Research has shown that language deprivation or delays between ages 0-5 is the main cause of many deaf children’s eventual reading, academic, and social struggl...es. This bill is our first step to addressing this injustice that many deaf and hard of hearing children face. You can do your part in helping to make this bill a reality- join us in support! Public hearing date: July 23, 2019 10:00AM @ Massachusetts State House
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Come support and save the #ohlonecollege #ipp #InterpretingPreparationProgram
“Love Our Community” was created for National Deaf LGBTQ Awareness Week by 1st Graders at California School for the Deaf, Fremont 
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... [Video: California School for the Deaf, Fremont
1st Grade Class
“LOVE OUR COMMUNITY”
SIGNERS: 1ST GRADERS
Image description: Students take turns signing wearing a black t-shirt standing in front of a rainbow flag that includes the trans colors and brown and black for inclusiveness.
ASL GLOSS:
COMMUNITY / EVERYWHERE
UNITY
FRIENDSHIP / FAMILIES
CHERISH++
MOM/MOM / DAD/DAD
DIVERSE
TRANS / YOUTH
SUPPORT++
LOVE / ILY
SPREAD++ ]
Produced by 1st Grade teacher Vanessa Sandez
March 18, 2019
LEAD-K statement in response to ROAR:
The National LEAD-K and state teams continue to encourage an in-person dialogue to better address any and a...ll concerns.
LEAD-K has remained in the “Driver’s seat” and steadfast in our stance for language milestones for families to work with their infants and toddlers to get them Kindergarten ready. LEAD-K, a Deaf-led movement across the United States, has been transparent and inclusive working with its grassroots movement and model legislation for 7 years and has posted numerous updates through the years.
In addition, we have sent representatives to different states on request to meet with their collective communities to explain about LEAD-K and provide advocacy training. For many of the inquiries in the ROAR response to LEAD-K, there are answers that have already been provided but apparently disregarded. For this reason, we insist on an in-person dialogue so that everyone can understand why certain actions had been taken. This is the first time ASL is in law, on par with English. These are the two languages used by Deaf children, and promoted by LEAD-K.
The political process has led to strange alliances with other organizations. Our purpose for meeting with AGB was to get them to stop sabotaging our bills in various states. We now have new opposition from American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACIA), Association of Speech and Language Hearing Association (ASHA), and Academy of Audiology Association (AAA). Why not help us ROAR against ACIA, ASHA, and AAA? We are obviously doing something right if such entities are against LEAD-K because we included ASL and asked for data accountability.
LEAD-K is a breakthrough to end language deprivation for all Deaf babies. It’s a step in the right direction and there is more to be done.
We are happy to share more, however, social media is not the place to resolve disagreements. We respectfully continue to extend our invitation to meet.
Sincerely,
Sheri Farinha and Julie Rems Smario, Co-chairs
And the LEAD-K Team
LEAD-K responds back to ACIA
Shame on America Cochlear Implant Alliance
The fact that ACIA chose this word "Alliance" shows that they are an aggressive force wanting to eradicate the Deaf community for their own profit. They are on a war path.
...ACIA Board of Directors call itself a grassroots organzation. Its actually run by Cochlear Implant doctors and medical professionals. No Deaf stakeholders. It is a FAKE grassroots movement for $$$$.
It is actually an ASTRO TURF which means fake grassroots to profit under the guise of caring.
ACIA does not care about language deprivation. They care about their business of CIs.
Be WIDE AWARE. This is what the Deaf community should be fighting against... But they want us to fight against each other. Now is not the time.
March 7, 2019
Image description: White male presenting CDI with royal blue shirt (sleeves are rolled back to the elbows) interpreting while facing the camera. T...he background is black.
AN OPEN LETTER: To Donna Sorkin, Executive Director, ACIA:
We are dismayed by your response sent on February 27, 2019: “We have a different perspective than LEAD-K. We disagree that every child who is deaf or hard of hearing must learn ASL; rather we feel that the issue of communication modality is a function of family choice.” (A copy of letter can be found on ACIA’s website: https://www.acialliance.org/…/ACIAlliance-Responds-to-LEAD-…). It clearly indicates that no one within your organization has actually read the LEAD-K model bill. A copy of the LEAD-K bill can be found at ( http://www.lead-k.org/model-legislation-for-states/).
The LEAD-K bill focuses on ensuring that Deaf children achieve language milestones. Language milestones are universal whether the language is ASL or English. With respect to language choice, the bill provides that the parent(s) have the right to select which language, (ASL and English, both, or one of the languages) for their child’s language(s) acquisition and developmental milestones (Section 1(a)(6) of the LEAD-K bill).
Dr. Sanjay Gulati, a professor at Harvard Medical School, identified “language deprivation syndrome” as the “single greatest risk to Deaf babies and children” and that “Medical and educational practices worsen their language deprivation rather than ameliorating it.” (2016).
With a staggering number of Deaf children entering kindergarten without a strong functional language foundation and Deaf adults having issues as a result of language deprivation syndrome, we reject your statements that “…Spoken language delay may occur depending upon the age at time of CI…” and that Deaf children “…do catch-up to spoken language levels of typically hearing age-mates…” The intent of the LEAD-K bill is to mitigate the epidemic language deprivation syndrome among Deaf children and ensure that Deaf babies are Kindergarten-ready with an age-appropriate functional language. When Deaf children arrive at Kindergarten with robust language development, they are ready to learn to read, write and subsequently master all other academic subjects.
It is understandable that ACIA has vested interests in preserving the livelihood of the medical professionals working with deaf babies and their families, but what is unfathomable is your opposition to ensuring age-appropriate language development for all Deaf children.
Sincerely,
Sheri Farinha, Campaign Director, Julie Rems Smario, Public Relations Director; Co-Chairs and the LEAD-K National team