Coalition Seeks Reconciliation For Gallaudet Protesters For several weeks this spring and fall, hundreds of people held public demonstrations, effectively shutting down the college, over the board's choice of Jane K. Fernandes to head up the school when President I King Jordan leaves at the end of the year. The protesters said that Fernandes was not capable of heading up the school or effectively representing the deaf community. After the board finally decided to fire Fernandes, the board announced a freeze on disciplinary actions against the students who led the demonstrations. On December 9, however, the trustees decided to allow the administration to deal with individual students' actions the same as they would any other violations of the university's code of conduct. For those found guilty of violating the code, disciplinary actions could include suspension or expulsion. "I don't think it ends at this," Diane Morton, a faculty member who joined the protests, told the Associated Press. "This is unacceptable." Parents United for Gallaudet asked the board on November 11 to consider an "amnesty of reprisals" for protesters, whom the group described as "the true heroes of Gallaudet", so the school could move forward. In a letter to incoming president Robert R. Davila, the coalition asked for help in opening the lines of communication at the university. Related: --- Reproduced here under special arrangement
with Inclusion Daily Express international disability rights news service. |
Search This Site and
All State of Minnesota Government Web Sites
All State of Minnesota Government Web Sites