Last Updated:
10-12-06 at 8:53AM
WASHINGTON — Students at Gallaudet University blocked access to much of the campus for a second day Thursday, escalating their protest against the incoming president they say lacks the skills to lead the nation’s only liberal arts university for the deaf and hearing impaired.
“Our leadership is flawed,” said junior Jesse Thomas, a protester who signed his comments through an interpreter.
The blockade started around 3 a.m. Wednesday and forced the university to cancel classes for a second day Thursday as about 100 students protested at the front gate. Students blocked campus entrances with cars, tents and human barricades. They said they wouldn’t reopen the school unless the presidential search process was reopened.
The protests began last spring when then-Provost Jane K. Fernandes was appointed president starting this coming January by the school’s board of trustees.
Students intensified their protests on Oct. 5, when they took over Gallaudet’s main classroom building _ an occupation that was marred by complaints about rough actions by campus police. Since then, hundreds of students have been camped out inside and around Hall Memorial Building, forcing school officials to move or cancel classes.
The university’s outgoing president, I. King Jordan, issued a statement late Wednesday warning the protesters of possible suspensions and arrests.
“This illegal and unlawful behavior must stop,” he said.
Students and some faculty feel their input was not considered in the selection process for a new president. Some also felt the field of candidates was not ethnically diverse.
Fernandes has said some people do not consider her “deaf enough” to be president. She was born deaf but grew up speaking and did not learn American Sign Language until she was 23. Those who are against her presidency say she is an unsuitable choice for other reasons.
“I feel that this institution cannot move forward under Dr. Fernandes’ leadership because there are too many disagreements about her as a leader,” said Mark Weinberger, a professor of foreign languages at Gallaudet and also chair of the faculty’s Senate.
The school has about 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students.
I hate to complain, but can you make the text lighter? It’s very difficult to read charcoal on black 🙁
thanks…
I was wondering how you feel about all of this. I’m an ASL student, and this has been a topic in our class. It’s hard for the students to really understand what is happening since we are all hearing. Our teacher (who is deaf) has been careful not to form an opinion for us so that we can form our own…but it is difficult since we do not have a real understanding of how this has affected the Deaf.
I hope you don’t mind my forward question…if you would rather not talk about it, I understand.
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Hi Daphne,
You can check out: http://sddeafcommunity.blogspot.com/
My comment are there!