Police Arrest Over 100 Gallaudet Protesters
By Dave Reynolds,
Inclusion Daily Express
October 13, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC--Friday
night, District of Columbia Police and Gallaudet University campus police
arrested more than a hundred student protesters that for three days had
blockaded Gallaudet University, the nation's only 4-year liberal arts college
for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Two weeks earlier a coalition of Gallaudet students, staff, faculty and
alumni renewed protests that had ended with the school year last May, over the
appointment of the school's provost Jane Fernandes to be president when I. King
Jordan retires in December.
The demonstrators say Fernandes is not competent to run Gallaudet, is
not proficient in sign language, and does not have the temperament to represent
the deaf community. They also protested the selection process for not including
enough student or faculty input.
About 200 students barricaded themselves inside an administrative
building for several days last week, calling for Fernandes to resign.
Students formed a human chain at the campus gates on Wednesday, keeping
vehicles from entering or exiting, until they were arrested Friday night under
Jordan's order. As police arrested one protester, another reportedly stepped in
to take that person's place in the human chain.
Throughout the siege, Fernandes has continued to refuse to step down.
Gallaudet officials said classes would resume on Monday.
Related:
"Police arrest of protesters at Gallaudet" (Washington
Examiner)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/06/red/1012a.htm
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