The audiograms I took in 2006 and 2019. Attempting to dehumanize my state of being Deaf is not cool. Intimidation and Audism can damage the mental health of the Deaf.
Author: The Last Hiccup
When JT became Deaf, he had to suffer a lot of language aversion where IEPs (Individual Education Plan) by audiologists, speech therapists, and teachers told his family that JT would likely never be succeed in college and unable to tie his shoe laces. But they were sorely, extraordinarily mistaken.
Wrestling Saved My Life
Sharing some of old wrestling clips from my younger days. If it was not for wrestling, my life would not be the same.
White Deaf Privilege in a Dress Suit: Why Educational Racism Becomes Normalized
Mr. James Edward Tucker, Superintendent for Maryland School for the Deaf [MSD] announces that he will retire on September 4, 2020, so he could avoid the justice and accountability, and knows how to be a master craft of denial and refuses to listen to the arguments, the charges, the awareness, emotional facts, of racial hatred is often a dominant role in educational politics and assisted in a fearsome system.
Showing no remorse and refusing to apologize has long been part of the repertoire by which dominant professionals like Superintendent Tucker have reinforced his position of social, political, and white superiority. Racism has become a way to assert power as a sign of privilege. Racism has been a common staple and part of our livelihood. To this day, the white superiority in the chronicle of education is still a problem in full force.
The basic trust of the ‘Superintendent’, we need to learn from the etymology of Superintendent, from Latin, Superintendere, “oversees”–with a great deal of community accountability, but when the Superintendent Tucker encourages bullying, it starts with the Superintendent Tucker himself, and did not choose to stop the unnecessary cruelty because it reinforces more power to bullying who are likely to continue to oppress, it is also part of hate that becomes a powerful force, and escape from holding accountability.
Superintendent Tucker, who becomes an ‘undeniably initial aggressor’ by power-tripping Deaf BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and White Deaf individuals from hearing families have documented plenty [series] of academic struggles perpetrated by Superintendent Tucker’s leadership in full force.
There are PLENTY of stories, repeatedly, PLENTY of stories from the Deaf BIPOC community, White Deaf individuals from hearing families, and other marginalized communities, and it cannot be ignored. If ignorance continues, then what does it mean? Contagious? You know the old saying, “Speak your mind even if your voice shakes”–Maggie Kuhn. Their stories are courageous!
Amid failure to address systematic racism under a national spotlight has shown lack of remorse, quite frankly, for almost three decades, did not promote the appreciation of intersectionality and the only difference is people from all walks of life are standing up now and Superintendent Tucker, with the highest privileges, did not want to change the policy back then. Was he too lazy to do so? Perhaps.
If the White Deaf community ever is an inhuman denial of whether educational racism is alive in every corner, then it is an epic failure in the system, is it not? Be honest! Now it is the time! Healing is what we need right now!
It is time to hold Maryland School for the Deaf Board of Directors accountable as well, ignoring the decades of pains and allowing Superintendent Tucker to ram through bullying in the name of elitism, racism, and it is also time humanity needs to start looking at what is right as opposed to what is legal. The Board of Directors does bear responsibility for the divisions of the Deaf community, and they are incapable of avoiding any accountability.
Whiteness, which carries power across the educational racism in America, and how the educational racism has become a normalized and authoritative practice, is a big problem now and then, even in the Deaf community. That is where the buck stops right there because we need to confront educational racism machine in higher education, for example, Gallaudet University, the stronghold of White supremacy.
Unfortunately, a scholar friend of mine makes an excellent point that Superintendent Tucker’s retirement benefits are protected and says that it is solid enough and settled law in the United States.
Racism is the foundation of the society we breathe in and out, and learn a good example from the book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism, written by Robin DiAngelo herself, quoted, “it is comfortable for me, as a white person, to live in a racist society.” and that is why Superintendent Tucker gets away with a comfortable pension because he knew he lives in a racist society.
Would it be too obvious to acknowledge that they are invisible and entirely ignored?
-JT
Copyright © 2020 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
Democracy: On the Edge of Survival
The Trump administration is attempting to take away the souls of democracy in America, we shall resist the tyranny.
Did MSD Supt. Commit a Hate Crime?
If a verbal insult attacking a Black Deaf individual’s property by a White Deaf individual by using “n” word could be a dire consequence leading to a hate crime, that is enough psychological and emotional effect, the same thing as “you are not wanted here. You are not valuable human being. We (Whites) are powerful and you should fear us.”
Elections: Define Who We Are
On the first night of Democratic National Convention, learn from what we have define ourselves to be part of the election in the greatest crisis in American history.
Tyranny of Greed
We need to believe in revolution to defend and guard our Constitution. No one take our rights away to vote and the blue mailboxes should not be constitutionally tampered.
Never Forget
Three years ago on this day (August 12th), we must never forget what happened in Charlottesville, VA. White supremacy is not welcomed in America. Enough of hate!
