Motion: Be Dumbledore's Phoenix Bird: Resurrect Ourselves In Name Of Deaf Children

I make a motion: START A FORMAL ORGANIZATION TO SERVE THE DEAF CHILDREN IN THEIR BILINGUAL EDUCATION.

Purpose: To promote bilingualism in deaf children; to remove the misconception that oral-only approach enhances English mastery. To act as advocates for pro-option for the parents of deaf children; to present them with other alternatives/options to oral-only approach.

Resources: Research data showing early intervention to bilingualism approach strengthens and cements language development and ultimately, English mastery.

Targets: Medical professionals, Hospital social workers, pediatricians, ENTs, audiologists, pathologists, and ultimately, the parents of deaf children.

Long range goal: Legislative action to give rights to deaf children their bilingual education; adopt Swedish model. Newly diagnosed deaf child is referred to one resource agency for deaf children. This agency serves as mentor and tracks the child along with parents through their childhood. Agency and parents work together to choose from several educational approaches and options most appropriate for individual child.

Trained staff would work with parents to determine which educational approach fits the child; whether s/he benefits from aural learning, from visual-only learning, which program/educational setting fits the child the best, what accommodations this child may need, and assigns the child a mentor.

Ultimate goal: Take away the decision making in regards to the deaf child's education away from people who have pathological view on deafness. Their jobs should be limited to medical treatment, speech training, audio training, hearing aid device/CI repair/modifications rather than getting involved in their educational process, giving parents biased views and opinions on deafness.

Why new organization? DBC has failed. DBC was born out of anger. John Egbert and Barb DiGovanni went to the Marriott Hotel in Virginia to pass out flyers promoting ASL and bilingualism only to have AGB's hotel manager harrass them and grab flyers out of their hands, physically injuring Barb's daughter. Thus, anger was born. John and Barb swore to exact a retaliation - going after AGB again in Wisconsin. They planned the whole year to satisfy their thirst for revenge. Their little group grew to include Deafhood. Deafhood also has anger issues.

All that energy into DBC for all the wrong reasons. DBC tried to rub in AGB's face but it did not work. All DBC was good for was feel-good get-togetherness for the attendees. They saw what they wanted to see and believed something was accomplished when in reality, nothing was accomplished. The attendees were gypped into thinking their attending contributed to the success of DBC when in reality, all they contributed to DBC was financial profit. They cannot see beyond the exterior of what was seen at the convention. DBC accomplished nothing except draw some 800 people and some rallying with homemade signs.

However, the leaders accomplished in the task of satisfying THEIR desire to "rub it into AGB's face" or "be thorns on their sides."

This is not good movement. This is not professional.

This is not what we need. This is not what our deaf children need. This is not what the parents need. This is not what deaf educators of America need.

What we need is a real, bonafide, organization to represent the deaf children, their parents, the deaf educators and the deaf community. Put aside emotions, biases, hidden agendas, bad politics. Be a professional organization.

Who should lead this organization? Oralists, CI/ASL, CI/AVT, Deaf, deaf, Cueds, blacks, whites, Native Americans, Asians, Hispanics, urban dwellers, rural dwellers, various ethical cultures, and deaf education people from schools for the deaf, mainstreamed programs, public school districts. Diversity is key to the success of this organization which is not what DBC has now.

DBC was born out of anger.

Let's rebuild anew like Harry Potter's phoenix bird. John's anger has burst into flames and extinguished. Gone. Now is our opportunity to rebuild and start a better one.

DO IT!!!