National Deaf Group Objects to Arrests at Deaf University

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


Since the close of the school year last spring, students have been occupying a tent city on the campus of Gallaudet University, the nation’s only university for the deaf, located in northeastern Washington, D.C. The protests, which have escalated since students began occupying a classroom building on October 6, began when provost Jane K. Fernandes was chosen to become the university’s next president. She is to replace I. King Jordan, who in 1988 became the first deaf president to lead Gallaudet, in January.

During King’s tenure, deafness has made tremendous strides toward being considered a culture, with sign language as its root, rather than a disability. Deaf culture and sign language have flourished to such a degree that a new medical procedure to restore partial hearing has met with strong resistance from some. King is credited with much of that progress. Fernandes is deaf, but learned ASL as a second language at age 23, and protestors don’t think the former provost is the right person to represent deaf culture to the world. They have also claimed that she is cold and aloof and that qualified African-American candidates for the presidency were overlooked. The faculty gave Fernandes a vote of no confidence in May.

Last week, a group of 200 students, faculty and staff took control of a classroom building. The football team then blocked the campus entrance, causing the university to shut down. On Friday, dozens of protestors were arrested after Jordan, who is still acting president, gave the go-ahead. The Washington Post, which has been covering the story, reports today that the president of the National Association of the Deaf arrived on campus yesterday and criticized the arrests. The campus has reopened, but Fernandes is still refusing to resign.

For more coverage of campus activism, see Mother Jones‘s 13th annual roundup of campus activism in the current issue, or online.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate