When I first read about the KKK incident at MSSD, I thought to myself, "Well at least this one was not swept under the rug." It was reported, the culprits sent home AND news media got ahold of it, all of which are good.
These kinds of incidents are pretty common in a dormitory setting. WHERE WERE THE ADULTS? Were they punished and sent home too?? I certainly hope so.
I feel badly that CNN chose to interview Davila. He has enough stress with his own job and does not need to borrow trouble. His answers were obviously a cop-out, and I don't blame him. Shame on CNN for not doing their homework.
Let's hope that this dramatic experience puts more spotlights on residential schools. Those kids all should have been living at home with their parents.
Lantana
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I feel that "Too much trouble with CNN and Deafread." I keep read and seem little sad crumbly about MSSD student. "Wonder & Why" the media from CNN. Must be hard on Davila. I barely know his history.
ReplyDeleteThe Violence is crime as they say about Nazi and K.K.K. it is too much trouble and the student from MSSD hurt deaf community and need to understand why 7 groups of student did their purposed.
Of course, I am feeling lousy about this situation. it is not our responsible. but the seven student's action were not accpetable of racism and other issues were involved. It is very sad for World news recongized of deaf commnity getting hurt by this incidents. We are not responsible. Appear that 7 student should punishment for their action! NEED STOP!
I enjoyed your opinions and wisdoms.
ReplyDeleteYou are right that the school administrators should take care of the situation before it happens. However, we should not point fingers at residential. I do not see the problem solved if children are at home. There are many problems at home, as well as public school. It is everywhere. It is how the children interact among each other as well as how the adult treats children. It's all about the education on attitude and respects.
Judy
Interesting.
ReplyDeleteMuch like the Jena 6, this latest episode at MMSD seems to reflect a larger public obsession with people's mistakes or misdeeds. A bunch of teenagers acting stupid is not quite the same as a group of adult men attacking another adult male - at least in the context of the situation at MSSD.
Perhaps the MSSD's history, and Gally's oft-cited lack of institutional control, mixed in with the media's obsession of all things racial, there seems a Perfect Deaf storm may be slowly spiraling out of control.
Anyway, ultimately, educators need to do more EDUCATING and less politicking.
Thanks for an interesting article!
:o)
Paotie
Yes! I got upset about how late these boys were up and played around. It's inexcusable!
ReplyDeleteI have a t-shirt from Massanutten Military Academy where my son graduated with high honors. It reads: I know where my cadet is every night.
Do we really know where MSSD kids are every night? I don't think it's dormitory personnel but the JKF's "leftover" administration that needs to go home. There goes a saying: Never overstay one's welcome!
Lantana, I share the same sentiments with you when you said you felt sorry for Dr. Davila. They put him on a spot. I also agree with Carl Schroeder wherein he said "the JFK leftover".
ReplyDeleteMy point is that Where is Resident Advisor at MSSD??? What are RA doing? Did RA check on every rooms while those boys fool plays???? RA should be more responsibilities for that incident as well... and also Bo Acton who is Supervisor of Development for MSSD DORMS and he is VERY lousy ... lots ppl said that he MUST be fired from his position NOW... I think that Gallaudet and MSSD should RA and Bo Acton be fired because they did not doing their jobs!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw the video clip of CNN interviewing Dr. Davila. I thought that he handled it with dignity.
ReplyDeleteLois
'Interesting to read the different perspectives here. I am inclined to go along with those like Carl who are privy to the inner workings of the Gallaudet campus.
ReplyDeleteWhen parents trust their children to a residential school to be educated, you expect only the best, professional staff. Someone's head should roll. I mean, come on, where were the RA's, the ADULTS while all of this "partying" was taking place?
Passing off the whole incident as *youngsters* "playing a game" was a very weak response, I expected more of Davila. I feel that he was backed into a corner and was not really prepared and ad libbed the best he could. He has raised sons of his own, remember.
By the way, I went to school with Donna, Bob Davila's wife.
Lantana
Lantana,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, congratulations on your own blog/vlog creation! I always enjoy reading your comments on various deaf blogs/vlogs.
I wonder WHY not the Gallaudet's Press office taking care of the whole matter, instead of leaving to President Davila and Dr. Stephen Weiner!
Carl,
Many MSSD staffers and personnels voluntarily left their postitions last summer 2007. That was not the leftovers from the JFK's Clerc Center adminstration!
To Anyone Whom Concern:
We have to find out about the whole thing what really happened that night involved horseplays and pranks led to unfortunate consquences.
Gallaudet University and Clerc Center (MSSD/KSED) have to follow the DC law about reporting any occurrence of hate crimes. That is part of the law!
Many MSSD staffers and personnels prefer Bo Acton because of his lack of changing adminstrative policies over years. That was where led to the demise of staffing quality and adminstrative leadership issues.
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
It is the law to report all these kinds of incidents in most states, as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteAt my school, many terrible things were swept under the rug, just to save the reputation of the school and to keep certain heads from rolling.
Anything suspicious MUST be reported to the CPS and NOT through your immediate supervisor. That way no one can hide anything. (We hope).
I was told that this year, there are six students from MSSD who transferred to Maryland State School for the Deaf. One of their main frustrations were the MSSD’s dorm life and the administrators like Bo Acton and Frank Turk Jr. They stated that Bo Acton kept pretending that the problems in the dorm that the boys faced everyday were like they never exist. They also stated that there are plenty of wrongful actions that the dorm staffs made but the staffs are still working in same dorm where they often victimized the innocent students. It is time for Gallaudet to be aware of MSSD’s problems and they should get busy eliminating some people who work in MSSD.
ReplyDeleteP.S- There is numerous of teachers who decided to leave MSSD to Maryland School for the Deaf where they knew that they will be working in professional environment.
I am shocked that this is still going on at a "model" school for the deaf. It is no wonder that parents are wary of state run deaf schools and that no respectable DEAF PARENT would send their kid to a residential school!
ReplyDeleteThis has been a long time coming and something needs to be done, and soon!
Lantana