135 protestors were arrested at Gallaudet University last night while contesting the selection of a new President they claim is out of touch with modern deaf studies and education theory.
Teachers, faculty, staff and students at both the University and its satellite secondary school were arrested in two waves.
Supporters of the administration cite other causes for the protest, such as people thinking the new President is "Not Deaf Enough;" protestors charge this is avoiding the issues they bring up, which include a biased search process and historical administrative problems.
The arrests are over.
Gallaudet University Professor speaks out.
BREAKING: Gallaudet FSSA Coalition Photos and Video from last night ... Video produced here... 3rd wave of 50 more join protests, now stating all protestors will be expelled.... 80 more people join protests, police overawed by numbers of this 2nd wave
NEW LIVE UPDATE SITE: the other servers crashed http://www.scallionstallion.com/
most recent updates from protestors on the ground and from the Gallaudet University FSSA Coalition.
NEWS
Donalda Ammons was arrested! professor of 30 years
This is your 2nd warning for violating dc code 22-307. If you don't leave now, you will be arrested
"We won't give up! We're fighting for what we believe in!"
One of the dc cops is trying to figure out where to put the students. (mz)
There's a bright light so they can't see the interpreters.
They blinding the students sitting
It's a spotlight (mz)
Student tell1ng police th1s is a peaceful protest
All chanting jk 0ut!! (e)
The dc cop is saying, "we don't want them later saying, "how can you arrest us, we never saw a second warning?" (mz)
Tar, 2010 class president asked, "why don't you arrest ikj and jkf? They're the ones interfering with out education."
Jason lamberton said, "maybe asked chief ramsey for the authorization to arrest those 2 " (mz)
All making remarks to police thru interpreters (e)
donalda ammons just said she would protest tomorrow if this continue (hamlow)
remember, alumni will step in tomorrow...
told elisa 25,000 page views in 2 hours, the world is watching... elisa told the protestors... they cheered at this..
0ne dps officer passed us by
Mez asked, un1versity 1s doing thos
Dps officer gave a sad shake of her head
Sa1d "j0rdan 0rdered th1s"
I asked her if she agreed
She said "u know how I feel" with a sad face (elisa)
Protestors huddl1ng together to keep warm while sitting
It's cold.. (e)
history of the protest at
my blog
elisa's blog
ricky's blog
pretty much all the blogs, but may be down
Short exerpt from www.ScallionStallion.com which is liveblogging this below:
Someone please give us a report on the football player named Tyler
Kerger. His parent is standing by, waiting for news.
Was he arrested? Where is he?
Kelsey gilstrap
Freshman honors student from oregon.
53
54
Quarterback 0f f00tball team jas0n c0leman
7:40 PM
Jerem1as valenc1a, say we r here f0r 0ur future ch1ldren and 1m here f0r my 2 b0ys
They arrest h1m, he's 55th
S0me students cry1ng, watch1ng (elisa)
S0me students cry1ng, watch1ng
56th arrested
Er1n m0ran!
1 w1sh 1 knew all 0f ur names 1m s0 pr0ud 0f u all
57th arrested
B001ng, yell1ng (elisa)
Cop is saying move back
Someone said, "what about all the people crowded on the other side. Tell them to move"
Megan malzkuhn
Singing "we're not gonna take it"
"We're the future, leave our school
A dps officer was trying to talk to students who were telling to leave, go home, leave us alone (mishka zena)
I King Jordan Uses Force
Today at 7 p.m. I King Jordan ordered the arrests of protestors blocking the gates of Gallaudet University. Eight now.
I am sorry he could not have done a better job. I feel this is a betrayal not only of his duty as a college president but of his own career. It is ironic: the protest at its core was about communication.
I pray for the future of Deaf people in this country.
363: the great deluge
I read with tears the amazing Letter from Clerc Center in which they detail the problems they have with Jane Fernandes. I wrote about many of these issues way back in May but it feels wonderful to see the faculty standing up for themselves. As a student who truly loved MSSD which was the MOST progressive Deaf school at the time (where they signed 100% of the time, by the way, and many faculty meetings were voice-off) it hurt to see the teachers suffering during that time. I think the only one which even came close was in California.
Why is this post called "the great deluge?" Because right now information is flying thick and fast. Fernandes snuck on campus last night- almost all the fuss with the police was really an effort to get her on campus without letting students near her. Now the amazing Elisa reports that Fernandes has come forth and offered to speak to a small group of students about the problem. She refuses to put this discussion on video or make it publicly available. This is typical of Fernandes' leadership style-she likes to lead from behind, not be open and available, as they have written on 9thprez.com. Unfortunately at this point I do not believe it is wise for her to continue to lead from the background. She needs to get into the street and show fair play all around. Broadcasting a discussion would be a great way to both protect her from jumpy students and allow everyone to see what's going on.
At the same time, other Universities and Colleges around the US have been writing in and coming in to support Gallaudet protestors and refute the silly idea that students shouldn't have a say in the running of a University. Me, I knew this all along - my college has a Honor Code and people can call the University administration to account. In this case, Gallaudet broke a promise: they promised a fully accessible University. Don't believe me? follow this link and click on Prospective Students and you see this:
The Gallaudet difference--what we call the "Gallaudet Advantage"--begins with a barrier-free communication environment. The communication environment at Gallaudet gives deaf and hard of hearing students freedom to focus on the joy and business of learning and to engage in a high degree of interaction with classmates and professors, both in and out of the classroom.
They tried to lure me in with this promise but when I went there and saw English Professors who couldn't sign well enough to explain Shakespeare, I was disgusted. (Thank Goddess I had Rae Johnson in MSSD!) They broke this promise as several teachers, administration, and especially DPS officers know no ASL. This enough is reason to protest, but there's many more.
One more thing. Juanita Garcia claims protestors prevented students from attending the Clerc Center. In fact this is not true. The truth is that the University administration ordered the Clerc Center closed, as the letter from faculty states:
We are representative of a larger Clerc Center community. We did not approve of Gallaudet University's decision to close Clerc Center on October 11 and 12. The protesters were prepared to allow MSSD and Kendall staff on-campus so that education for pre-collegiate students could continue uninterrupted. University administrators shoulder the burden of responsibility for the two days of lost teaching time for those students.
Protestors were willing to allow students at those schools to continue their studies.
Don't blame protestors for the actions of oppressors.
A little about the woman the protest seems to have become focused on:
As proof of Dr. Fernandes being an ineffectual leader and damaging the infrastructure of Clerc Center, we offer the following:
* A poll was conducted during the May protests. Fifty-eight percent of the teachers at the Clerc Center participated in this poll, where 82% stated they did not support the process that selected Dr. Fernandes as the 9th president.
* In addition to the first poll question, the second poll question asked teachers if they were ready to move on and accept Dr. Fernandes as the 9th president, 79% voted NO.
* Class sizes were drastically expanded with many levels of instructional needs in one class.
* Due to Dr. Fernandes' changes in the educational programs at PCNMP, enrollment plummeted, only to increase dramatically after her departure from the Clerc Center.
* Many support staff members gave up their primary roles to intervene with a significant increase in student violence inside the school due to forced removal of the disciplinary system without implementation of alternative options.
* Dr. Fernandes saw no value in the faculty governance system and the grievance process, which were both eliminated during her tenure.
* Many jobs, departments, and programs were closed (i.e., Performing Arts Program, Special Opportunities Program, Woodshop, Driver's Education, Communication Department, Career Development Program, International Student Exchange Program).
* The dissolution of Student Development program had a huge negative impact on the quality of student leadership (i.e. Peer Mediation, Judicial Board, Student Body Government, student-run enrichment days).