Deaf Woman Refused Service at Tim Hortons

Deaf Ontario woman alleges mistreatment after Tim Hortons drive-thru employee refuses service.

HAMILTON, Ontario -- A Deaf Hamilton woman is hoping for change after she feels she was discriminated against while using a coffee shop drive-thru.

Danna Morales, 26, posted on Facebook says she has been using fast-food drive-thrus her whole life without issue, until she visited a Tim Hortons on Sunday.

Morales says she showed the drive-thru cashier her order typed out on her iPhone, and after some fuss the staff reluctantly processed it. But when they neglected to give her some of the items that she had already paid for, she tried to explain that to them by typing it out on her phone.

The incident was recorded on camera by Morales’ partner Francis Mena, who was in the passenger seat. Mena’s cellphone video shows the employee at the window refusing to look at the phone.

“I can’t, you have to come around!” says the employee. “Too bad,, no!”

When Morales tries to explain the situation, the employee appears increasingly agitated.

“You’re holding my line, go!” she orders Morales.

“She didn’t need to have such attitude with me,” Morales told CTV News Toronto through an interpreter Wednesday.

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“I think because of the way she reacted, it was a little discriminatory.”

The video shows other employees coming to the window and trying to assist.

“Go inside, I’m going to serve you,” says another employee.

“She can’t talk, she has to come inside,” says the main clerk at the window.

“She could have just read the order off the phone, given us our order and we would have been out of there,” Mena told CTV News Toronto, also through an interpreter.

“But instead she dragged it out and it made me feel a little hurt, a little uncomfortable.”

As the exchange continues, other drivers begin honking and one approaches the drive-thru window.

“Look at the line up here, I have to go,” a customer is heard saying in the video. “What is this?”

The employees eventually give Morales the rest of her order.

Morales and Mena returned to the location later that day with an interpreter, and they say the manager apologized and called the situation unacceptable.

Tim Hortons told CTV News Toronto in a statement the experience was “truly unfortunate” and does not reflect the company’s inclusive values.

“We want all of our guests to have a positive and welcoming experience at our restaurants. The restaurant has been working to rectify this,” a spokesperson said.

Morales says she would like to see more education for employees. Tim Hortons tells CTV News Toronto that it will be updating its accessibility training in light of Morales’ experience.

Morales also believes more should be done to improve drive-thru accessibility for Deaf people.

“How are we supposed to even order though a drive-thru when it’s a speaker system that’s inaccessible to us?” she said.

The City of Fredericton recently made plans to combat their own Tim Hortons drive-thru chaos by spending $40,000 to build a "traffic circle”. The move is an attempt to limit the amount of traffic that is clogging up the roads near one of the coffee shop's drive-thru locations.

SOURCE - CTV News

NOTE: Deaf YouVideo learned Tim Hortons worker is receiving a warning and continue as an employee, did not getting fired as well, typically in Canada.

Related Tim Hortons:
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Deaf Woman Refused Service at Tim Hortons
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Related Drive-Thru:
Taco Bell Complains About Deaf Customers
Taco Bell Worker Refuses Service To Deaf Man
Deaf Woman Sues Taco Bell Over Drive-Thru
Burger King Worker Refuses Service To Deaf Man
Deaf Woman Suing Burger King
Deaf Woman Refused Service at Tim Hortons
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#DeafNews - #DeafCanadians - #DeafCustomers - #Discrimination - #Drive-Thru

Deaf Canadian Arrested For Child Pornography

Deaf man arrested in child pornography investigation, Niagara police looking for witnesses after Ottawa child porn bust.

SAINT CATHARINES, Ontario -- Niagara Regional Police are looking for additional witnesses in Niagara after the arrest of an Ottawa man on child porn charges.

An investigation into the sexual exploitation of children that began this month resulted in a search warrant for an Ottawa residence, where police there seized computer systems and storage media for forensic examination.

Richard Fortier, 31, is being held in custody in Niagara. He is charged with two counts of making available child pornography, two counts of accessing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

SOURCE - StCatharinesStandard

Click this link for more details: Niagara Regional Police Service News

Sheri Tillett aka shebaby is a close friend with Richard Fortier as she has learned the situation and announced on Facebook.

Deaf Community responses has reacted to a video showing on FB#Comments.

UPDATE: Eric Savage, who is a witness, shared the child pornography from Richard Fortier, Savage tell a story on Facebook.

Who is Richard Fortier aka SuperDeafPride:
Facebook - https://facebook.com/richard-fortier
Twitter - https://twitter.com/superdeafpride
YouTube - https://youtube.com/channel/superdeafpride

Share this blog to your loved ones and friends to aware about Richard Fortier.

Disclaimer:
Richard Fortier is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information posted on this website. However, Deaf YouVideo does not not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the content of this website. Names may be similar or identical to other individuals.

Related Posts - #DeafCanadians - #SexOffenders - #Pedophilia - #WTF

Canadian Hearing Society Workers On Strike

Services for Deaf Ontarians limited as Canadian Hearing Society begins strike today.

TORONTO, Ontario -- Canadian Hearing Society employees, including those in Windsor, walked off the job Sunday night as efforts to arrange their first collective agreement in four years broke down.

Employees at 21 locations across Ontario are bargaining for better wages and to stop proposed changes to their sick leave, according to CUPE national spokesperson Barbara Wilker-Frey.

The offices in Windsor and London remain open, but are being run by management staff. Limited services are available on site.

The union represents 227 frontline workers who serve about 36,000 people every year. Wilker-Frey said many employees know firsthand how tough a strike will be on those who rely on the society for its various services.

"It was a really difficult decision for the local to decide to go out on strike because many of our members are part of that very same community and use the very same services that they offer to the wider community," she explained.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for the CHS said the people the organization serves are "at the heart" of every decision they make.

"We are disappointed that the union has chosen to strike and we will continue to work to get them back to the bargaining table," said CHS vice-president Gary Malkowski. "In light of CUPE's decision to strike, our focus right now is to provide our clients with the best possible care and service under these disappointing circumstances."

The Canadian Hearing Society offers emergency translation for legal matters and healthcare, but those services will be severely cut back while the strike is ongoing.

Wilker-Frey said the union has not heard from the society since the strike began, but added CUPE is ready to get back to bargaining as soon as possible.

SOURCE - CBC News

Related Posts: #DeafCanadians

The Challenges of Being Deaf in a Hearing World

Even though I knew that I was Deaf and used sign language, parts of my identity were still fragmented.

TORONTO, Ontario -- This article is part one of a series on accessibility in Toronto for a Deaf, queer, nonbinary person. I grew up in small-town southern Ontario. I hated it--I wanted to experience something bigger, but I didn’t know what or how. My life was slightly different from others. I was a Deaf kid living in a Hearing world.

Growing up as a Deaf kid was really challenging. There were limited options, especially in a tiny community. Unlike hearing kids who went to their local schools, I had to get up earlier than other kids so I wouldn’t miss the short school bus.

Our Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing program was at a mainstream school with other hearing kids. The Deaf kids would have their own homeroom, taught by a “Teacher of the Deaf.”

Students in our program would occasionally be placed in “normal” classrooms with other hearing students, communicating through the use of an interpreter. Unfortunately, none of the teachers in the program were actually deaf, so no examples of healthy Deaf adult role models were present in my childhood.

The only other option was to attend a provincial school for the Deaf. The problem? I couldn’t stand being away from my mother, and attending the school meant that I’d have to live in residence. So I didn’t have much exposure to the Deaf community growing up, except for a few events here and there.

I remember attending Mayfest, an annual Deaf expo hosted by the Ontario Association of the Deaf (OAD) at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. The number of Deaf and signing participants often overwhelmed me--they signed so differently, not like the way I did.

There were literally hundreds of them from various backgrounds, of different races, and of all types of disabilities. This event was something that I looked forward to every year--a favourite part of my childhood, being in a space where we could celebrate being ourselves.

It was not until I became a teenager that I understood that my school taught us Signed Exact English (SEE) and not American Sign Language (ASL). So that was why others signed differently.

The signing system I had learned was intended to accommodate hearing people and “improve” our English literacy skills. This, I felt, had taken away my Deaf community and Deaf culture. I was being assimilated, and, due to that, I had no sense of identity.

Even though I knew that I was Deaf and used sign language, parts of my identity were still fragmented. Nearly everyone around me was straight and I didn’t fit the mold. I knew that, despite being Deaf, I was further marginalized by my own Deaf community. What did you expect? Growing up in a small community meant limited options, limited resources, limited identities, and limited access.

This meant that the Deaf community that I grew up in was not accessible for me as a deaf person with emerging identities yet to be discovered.

In Grade 12, something happened that paved the way to my discovery as a culturally deaf person. There was an interpreter shortage, and I couldn’t attend all of the classes that I registered for. I remember showing up for a class and the interpreter was not in her typical assigned seat, and the teacher continued to speak while I looked around, feeling lost, like a fool.

That was it. The lack of accessibility led to my ultimate decision to transfer to a school for the Deaf.

Through socializing with Deaf peers, fragmented parts of my identity and soul were finally put back together and began to feel whole. This journey helped me unpack internalized audism, and change the “d” in deaf to a “D,” to represent my transition to a culturally Deaf person.

Approaching the end of high school, I thought, “What am I going to do?” I thought I’d attend a local post-secondary institution, become a teacher, and lead a very boring life, only because that’s what my family wanted for me. But what did I want? To be accepted, to be in a place where I could be myself.

That space was discovered at Gallaudet University, where I met more members of the queer and trans community. That led to me coming out, embracing different parts of my identity.

Every summer on break from university, I attended the Pride festivities in Toronto and discovered the Ontario Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf, where I met more folks like me.

But what was in my future after graduation? I wasn’t so sure yet.

Toronto was this place that I’d always dreamed of living in. This city was the place that I was going to move to after I graduated from Gallaudet University.

Being the capital city of Ontario, you’d think this city would be accessible for a person like me.

Toronto, you are exceptionally large, with a population of more than six million people in the city and its surrounding areas. Here, you can expect to find a few communities that you belong with. You’d expect more options, more resources, more identities, more accessibility, right?

The next article in this series will detail what accessibility in Toronto looks like.

SOURCE

Related: #DeafCanadians

Related Deaf and Hearing Worlds:
Deaf Awareness: Alone In A Deaf World
Deaf Awareness: Alone In A Hearing World
Ted Evans - In Search Of The DEAF WORLD
Living In Between The Deaf And Hearing Worlds
A Hearing Son In Deaf Family 'I'd Rather Be Deaf'
Dropout Rate Among Mainstream Deaf Students
Life and Deaf - BBC4 Documentary
Through Deaf Eyes - Documentary Film

METRAC Campaign Aims Toronto Deaf Women

The METRAC campaign and program is aimed at making justice more accessible to Deaf women in family breakup situations.

TORONTO, Ontario -- MetroNews: A new campaign in Toronto aims to help Deaf women facing family breakdowns navigate the legal system.

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Through its Family Law Education for Women program, METRAC has partnered with Springtide Resources and members of the Deaf community to create two videos being launched Thursday.

The videos were produced in American Sign Language, with closed captioning, and contain detailed information about child custody rights and information about support services for survivors of domestic assault.

METRAC has for years provided sign language services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing women through direct translation, but feedback from the Deaf community showed it “wasn’t very helpful,” said METRAC’s legal director Tamar Witelson.

“This is about increasing access to justice. There’s a lot of concerns when women are separating from their partners, and it’s even harder for Deaf women,” she said, noting that having a multimedia element in the resources will go a long way.

The challenges facing Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing women during family separation battles can stretch beyond just access to justice. If a family is breaking up due to intimate abuse in relationships, for example, the woman is less likely to even seek legal help because of stigma around such cases, Witelson said.

“We still have many women in this situation who don’t even understand what their legal rights are,” she said. “Many even end up going in court without a lawyer to represent them.”

According to Canadian Hearing Society, there are over 530,000 people in Ontario who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. That’s almost 5 per cent of the population.

SOURCE - MetroNews

Related Posts: #DomesticViolence

Firing of Deaf Employee Costs Firm $240K

Deaf News: Deaf ex-employee’s court case puts bosses on notice for behaving badly in Mississauga, Canada.

TORONTO, ON -- The Canadian Press: A long-time employee tormented by her employer and unceremoniously dumped after she went Deaf had her damages award more than doubled to $246,000 by Ontario’s top court on Thursday.

In its decision, the Appeal Court ruled the egregious nature of the company’s “heartless” misconduct warranted significantly higher damages for Vicky Strudwick.

“In the lead-up to Ms. Strudwick’s termination, she was belittled, isolated, humiliated and made to suffer the effects of her disability to the greatest extent possible,” the Appeal Court said.

“This conduct was deliberate, malicious and designed to force Ms. Strudwick to quit a job she had held for almost 16 years.”

Court documents show that Strudwick worked for Applied Consumer and Clinical Evaluations, a family-run business based in Mississauga, Ont., that recruits people to participate in focus groups. She began by doing data entry, but later instructed recruiting staff, earning $12.85 an hour.

In October 2010, she went completely Deaf - possibly because of a virus.

Court records show that Andrew Hoffman, the general manager, and a supervisor, Liz Camilleri, then began a concerted campaign of abuse against Strudwick aimed at forcing her to quit.

They not only denied her any accommodation for her disability, but actually took steps to make her life even more difficult, the court said.

In May 2011, Hoffman fired her, allegedly for pulling a “stunt” at a company event, prompting Strudwick, then 56, to sue for wrongful dismissal and abuse.

Applied Consumer never delivered a statement of defence and was noted in default.

In August last year, Superior Court Justice Grant Dow awarded her a total of $113,782 and $40,000 in legal costs. Strudwick appealed the damages award as too low, while Applied Consumer - which has about 80 employees - argued the legal costs award was too high.

The Appeal Court affirmed the costs award, but found Strudwick deserved much more by way of damages given the “cruel” treatment to which her bosses had subjected her.

Examples included giving her instructions while preventing her from lip reading, then calling her stupid. They refused to let her turn her desk around so that she could see people as they approached.

“In the immediate lead-up to her dismissal, Ms. Strudwick was confronted in front of an estimated 13 other employees, yelled at and called a ‘goddamned fool’,” the Appeal Court stated.

Hoffman, who would later himself be fired, gave her a termination letter and a cheque for three months’ pay. When she refused to sign a release, he took the cheque back and had her marched out of the building in front of her co-workers.

Applied Consumer, which claims to foster an environment of “empowerment, engagement, fairness and responsibility,” then claimed she had been fired for insubordination and wilful misconduct - a tactic that delayed her access to employment insurance.

On appeal, Strudwick argued for more than $1 million, but the court said its hands were tied by her initial statement of claim, which sought $240,000 plus an amount for loss of benefits.

The Appeal Court said she deserved her full claim for damages in light of the “malicious and heartless” treatment meted out to her. It also awarded another $20,000 in costs for the appeal.

SOURCE - BlackBurnNews

Gallaudet: White House Experience 'Unforgettable'

WATCH: Deaf News - Deaf Canadian of Gallaudet University student experience at the White House 'unforgettable'.

WASHINGTON DC -- The Whig: A Deaf Kingston man studying in Washington, D.C., signed “I love you” to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau during their visit to The White House Thursday morning.

Wyatt Scott, who is in his fourth year at Gallaudet University in Washington, was invited to see the prime minister’s arrival, along with several other Canadian students from the school that specializes in educating Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.

“The experience at the White House was great!” Scott wrote in an email.

He said there were more than 3,000 people there to see the Trudeaus, including the 17 Deaf Canadian students from Gallaudet who were given VIP seats right next to the stage from which the two leaders addressed the crowd.

Scott got to see President Barack Obama and the first lady walk out of the White House to wait for the Trudeaus’ motorcade to arrive. Seeing the Trudeaus together with the Obamas was an exciting moment, he added.

“It was very cool to see them right there in front of us. We cheered, signed ‘I love you,’ waved the Canadian flags, and hoped to catch their attention. I think they did notice us. I’ve never dreamed to be that very close to the two most important leaders in the same location.”

Scott watched the military guard perform a salute to the two leaders and, with the help of an interpreter, laughed at Obama’s jokes about hockey.

“We took a lot of pictures everywhere to remember the unforgettable event. After the speeches, we did hope for both leaders to walk by us, shake hands, and take selfies with them, but that didn’t happen. I’m fine with it because I’m more than satisfied to see them up close instead of watching on the TV.”

After the Trudeaus’ departure, Scott and his friends left for lunch and a chance to discuss what they had seen.

“It was definitely a once-in-a-life opportunity, and that will probably not happen again in my lifetime. The overall experience at the White House was fantastic and unforgettable because that was my first and (likely) last time to visit the White House before graduating this May.”

SOURCE - THEWHIG

Deaf Schools In Belleville Worried About Future

Dozens of local Deaf and students and their service providers are dreading a recent announcement Deaf Schools into closures in Ontario.

BELLEVILLE, ON -- Dozens of local Deaf and learning disabled students and their service providers are dreading a recent announcement of the need for efficiency at five specialized institutions across the province will translate into school closures.

Union representatives held a meeting in Belleville Friday to rally students, staff and parent support in their bid to stave off what they say will be imminent school closures unless action is taken to demonstrate a strong case for why local public schools aren’t properly equipped to provide the specialized services delivered by institution like Sir James Whitney and Sagonaska Demonstration Secondary School.

“Closure are going to happen if we don’t do something,” said Daryl O’Grady, local president for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). “We’re getting a campaign together to fight.”

He said the Education Ministry is linking planned reductions to declining Deaf student enrollment.

“They sat back and watched these programs get to where they are now so they can come and say we don’t have the numbers,” O’Grady said. “As a union we will be calling them out on that. This is a good turnout and it shows that people are concerned here,” he said, of the meeting held at the Travelodge Hotel on Friday.

Ann Carr, a former counsellor at the local schools, warned that inaction will be costly once the school year ends and changes are implemented in the fall.

“These children need people qualified to be with them,” Carr said. “When these children go into the regular system they’re just going to have someone who took a regular sign language course. If I were you guys I would go to the local public board and find out what they’re going to do for your kids before the cuts come.

“You are in danger,” Carr said. “These kids have a right.”

She urged students and staff to lobby the mayor and other levels of government to back their campaign to protect jobs and specialized student education here.

“If you don’t do it now, at the end of June you guys are going to have nothing,” said Carr. “At the end of June they’re going to say goodbye. This is for real, you have to start moving today.”

Sarah Colbeck is not only a social worker providing services at both aforementioned schools, but she’s also speaks from the unique perspective of being a mother with four children taught at the Dundas Street West site.

“Deaf children get full access to certain services for free,” Colbeck said of the current system, which if changed will force parents to either send students to schools farther away or foot the bill to find services and American Sign Language tutors.

“Once you close that school it’s going to be a disaster,” Colbeck said. “It’s going to have a big impact on the hearing schools (public schools) as well because they’re not prepared to cater to each student’s needs. Many professionals in these schools have no idea how to approach a Deaf child and their needs.”

The other option is send children to public schools with limited resources to tailor to each student’s individual needs.

“The community and parents have to work together and fight,” Colbeck said. “We have to spread more awareness that the schools actually benefit the children.” The prospect of job losses also hangs over her head.

In her current role, Colbeck is employed .5 at Sir James Whitney and .5 at Sagonaska, so “if Sagonaska closes I would lose .5 of my job this fall and how am I supposed to support my family,” she said through an interpreter. Source

Related Posts: #DeafCanadians - #DeafSchools

Deaf Canadian Schools In Lawsuit Alleging Abuse

Deaf News: Canadian schools for the Deaf facing lawsuit alleging abuse.

HALIFAX -- A Halifax law firm says it has filed a statement of claim in Nova Scotia Supreme Court alleging systemic sexual, physical, and mental abuse against Deaf children who attended two segregated residential schools in the province.

Lawyer Ray Wagner says Wednesday's move is an important step in a proposed class action lawsuit that still needs to be certified by a judge before proceeding to trial.

The schools named in the claim are the School for the Deaf in Halifax and the Interprovincial School for the Education of the Deaf in Amherst.

The Nova Scotia government has also been named as a defendant in allegations that have not been proven in court.

The claim alleges the province, which was responsible for the operation and oversight of the institutions, chose not to properly investigate or stop the abuse and mistreatment of the children, and that its actions constitute negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.

The law firm says that to date it has been contacted by over 150 former students of the two schools.

SOURCE - CBC News

Another class action was proposed in 2010 by Merchant Law group of Saskatchewan. Two other men were named as lead plaintiffs in that action. But there's no indication it has proceeded beyond the initial filing.

60 people signed up.

There have also been criminal allegations against staff at the schools over the years.

Wagner said a lot of people have already expressed interest in joining this proposed class action.

"We held a town hall meeting at the Halifax library where there were approximately 80 people had attended to listen to what we were saying and proposing with a class action," Wagner told CBC News.

"And already at this early stage we have 60 people that have signed up."

Wagner's firm also a multi-million dollar settlement in the Home for Coloured Children case.

"We're hearing the same stories, the same narrative," Wagner said. "It is a very common experience, both by people in the school for the Deaf and the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured children."

Wagner said people wanting to join the lawsuit over the schools for the Deaf will have to be patient. He said the suit must wait two months before the next step is taken, and he predicts any litigation is still many months away.

SOURCE - CBC News

Class action lawsuit alleges abuse at Ontario schools for the Deaf.

Four provincial schools for the Deaf named in $325-million lawsuit.

TORONTO -- A Toronto man alleges he was abused for years at Ontario schools for the Deaf and has launched a class action lawsuit on behalf of other former students against the provincial government.

The statement of claim, filed Monday in Ontario Superior Court of Justice, alleges sexual, physical and mental abuse at four provincially run schools for the Deaf over the course of decades.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Christopher Welsh, in his statment of claim, accuses the province of negligence in the establishment, funding, operation, management and supervision of schools in Ottawa, London, Belleville and Milton.

"Students have suffered sexual, physical and emotional abuse at the hands of teachers, residence counsellors, other students and employees of the schools," reads the statement of claim.

A spokesman for the province's Ministry of Education would not comment on the case as it is before the courts, but said the current government believes every child deserves high-quality education and a supportive learning environment.

"Over the years, we have been committed to ensuring students in our schools have access to the supports and resources they need to succeed," said Gary Wheeler. "This includes our most vulnerable students."

Welsh went to two of the schools named in the class-action suit -- Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf in Milton, Ont., where he lived from the time he was five years old in 1964, followed by Robarts School for the Deaf in London, Ont., according to the claim.

He said he was forced to wear hearing aids and was repeatedly struck across his ears, leaving him bloodied and in pain.

'Form of punishment'

Welsh's claim also alleges he was hit with rolled up magazines across his hands and beaten with a stick and belt by teachers as "a form of punishment" for using sign language instead of speech when conversing with other students.

He alleges teachers and counsellors often snuck up behind him, taking advantage of his hearing problems, and would grab him at the urinal and slam him into a wall or rip the chair out from under him as he was sat doing homework.

Later, when he attended the Robarts School for the Deaf, the abuse continued, according to the claim.

A counsellor at Robarts, wearing leather boots with pointed toes, repeatedly ambushed Welsh and kicked him in the buttocks, leaving him bruised and in pain when sitting. The counsellor did the same thing to other students, the claim alleges.

Teachers and staff often called him "Deaf and Dumb."

The statement of claim suggests Welsh was not alone.

"Hundreds, if not thousands" of students may have been affected, said Welsh's lawyer, Robert Gain, with the firm Koskie Minsky.

Teachers hit students in the mouth to teach them how to talk, the claim charges.

If students didn't use speech to communicate, teachers would "forcefully hold students' arms and restrain them" so they couldn't use sign language.

The statement of claim alleges counsellors took advantage of the students' hearing problems by sneaking up, often under their beds, to grab their feet and pull them down. Other students would have to lie face down on their beds as counsellors spanked them repeatedly, causing injuries in many cases, according to the claim.

Gain said he has spoken with other survivors who shared similar stories of alleged abuse. Two other schools, Belleville's Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf and Ottawa's Centre Jules-Leger in Ottawa have also been named in the lawsuit.

Gain said Welsh "wanted to bring this case forward and shine a light on the problem so that others would have access to justice and could have their stories heard and the province held responsible and accountable for the misconduct."

"The province certainly had a duty to have proper procedures and oversight and they failed to live up to their obligations to these vulnerable students," he said, adding he believes there may be more former students who want to share their stories.

Gain said the next step is to seek certification -- the court's permission -- to continue the case. The lawsuit is seeking $325 million in damages.

SOURCE - CBC News

This madness must be stopped immediately!

Related Posts: #DeafSchools - #DeafCanadians

Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Petition

Deaf News: Canadian protesters say Deaf students’ new superintendent who can hear must go - but not everyone agrees.

TORONTO -- A loud campaign advocating for a Deaf Superintendent circulated online and around the world, then didn’t get what it was fighting for.

The Provincial Schools Branch (PSB), which oversees the provinces four schools for the Deaf, announced last week it hired a hearing superintendent, Jeanne Leonard.

The announcement also said the branch hired Heather Gibson, who is Deaf, in a new position called “assistant to the superintendents.” Though that brings a Deaf person to an administrative level previously dominated by hearing people, some in the Deaf community say that’s not what they were asking for.

“It totally doesn’t make sense - there are qualified Deaf candidates,” Rose Etheridge, said through an interpreter at a protest Monday in front of the Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf in Milton. “They’re trying to pacify us,” added Etheridge, whose Oct. 22 video calling for a Deaf Superintendent has hit 20,000 views. (The hashtag #PSBsuperintendent2015 followed the video and generated hundreds of posts from across the continent.)

However, two of the community’s most outspoken advocates - Barbara Dodd and Zak Smith, who was arrested last year for staging a protest over concerns about learning conditions in Ontario’s Schools for the Deaf - say they are satisfied with the appointments as a first step toward more Deaf leadership...Read More.

Petitioning Deaf Superintendent Now:

We are protesting against PSB's decision to appoint a hearing person to superintendent position because we are a cultural and linguistic minority group who should be led by our own. We are also protesting for changes in their superintendent selection process, to ensure that it will be transparent, fair and inclusive. Sign up petition HERE.

You can find out more on www.psbprotest.ca, on facebook pages; PSBProtest, Deaf Ontario and Deaf Education Coalition, and follow both hashtags; #PSBsuperintendent2015 and #PSBProtest.

Follow #‎DeafSuperintendent2015
Twitter - https://twitter.com/hashtag/psbsuperintendent2015
Facebook - https://facebook.com/hashtag/psbsuperintendent2015
OAD Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OntarioDeaf

Related: Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Movement

Related Posts: #DeafCanadians

Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Movement

WATCH [CC] - Deaf News: #PSBSuperintendent2015 - Canadian Deaf President Now Movement - Superintendent Search: Elite Deaf Schools.

TORONTO -- This special discusses the movement for a Deaf Superintendent in Ontario, Canada - George Postlethwait, our Board President, made several comments on the latest community concerns related to the Provincial Schools Branch - Superintendent selection process - #PSBsuperintendent2015.

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George Postlethwait is the President of the Ontario Association of the Deaf. This issue is regarding the hiring of the new Superintendent of the Provincial Schools Branch, although at this point in time we are unsure of where they are in the interview process.

Postlethwait want to share with you that the Ontario Association of the Deaf is in full support of Rose Etheridge's advocacy efforts for the next incumbent of the Superintendent to be a Deaf individual. Rose is the mother of two Deaf children. We fully endorse the work she has done to engage the community thus far.

Led by Rose Etheridge, a Deaf mother of Deaf children. She's saying now is the time for a #‎Deaf president. She's saying there has been no #‎DeafSuperintendent in Canada for the entire country's history.

[Clarification: PSB = Provincial School Branch, not Board.]

One by one, Canadians are mobilizing to demand a Deaf president and end audism for once and for all. There is no alternative. And we have much to learn from their fight against oppression.

Rose Etheridge on twitter: "Thank YOU to Deaf teachers and Canadian communities for supporting #‎DeafSuperintendent" ... she tweeted.

@rcetheridge @OntarioEDU @CTVNews @CBC @TorontoStar @Kathleen_Wynne @JustinTrudeau @Ont_Ombudsman #Psbsuperintendent2015

— Rose Etheridge (@rcetheridge) October 28, 2015

Follow Rose Etheridge - https://twitter.com/rcetheridge

Follow @‎DeafSuperintendent2015:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/hashtag/psbsuperintendent2015
Facebook - https://facebook.com/hashtag/psbsuperintendent2015
OAD Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OntarioDeaf

Related: Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Petition

Related Posts: #DeafCanadians

Ontario Deaf Schools: Stands Up and Speaks Out

Stand ups and speaks out, students protest outfront Deaf school, staff cuts,that they say will impact their education.

TORONTO, Ontario -- Students from the E.C. Drury School for The Deaf are in their second day of protesting the layoffs of 56 full-time support and residential staff, including nine locally at their Ontario Street campus of Ontario’s Provincial Schools.

The Deaf Ontario Association, which represents the Deaf in Ontario, posted on its website - the cuts will hurt the province's most vulnerable students with disabilities and severely impact their families rights to accessible education.

The layoff of 56 full-time staff from Ontario’s Provincial Schools will hurt the province’s most vulnerable students with disabilities and severely impact the families’ rights to accessible education.

Deaf Canadians: Stand Up and Speak Up:

Ellen Support ECD Protest:

This is regarding ECD Deaf school protest in response to Ontario Government's recent decision to lay off staff at Deaf schools in Ontario.

Deaf Children Value Deaf School and Staff:

Vaylena Sauve 6 years old and Owen Sauve 9 years attend Sir James Whitney for the Deaf School. Value all Deaf school.

SOURCE

Related:
Ontario Deaf Schools Staff Layoffs

Related Canadian Deaf Schools:
Deaf Schools In Belleville Worried About Future
Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Movement
Deaf Canadian Schools In Lawsuit Alleging Abuse
Deaf Students Abused By Priests Win $30-Million

Related Posts: #DeafCanadians

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Ontario Deaf Schools: Stands Up and Speaks Out

Ontario Deaf Schools Staff Layoffs

The layoff of 56 full-time staff from Ontario’s Provincial Schools will hurt the province’s most vulnerable students with disabilities and severely impact the families’ rights to accessible education.

TORONTO, Ontario -- Vulnerable students in Provincial Schools to suffer from layoffs. The Ministry is moving this work to contingent part-time workers, and away from support workers who have over 20 years’ experience and who have made significant impacts in the lives of parents and students with disabilities, Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President.

The layoff of 56 full-time staff from Ontario’s Provincial Schools will hurt the province’s most vulnerable students with disabilities and severely impact the families’ rights to accessible education. Ontario government reduces full-time workers who teach students with disabilities.

Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) said that the these students, who are Blind, Deaf, Deaf-Blind and learning disabled deserve far better from the Ministry of Education.

“The Ministry is moving this work to contingent part-time workers, and away from support workers who have over 20 years’ experience and who have made significant impacts in the lives of parents and students with disabilities,” Thomas said. “The move to part-time work will cheapen important programs that accommodate students in Ontario.

Meanwhile, full-time social workers, residence counsellors, maintenance workers and support staff will be forced out the door.” ... Read The Full Story.

A Hearing Mother Speaks out in Support of Deaf Children in Ontario:

Hi! My name is Jeanette and I am a mother. I have a Deaf son-he is 10 years old and he attends the school for the Deaf. I am not Deaf as you can tell because I am speaking but I am choosing to send out this message-MY message in a video format to plea to other parents like myself that have chosen to send their child to a Provincial School. I think it is time that we as a collective start a dialogue and have a discussion about important changes that will be coming down and have an impact on our children.

First of all, I just want to commend you on sending your child to a Deaf school because I am sure it wasn't an easy decision for you. I know first hand how difficult it must be to be hearing and send a child to a Deaf school and have them learn a different language probably different than the one you are speaking at home.

So, you are very brave and as I, I said I know how it feels because I do have a Deaf child attending the school for the Deaf and actually living... Read More.

Find more at http://deafontario.ca

Related:
Ontario Deaf Schools Staff Layoffs

Related Canadian Deaf Schools:
Deaf Schools In Belleville Worried About Future
Canadian 'Deaf Superintendent Now' Movement
Deaf Canadian Schools In Lawsuit Alleging Abuse
Deaf Students Abused By Priests Win $30-Million

Related Posts: #DeafCanadians