 were logged from the Eastern North Carolina school during the past two years, even though measures aimed at safeguarding students were supposedly in place.
Two alleged rapes, eight molestations and seven cases of sexual harassment were reported at the Oregon School for the Deaf during the past school year. But school officials downplayed the incidents and delayed reporting some to police.
Arkansas School for the Deaf Superintendent Carl Barger faces trial for hampering an investigation of a dorm director accused of soliciting sex from a student. Abuse and Silence: Examining America’s schools for the deaf
Residential Deaf Schools Abuses:
Louisiana School for the Deaf
Amherst School for the Deaf/Halifax School for the Deaf, Canada
Jericho Hill School for the Deaf, Canada
Margaret Sterck School for the Deaf, Delaware
Limpopo school for the deaf, South Africa
Washington School for the Deaf
for more information: http://deafness.about.com/cs/educationgeneral/a/sexabuse.html
The type of people attracted to these jobs rather presents more dangers to the welfare of the children. Some people should never work with children at all. Disabled children are at a higher risk of being subjected to abuses than their abled peers. Children in residential schools, both deaf and hearing, are also at a higher risk of getting abused than day students due to the isolation and lack of supervision in the dorms, but day schools are not immune, either. Abuses were prevalent in hearing boarding schools, orphanages, and other institutions in the earlier days. Unfortunately abuses in the hearing foster families and long-term treatment programs for troubled teens aren’t isolated, either.
There is an Internet support group Deaf Child Abuse Survivors, operated by A Deaf abuser survivor. Huggyangels@earthlink.net. her vlog on this subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dySJK1AGor8 Contact her for more information. MZ
Please conduct constructive discourse with respect. Thank you.
P.S. No debates on communication methods permitted here. This is for Deaf School Abuse Survivors only, so any comment on this specific topic alone will be published. Thank you. MZ
After covering the abuses in oral deaf schools in my last post, the suffering of the countless children who experienced abuses in the state residential schools for the deaf needs to be recognized, too. Unfortunately there were many similar incidents in these settings, not just at the oral schools. Mostly the lack of awareness of abuses occurring had contributed to a severe failure of the educational officials to monitor the welfare of the students in its programs. Since mid 1970’s to 1980, more stringent regulations and additional safeguards have been implemented in the residential and day educational settings. New laws were also established, like mandatory screening of employees for sexual misconduct with minors and prison records. The teachers and the staff received better training since then. These changes help reduce the incidence of the abuses in the deaf schools, however they exist to this day.
Boston School for the Deaf: Tales of abuse at the hands of Sisters of St. Joseph from 1944 to 1977.
Instead of receiving an education, they received beatings and sexually abusive actions…The six men and three women who are the plaintiffs claim they were abused at the school for the deaf when they were between the ages of 7 and 16. They are now between 41 and 67 years old.
Garabedian and the plaintiffs estimated that one out of four nuns at the school were involved directly in abuse, and said the school’s principals severely punished students who spoke up.
William Ross says he was 9 years old when a nun at the now-closed Boston School for the Deaf in Randolph force-fed him soup, causing him to vomit. And when he was 12, the same nun locked him in a dark closet for long periods of time, according to a lawsuit filed in Boston Tuesday.
Violet Guertin, now of Rockland, says that when she was a 9-year-old student at the school a nun put her head in a toilet bowl until she passed out, the same lawsuit alleges
Garabedian said additional suits alleging assault, battery, false imprisonment and infliction of emotional distress would follow Tuesday’s suit. He said he has met with a total of 31 plaintiffs and has appointments to see seven or eight more potential plaintiffs Attorney: 1 in 4 Nuns Abused Deaf Kids
Governor Baxter School for the Deaf: “A large group of Deaf alumni filed a class action lawsuit against the government of Maine for failing to protect its residential students from multiple abuses, physical, mental, sexual, and emotional, inflicted by its personnel for decades.” After a long battle, they won the lawsuit. Now they are asking for more funds from the state: Baxter School Abuse Victims To Ask Lawmakers For More Compensation (Feb. 2, 2004)
Unfortunately, these abuses continue to this day. From a Seattle reporter:
At least half of the nation’s 50 taxpayer-funded schools have been embroiled in controversies about sexual and physical abuse over the last two decades, an investigation by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has found. In state after state, abuse remains a silent threat at the schools.
And yet the federal government has not stepped in, and many states have refused to deal with the problem — or even acknowledge it exists.
At least six sexual-assault calls to 911 were logged from the Eastern North Carolina school during the past two years, even though measures aimed at safeguarding students were supposedly in place.
Two alleged rapes, eight molestations and seven cases of sexual harassment were reported at the Oregon School for the Deaf during the past school year. But school officials downplayed the incidents and delayed reporting some to police.
Arkansas School for the Deaf Superintendent Carl Barger faces trial for hampering an investigation of a dorm director accused of soliciting sex from a student. Abuse and Silence: Examining America’s schools for the deaf
Residential Deaf Schools Abuses:
Louisiana School for the Deaf
Amherst School for the Deaf/Halifax School for the Deaf, Canada
Jericho Hill School for the Deaf, Canada
Margaret Sterck School for the Deaf, Delaware
Limpopo school for the deaf, South Africa
Washington School for the Deaf
for more information: http://deafness.about.com/cs/educationgeneral/a/sexabuse.html
The type of people attracted to these jobs rather presents more dangers to the welfare of the children. Some people should never work with children at all. Disabled children are at a higher risk of being subjected to abuses than their abled peers. Children in residential schools, both deaf and hearing, are also at a higher risk of getting abused than day students due to the isolation and lack of supervision in the dorms, but day schools are not immune, either. Abuses were prevalent in hearing boarding schools, orphanages, and other institutions in the earlier days. Unfortunately abuses in the hearing foster families and long-term treatment programs for troubled teens aren’t isolated, either.
There is an Internet support group Deaf Child Abuse Survivors, operated by A Deaf abuser survivor. Huggyangels@earthlink.net. her vlog on this subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dySJK1AGor8 Contact her for more information. MZ
Please conduct constructive discourse with respect. Thank you.
P.S. No debates on communication methods permitted here. This is for Deaf School Abuse Survivors only, so any comment on this specific topic alone will be published. Thank you. MZ
August 7th, 2008 at 11:44 am
I was physically abused by the residential school for the deaf deaf and hearing staffers.
One day, I was playful in the shower room with other boys like turning the shower head. I was not only the one getting playful. The male deaf houseparent, Guy Nester, suddenly slapped me pretty hard over the body, then kicked me for no reason. I was totally shocked that anyone could do to me. I was about eight years old at that time.
My hair also was frequently pulled by the sadistic hearing female houseparent, Katherine Johnson for no reason. She seems resentful toward me for having my deaf mother for taking me home every weekends when I was four years old. My deaf mother was much opposite to Mrs. Johnson - graceful, beautiful, optimistic and fun-loving person. Mrs. Johnson was like a real witch - old hag with bitter outlook of life. Mrs. Johnson frequently punched my face at the shower room.
I could go on, but I have to go now. Someone dispatched me at this moment. I will come back later this evening if time permits.
The state government and other entities should pay the dormitory staffers pretty good and screen them carefully.
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
August 7th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Abuses of ALL FORMS also occur at public schools, hearing private schools and ANYWHERE, even in hearing family households! It does not occur only at Deaf-related establishments!
August 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I had been through communication abused by my family and school in the past. I am just moving on and trying to forget about my past. I will be happy to share anybody which they will not feel alone.
Cheers
Charles B. Downing
The Rogue
August 7th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I am back now. Someone changed hir mind.
The very same sadistic and abusive hearing female houseparent, Kathleen Johnson, threatened to snip one six-years newcomer’s abnormal uncirumised gential with scisscor at the shower room. That newcomer cried and cried pretty scared. Every of us were circumised anyway except this newcomer. Poor Doug!
I was sent to the intermediate department for the boys (Elementary Dept) next door to teach me a lesson for standing up to Mrs. Katherine Johnson. That very same houseparent instructed the intermediate boys to pile up on me from the bottom. Several deaf substitutes (students) from the high school done that same thing for their own pleasures.
Ron Carver and Don Skinner, another sadistic hearing male houseparents frequently beated me and other boys for no reasons. They often done the scisscor postitons on our necks to suffocate us to beg for our lives. We done informed the student dean of living about abusive houseparents. We were totally ignored and feared for our lives as both houseparents increased their physical abuses on us, 12-14 years old. I had to go to the supertindent’s office and reported to Ron Carver’s beautiful wife worked as a receptionist. She dismissed us at first. The wife decided to check on his own college-graduated houseparent. She divorced that guy after witnessed such abusive incidents. The school still keep Ron Carver for months until the final divorce at the court. Good for Ron Carver!
Ron Carver frequently recruited the intermediate boys to fight against each other thru the use of boxing gloves and encourage extreme actions, too.
Mrs. Katherine Johnson also threatened the male newcomer six-years old elementary student with scisscor at the shower room because that student was uncircumised. The student himself cried and cried pretty scared. Every of us were circumised.
Mr. Joseph Corbin, social science teacher and wrestling coach, made a sexual advance toward me when I was in the senior year. I was also a student body president at that time. Corbin was very clever like making a sexual advance when I was 18 years old.
Corbin got the wrestling team off early for the Christmas dinner, but kept me stayed for extra practices. Corbin groped my groin area. I immediately demanded what he was doing. Corbin seems in total trance. I got up and ran for the shower. Corbin suddenly came in the gym shower room and attempted to talk to me during showering. I was in real hurry for not missing the Christmas dinner. I went to my locker. Corbin came to me again like dangling his gential in front of me with him drying up with towel on his back. I ignored him all the way. Corbin kept talking to me. I got done with my clothings. I ran pretty hard. I was totally shocked about Joseph Corbin, well-liked and popular and good-looking teacher made a sexual advance toward me.
Nobody believe it! Many students said “No way, Joe Corbin isn’ that kind of person! He is a Christian.
Guess what? Joe Corbin is the current principal at the WV School for the Deaf’s Secondary School right now for past eight years. His wife left and divorced Joe for some reasons.
I had to shut up my hands because Joe Corbin wrote a letter of reference to universities and doesn’t make any waves. I never was a good student anyway.
RLM
August 7th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Brenster-
That’s lame. The abuses are much more common at deaf schools because deaf children are more vulnerable than hearing children.
RLM-
You should report them to police asap.
That’s really sad about all the abuses going on. No wonder there are so many gay deafies today.
August 7th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Brenster, I don’t know where you get the impression I say it happens only at deaf residential schools. I acknowledged the abuses at oral schools in an earlier post and indicated that countless Native American boarding schools encountered that problem. Orphanages and state institutions for mentally retarded and mentally ill were shut down due to abuses, but unfortunately it still persist in many foster families and some group homes. The higher incidence of abuses in the disabled children remains higher than their able peers since they are more vulnerable, documented by multiple data. Likewise, the incidences of abuses in the residential educational settings are higher than in the day schools. All of these victims deserve to be heard.
RLM, I am so sorry to hear that. Have you and your schoolmates have considered doing something about this? Your story needs to be written, along with other survivors. There is a Deaf abuse survivor support group if you want to check it out. The person coordinating that group is a nice person.
August 7th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
What is being done? Apparently there are many abuses that went unreported and many that are not addressed. I believe every residential school for the deaf in the United States has had some sort of abuse going on at some point and perhaps even to this day.
While many are willing to talk about abuses by adult members, whether they are teachers or staff members of the school. What many probably would not be willing to talk about is sexual abuses that occurs between students.
As a former student at a residential school, I have had at least two guys telling me of their fear of living in the dorm due to some other guys forcing sexual activities on them. I have encouraged them to come out and report it but, they were afraid because of the stigma that is attached to it.
Does it still happen in this day and age? I’d think so. Reasoning behind this is many who were abuse or abusers have become staff members themselves and they will look the other way if they see these things happening.
As for Jack Barr’s latest video, I do sympathize with what he had to go through but people need to understand that shifting blame is not going to do much. For example, Jack’s foster parent and teachers needs to be accountable for the abuse they inflicted on Jack but why is he blaming it on xxx? I understand the hurt he may have felt but the blame was misdirected.
I hope your article raises more awareness and enables others to come forward and do something about it.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Shocked #5 - your statement alone proves your ignorance, and you do not have a fact to support your statement. Thus, an invalid statement.
MZ, I did not say that you said the abuses occur only at Deaf schools, and such. I wanted to acknowledge that the abuses are also common at public places.
Plus, Shocked’s #5 statement proposed that deaf children are more vulnerable to abuses than hearing children which is absurd.
So, I have to remind that the abuses occur anywhere to balance it out.
Thank you-
August 7th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Candy –
I agree. For what it’s important for Jack Barr and others to use the support group and get involve to promote for the cause.
That’s what the domestic violence program have done like that. Be a good role model and teach them to use/do “the right path from the wrong path.”
For instance, Jack Barr’s recent vlog with the gun at the end, is not good example to promote the domestic violence program. It will not do any good.
Julie Remos(?), who founded the “Deaf Hope”, to promote the domestic violence program. That is a huge and great cause.
Raising awareness is very important to educate people for the cause. Making a difference is a great example.
I wish Jack Barr could use Julie Remos and the Deaf Hope’s example.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
MZ, you are twisting the metal thing opening the tin can of worms. Good good.
The “hearing” public could easily put media attention to the state residential schools, which abuses are in SOME of them, sure - yet abuses of various kinds do exisit in any residential programs - of the disabled, the elderly, and others.
The attention should also focus on countless of public schools educating deaf children and in the homes of their parents. You talked more about sexual and physical abuses little more than linguistic abuses, the crux of the abuses on deaf children all over the world.
The sexual/physical abuses is a can of worms we can somehow deal with - but our eyes, our vision, our aim should be toward public schools and new parents of deaf children, in addition to the rest.
Critical post, MZ
August 7th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
And… duh, Shocked #5’s yet another ignorance about “No wonder there are so many gay deafies today.”
OK, I’ll let this statement speak for itself [comment deleted]
August 7th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Please address to the topic, not to the person. I understand this is a very sensitive topic. However, personal insults are NOT permitted here.
Abuses don’t cause children to become gay. That’s a myth as many abused children grow up to be heterosexuals.
Brenster, unfortunately deaf children are more abused than their hearing peers as disabled children in general experience more abuses. This is widely documented. Please do read the link in Seattle article.
Let’s refrain from the communication politics, AGBell and oralism. I really don’t want to have a debate derailing this post like the previous few posts.
People like RLM needs to be recognized. As of now, there is no formal program for deaf child abuse survivors, both oral and Deaf.
My time on the computer is very limited now. Please respect my request or I’ll have to put the blog into moderation again.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
It is not being easy to saying in this article which I did not recieved a settlement. Disappointed so many things stuff did abuse me for long time.
Pete Anderson was principal that time. he threw me on the wall. I have been sick for couple days and bruise. My Uncle and Aunt dont know how to getting interpreter in late 1975’s. No one want to deal it and dropped the charged case. NO one want to forward to complained.
I am also survior of two different of abuse.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/specials/deafschool/
August 7th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Brenster,
I think MZ is focusing on abuses experienced by deaf. Of course there are abuses everywhere, including hearing boarding schools.
While I’m not sure if abuses experienced by deaf is higher than hearing. However, studies have shown those that are vulnerable tend to be abused more.
As for why there are a high number of gays (also very high number of bi-sexuals), I’m not sure but if there are research out there that explains it, I’d be all ears. Many gays that I know were abused as a child. Now, I know many that also says they knew they were gay and it had nothing to do with abuses. But, Shocked brought up a good point that perhaps needs to be analyzed. It is not ignorance. I have heard many elderly deaf saying the same thing: Why many deaf are gay? is it because they were molested by other students as a child?
I see two different types of gay deafies. One that shows respect to all sex and all sex preference and live their life as normal as anyone. And then there are those that think of nothing but sexual conquests and take no consideration of the person’s sexual preference. It is the latter that makes me wonder if he/she was abused as a child. It’s no different from one being a sex offender. Usually sex offenders are victims of sexual abuse as a child.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I forgot to say Pete still alive and he is now 90’s. He is CODA himself. Why he abused and so many things he did to other student.
I have not spoke out about him. I am still fear and uncomfortable about abuse me for many years by him.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
This is a good read and something to think about:
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/urban/one-a.php
It may be true that those sexual predator who claim to be gay are really just sexual predators that gives gays a bad name. Just a thought.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
To everyone posted their comments,
MZ was totally right about such stereotypes about someone being sexually abused by the same sex turned to be g a y or lez.
I was gay before the age of 5. I knew that I liked guys. I never ############ abused at all. Yes, Mr. Corbin tried to make a sexual advance toward me. He did grope me while we done wrestling drill.
When I was in the sixth grade, the older boy from the Advanced Department, asked some intermediate boys to tie me up to teach me a lesson. I was pretty strong-willed person for not doing any drugs or drinkings. That older student, Barry Vrable wanted to send me a message that he wanted my old girlfriend. He mimicked the sexual tryst on the top of me while I was tied up. Of course, I was pretty infuriated and smashed the windows.
The school done nothing about Barry Vrable until he doused gasoline in the basement of both intermediate and advanced girls’ dormitory and lit the match before the female houseparent heard the door alarm. Vrable was quickly expelled without any serious criminal charges against him.
I will check out the New Hope website. Many thanks, everyone.
MZ, you did not open the can of worms about the neglience of residential schools for the deaf. Yes, that could happen over the educational system of the deaf - mainstream, private, oral and residential schools.
Yes, the statistics showed that the high numbers of disabled individuals have been sexually abused more than their normal peers. Of course, deaf people are not really techinically disabled at all.
Deaf kids seems pretty perfect “disabled” targets ########## predators and abusers.
RLM
August 7th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I must agree with Brenstar with her comments! Any kind of abuses do happen in hearing families and public schools.
For deaf school and oral school, I believe those were too many hearies who worked there did not know ASL or just basic of few signs to communicate. So they were frustrated and threw out on deaf children…SO again communication is most more important which means all employees at school where the deaf children go and they need to be ASL fluency!
August 7th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
OK, so MZ allows stereotyped comments to stand in the comment section. That really said it all.
No wonder…
August 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Abuses happen in almost ALL residential settings, Deaf or hearing. Communication is only a factor. Unfortunately many teachers and staff who can use ASL do abuse children. There are even Deaf employees abusing kids, too, not just the hearing workers.
It’s the control and the power the person want to exert on the children.
Brenster, the stereotypes are left here with appropriate education to remove the myths. Otherwise how would the readers learn? There is no justification in bashing people due to misinformation.
I am now moderating the blog because I do NOT want to see debates on communication methods here.
This post is for Deaf Survivors of residential school abuses.
Please be more considerate to the needs of the Deaf School Abuse Survivors. Thank you.
August 7th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I am sorry, Deaf Pixie. It’s very frustrating not to see a miscarriage of justice not served. The laws have statute of limitations. Many schools, especially the oral schools, have long shut down.
You may want to contact Huggyangels and check the support group there.
August 7th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
About the allegedly higher incidence of gay in the Deaf Community, it’s not based on abuses in schools.
Practice of homosexuality is common in the boarding schools.
However, is there a higher incident of homosexuality in the Deaf Community? A hearing friend said the incidence of homosexuality is about the same as the hearing community.
This is not related to the abuses, but I want to clarify to prevent any misinformation. Now that subject is over.
August 7th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I saw Huggyangels. Seattle do have a ADWAS group, too.
http://www.adwas.org.
Agree with you MZ that they are not being fair to put us into not getting help by lawyer. That’s why we could not find one deaf lady graduated from 1999, if we get her .. We would win to against Don Lorenzen and Pete Anderson who are abused other students.
Deaf Pixie
August 7th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
All,
Let’s stay on the topic. As for high incidence of gay lifestyle in the deaf community, it is up to MZ to write another post addressing this delicate matter.
Also, be carefull about mentioning names in here. Otherwise MZ can get hit with lawsuits for defamation of character.
August 7th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I don’t know what to say… except that I feel bad for people who experienced abuse at schools, deaf and hearing. Really, I don’t know anything to say since I have never experienced abuse myself.
I am really sorry and may the survivors find peace ( I can’t say forgiveness since the abusers often know what is right and wrong, from my criminal justice major at RIT. :o(
August 7th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
MZ will not be hit with lawsuit but she might be asked to turn over information such as who revealed these names. I agree, naming names isn’t smart. No need to do that, here.
August 7th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Abuse does happen more often with deaf children unfortunately. That has been documented. It also happens in mainstreamed programs - my mother who is an advocate, has come home with countless stories of how her clients were abused at the hands of teachers and staff. It’s horrible.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Add to the list a state-run facility: Maryland School for the Deaf.
There were horror stories resulting in two houseparents (Isner and Grant) who later committed suicide during separate eras (1980s-1990s) while in prison for wrongs performed during these eras. There were more before and involving a few very covertly afterwards. Also, recently, there was a violent rape involving students which ranked high in terms of perversion.
Read newspaper articles archived online covering local and state levels and metro DC and you’ll know the long-hidden truth from the state-run facility dark past. Talk with unbiased MSD alumni.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I am hoping that ASC: mental health counselor, Candace or Susan care to explain the scope of abuses in variety settings that deaf kids has experienced.
Truly sad to think how many are suffering in the hands of adults…
August 7th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
LS and other comment,
I feel that the abuse never fade since the law failed for deaf and other kind of disabitilies which they dont want to pay intepreter for legal related. Deaf school or St Cathohic deaf school failed so many things.
Not whole. Very rare to against deaf school by former deaf student cannot recieved a unfair and mistreatment. Keep lying. The reason why all of deaf school by hearing staff lied to police or anything.
Something we should changed. It’s already too late!
Looking at Boy Scout and Catholic former student who goes to school from hearing people can sue because of more evidence.Compare to Deaf. Hearing people did doing better with their lawyer fight better system than Deaf School. It is not make sense!!
Neglected to Deaf student more than hearing student. I dont get it !!
All things are bull****!
August 8th, 2008 at 4:54 am
I have a question, With all this abuse, how do we expect hearing parents of deaf children to send their children to residental schools?
I am in horror over these abuse. I was abused growing, it had less to do with my deafness and more to do with the situation my family was in. My hearing sisters were abused too. As for school it was my safe haven. I had a difficult time in mainstream elementary school. I enjoyed middle and high school.
Another question, how do you stop all abuse? If one child is abused that is too many. I place at least one call a year to DCF for abuse. I place my heart for children. All abuse needs to stop! emotional, physical, sexual, and negect.
August 8th, 2008 at 5:52 am
All little Deaf children should be taught “good touch, bad touch” by their parents.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:19 am
The real problem is “statue of limitation” for reporting any physical, verbal and sexual abuses to authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Many of us, former deaf students moved on with our life.
The local police in Romney, WV were very audistic and would fink to any school authorities if any students from the school come to the police station to file the report. The Romney police officers would not let any students to file the report and tell them to shoosh away.
Same thing with the State Police office - pretty walking distance from the WV School for the Deaf. One employee had the deaf son, but graduated and mind her own business.
Many townspeople and authorities had connections to the WV School for the Deaf and would do anything to shut down any reportings.
The school personnels were very clever like treating students nicely in time for going home like days or one week before bi-monthly homegoings with treats and hugs to make students to forget such abuses.
Townspeople often spied on students when any student went to town and reported to the school as anyone stray from the usual area.
Houseparents often drove to any area when students were not supposed to be in particular places. We were heavily monitored.
Elementary houseparents usually chose any audistic students to keep eyes on any students and had the finkers reported to houseparents.
Elementary houseparents usually keep the iron fists on students. I often got punished for talking to townspeople whoever I know them personally.
I frequently got visitors and relatives, but houseparents treated me harshily after they gone from the visible means to make an example of me to other students to keep our hands (mouth) shut up.
No questions about many audistic school personnels inflicted abuses on students than anyone, who was very fluent in ASL and embraced deaf culture.
I never forgot Supt. Jack Brady grabbed one student and slammed him on the wall for just smoking cigarette. That student had been a victim of sexual abuse by deaf science teacher, Gallaudet graduate. That student ended up in maximum security prison now.
If not for such sexual and physical abuses, that student would be not in the prison right now.
RLM
August 8th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
As a child of deaf parents whom both were residential students AND became houseparents later, and myself as a former residential student PLUS becoming a houseparent myself later, I know how easily a child can become a victim of sexual abuse. Schools TRY to screen applicants, do background checks nowadays but they cannot be perfect. Many do not have any record.
Really, ANY…A…N…Y residential school have sexual abuse problems, not limited to schools for the deaf. Many private boarding schools have the same problem. The big difference? Parents are the source of their funding…they have voices. They can report to the police. They can make trouble for the school if the school doesn’t do anything. It is much easier for schools in the private sector to terminate the perps while it is tough to do so in the state funded programs where staff are granted due process and protection.
The other problem is the students also are known to retaliate and lie about sexual abuse against a staff member which makes it difficult for many schools for the deaf to take steps to terminate the perps - they tend to prefer something called evidence. Sexual abuse is very hard to prove unless caught in the act which is very rare. I grew up in dorm environment, and so did my parents and none of us had seen or heard of any sexual abuse during our time but there was one incident several years after my mother retired. It was an easy case - the girl got pregnant and the child was identified as having been fathered by the staff member.
If anyone has been sexually abused, their best bet would be faking appendicitis and getting taken to ER and then report sexual abuse there so they will take the rape kit and preserve forensic evidence. That was exactly what one female student did - and the perp was caught and fired - was charged by the police, went to prison, went to court and found guilty based on the evidence obtained in the ER. The guy spent 3 years in jail and his reputation in damaged that he cannot work at any school for the deaf. He ended up finding a job elsewhere.
It IS risky sending kids to a residential facility.
August 9th, 2008 at 2:27 am
DBC should support ASLHOOD instead of
DEAFHOOD!
Teri Sentile is such a brilliant logican!
Barry already bought a website called
“www.ASLHOOD.com”
Watch Teri’s video #369 and Barry’s reply
to her in video #372
http://www.deafvideo.tv/video/watch/21738/
DBC and ASLHOOD — logical!
DBC and DEAFHOOD — flawed logic!
Respectfully,
AH