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197 President’s Corner If you have felt a high degree of tension at a particular time—make it a time in a pressure cooker—then you have some idea of my position and those of the staff at NAD’s Home Office as the countdown to the nationwide March 1st Demonstration inexorably moved nearer. At first, everything seemed gung-ho. Instruction packets were out to key people in those states who made clear their intentions to demonstrate . Media packets were also sent out. Two members of the NAD staff were assigned full time to activities related to the Demonstration. Phones fell off the hook ringing, ringing, ringing. One room of Halex House resembled a War Room as state activities were monitored. Funds came in on a steady pace until they reached close to $20,000. Parents of deaf children called or wrote to express their joy that at long last something was being done for the years of pent-up frustration. At long last, we were finally reacting and doing something on a unified and national level about the deterioration of educational services for the deaf children. The deterioration did not relate only to the dwindling enrollment at state residential schools but to the breakup of day school programs, small or large, on the misguided convictions of those who narrowly interpreted the mandates of PL 94–142 to mean education with the non-handicapped in local home schools. Even pre-school infant programs that formerly functioned five days a week were reduced to two days. Then came the thunderbolt—the announcement that Dr. Bob Davila was one of the nominees to replace Madeleine Will as Assistant Secretary of Education for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS). Little did we dream that one of us—bona fide deaf, grown up deaf, educated like most of us were in special programs for the deaf—would be considered for such a top level position. It was almost as earthshaking as the reality that we finally have the first deaf president of Gallaudet University in 124 years. The NAD Broadcaster (March 1989) 198 What do we do now? March 1, 1989 was a crucial date because it marked the anniversary of the Gallaudet University Deaf President Now protest. Reports came in that if we went on with the Demonstration, it would hurt Davila’s chances. It was crucial that our actions should not backfire on him. His nomination was tenuous at best because, no doubt, other disability groups with their larger numbers could easily perceive him as antagonistic to their goal of non-segregation, although not true at all, and would inundate the White House with letters and phone calls in opposition to his candidacy. Different states were at different peaks of readiness for the Demonstration . Newsletters had gone out calling to arms, to ARMS. Hundreds of phone calls were made to marshal support and disseminate information as to time and place for each group to congregate. Picket signs were made and ready to go. The logistics of transportation were already worked out. It was important that we present a strong united front in keeping with the prevalent mood of our people. There were about three weeks left to countdown. If we were to postpone the Demonstration then a week later we learn the Davila decision was made, either good or bad news, then what? Do we regroup forces and start all over again? Easier said than done. It is hard enough to change horses in midstream—but twice? Also there were a good number of people who saw the Davila situation in a different light. They felt strongly that the Demonstration and the Davila situation were separate issues. They felt the Demonstration would not merely be a protest but an enlightenment. The world will know that we were not against mainstreaming for those who can make it or want it and that we respect the wishes of other disability groups to be educated with the nonhandicapped. We would have made it clear that our goal was for qualifying statements that would address the unique needs of deaf children. As more specifically, the Demonstration would be a fresh call for qualified deaf and hard of hearing people in educational decision-making and monitoring processes. Hoping against hope that a White House announcement would resolvetheDavilasituationandthatwecouldgoonasoriginallyplanned, I held off a vote by the NAD Board on whether to continue the Demonstration or postpone. As the day...

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