Governor-designate Paterson

On Monday, March 17, 2008, David Paterson will be sworn in as governor of New York. He will be the first legally blind governor in U.S. history.

Fifty-three year old Mr. Paterson has been blind since childhood when he had an infection in his eyes. In a New York Times article, Mr. Paterson says, "I don't act the way I did when I was 17, like I can do everything myself, because I realized the minute I do that, no one helps me. So I learned to be a little more pragmatic about life." Mr. Paterson receives his briefings via lengthy voice mail messages from his staff, and so that he doesn't need to use notes, he memorizes all his speeches. He also says that he has felt more discrimination from his blindness than from his race.

Steve Kuusisto shares his thoughts on Paterson's governship in an op-ed piece in today's New York Times.

"New Yorkers will no doubt discover that Mr. Paterson will take great interest in the details of governance and that this will require him to take sincere interest in people. He'll ask more questions than your average politician. And those who work in his administration will find that they are important not simply for knowing things but because they can describe how they learned those things in the first place. That's perhaps the most important thing for the public to understand about professionals who are blind -- we are by nature tireless in acquiring information, and we remember virtually every detail of what we read or hear."

For further interesting information - Penny Richards offers a comprehensive list of blind elected officials through history over at Disability Studies.

Christie Gilson: An Agent for Change

Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Christie Gilson. I met Christie at her office in the Education Building at the University of Illinois. Christie is a warm, friendly person with an easy laugh, and was very open in sharing her thoughts and goals. She has a “go for it” outlook on life, teaching by example to follow one's dreams. This is the first of several entries about my interview with Christie.

Christie is a blind Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois. She has an interest in the educational experiences of students with disabilities around the world, particularly in Asia. She said that Asian college students with disabilities are underrepresented in education research. Two years ago, Christie applied for a Fulbright scholarship to do her dissertation research with students at the University of Hong Kong. Her alternative plan was to interview international students with disabilities currently living in the U.S. about their schooling experiences.

Christie was thrilled to learn, several months later, that Fulbright had accepted her, and she began to plan the many details that would make for a successful Fulbright experience. She needed to set up all the necessary requirements for her dissertation research, and because she is blind, she had additional planning to do. Christie had previously lived in Germany with her ex-husband, but this would be her first time traveling alone for an extended period of time. She called Mobility International USA and the American Consulate to ask for travel and living advice. One of her hardest decisions was deciding whether to bring her elderly German Shepherd guide dog. In Hong Kong, dogs are uncommon, and guide dogs are never used. Also, because her dog is elderly, Christie wondered whether her dog would be anxious in such an unfamiliar place. In the end, Christie decided it would be best to leave her dog home and bring her white cane.

Excited to share her big news, Christie told family, friends, and coworkers about her Fulbright award. Most were excited and supportive, happy that Christie would be following her dream of going to Asia and respectful of Christie's ability to do the work to make this experience successful.

However, there was one person who doubted. A special education faculty member. The only place that Christie encountered questioning of her ability to function as a blind Fulbright scholar in Asia was from a special education faculty member.

We hope that special education teachers empower students with disabilities to believe in their capabilities and support them in finding the necessary resources to make their dreams happen. The irony is that many of us have consistently had the exact opposite experience. We've had special education teachers who cannot see beyond our disabilities. They box us in, seeing us as nothing more than a collection of "problems". Christie’s out to change special education. As a faculty member, teaching special education teachers, there will be no more boxes.


Description of picture: Christie and her German Shepherd guide dog, Jill

Blue's Saturday Slumgullion

More on the currency issue.

Check out this week's Saturday Slumgullion by Blue from The Gimp Parade. She gives a comprehensive review of the issue of U.S. currency adjustments for people who have visual impairments. She covers multiple aspects and perspectives of the issue. I didn't know that more than half of people of working age who have visual impairments are unemployed. This is a thorough review and well worth a read.

Why can't we get it?

More on U.S. money....

Of the 180 countries that have paper currency, the United States is the only one that has bills not distinguishable by touch.

The Bush administration said today that it will appeal the November 28th decision made by Judge James Robertson requiring U.S. paper money be made accessible to people who are blind. Robertson said that the current currency discriminates against those who are visually impaired. The Treasury says that changing the current system would be too costly, too difficult, and is unnecessary.

However, according to the American Council of the Blind, the government has not conducted any feasibility studies to study and examine possible changes. The Council has been advocating for a change to the paper money system to better accommodate people with visual impairments since 1995. They have made proposals such as embossed marks on bills and cut patterns on the sides of bills - both would let one distinguish bills by touch. Another possibility is varying the sizes of different denominations. To help offset costs, the American Council of the Blind is willing to accept a gradual phase-in of changes as old currency is replaced.

The US Treasury claims that changes in our paper currency are not necessary because people who are blind can use credit cards and money readers. However, according to an NPR report, many people who are blind do not use these devices because they are too expensive. And, it is well-known that people with disabilities often struggle financially and may not have access to credit cards. It seems to me that the money readers are not all that handy and don't fit in one's wallet or pocket. People with visual impairments seem to devise their own methods of sorting bills, such as folding the different denominations in different ways, asking for help, or putting different denominations in different pockets, socks, etc.

It's been at least 12 years and two presidential administrations, since the American Council of the Blind has been advocating on this issue. Other countries have figured it out. Yet, the United States has not even had a feasibility study. We don't even want to take a real look at the issue!


Japanese bills with raised watermarks on the corners




Malaysian currency with raised geometric shapes



Euro has different sizes and colors for different denominations.








Dutch banknotes also have raised marks.




All pictures from NPR.

Money

Ever wonder what it's like to go shopping and not be able to tell a $1 bill from a $5 bill from a $10 bill from a $20 bill??

In the U.S., all our bills feel the same, so if you are blind, you need to have your own system for differentiating your bills or be at the mercy of the clerk giving you your change.

I heard on NPR today that a federal judge ruled that our bills are discriminatory against people who are blind.

"Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency," Judge James Robertson wrote in his decision, "only the United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all their denominations. Every other issuer includes at least some features that help the visually impaired."

Read or listen to the story here.

"How do the blind see beauty?"

More on beauty. . . .

In The Beauty Myth, recently published in the Washington Post, Steve Kuusisto shares his thoughts. Check it out!