How do people who are deaf learn sign language? Is it typically taught by parents at a young age or are there programs available for learning it later in life?

(The old retired principal turned beet red, blushing! He remembers that too!)

The Principal then ended with this:

DEAN: NO NO, LEAVE THAT IN YOUR MOUTH!

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My principal (who was also my Sunday School Teacher - *eek*) had a lot of objections with me having to “leave the school to go to a special retarded school” just for the purpose of learning to “sign”. He couldn’t comprehend why it was required! (GOOD POINT!) Because I was fluent (verbally and literature) in Old English, English, American English, Canadian English, Spanish, and German. Was semi-fluent in Hebrew, Hawaiian, French (I intentionally flunked French, because I didn’t like the accent… not going to parlay my vous!), and could translate and get by with Russian, Japanese, and other languages. However, I was extremely fluent in “Southernese” HAHAHA!

They all depart. I then asked the Principal if I could go home, because I wasn’t feeling well, I felt feverish. He then had me to follow him, and I went to the Nurse’s Office, indeed, I was running a fever (101.9), which the Nurse went to the Principal and told him to phone my mom, I was sick. He ordered me to come into the office.

DEAN: To say I thought I knew you woman! I guess I have a lot to learn!

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DIRECTOR: She doesn’t mean it

OF ALL THE STUDENTS I’VE HAD, THERE’S ONE RIGHT HERE. I MEAN, SHE’S SOMETHING! SHE FOUGHT, SHE CHANGED THE WAY EDUCATION SHOULD BE LAID OUT FOR THE DISABLED, HANDICAP! I MEAN, SHE FOUGHT HARD! (calls for my name and summons me over)

PRINCIPAL: (gets up) Hello Mrs. xxxx, She didn’t do anything except chew the School Board members off before the meeting actually even started!

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That was when I heard him say this “The woman who talk you how to speak, is deaf.” O M G! (::: lots of laughter ::: they remembered, and they knew I was deaf/hearing impaired) I am dead serious, I stood there with my jaw wide opened and what did HE have to say?

PRINCIPAL: You heard her didn’t you?

DEAN: She was fine a few minutes ago!

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(I mouth synced in align with what he said at the same time)

Thank you Sir! SOMETHING, as you requested Sir!

PRINCIPAL: You rest and take care okay? I’ll talk to you Sunday.

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Principal walked behind them and smiled and gave me the Thumbs Up, he was grinning ear to ear. The Dean of Boys - said “Read my lips, I want you in my office after this meeting!” and departed.

Eventually - a couple more board meetings (at the School Board, we had no involvement). They came to an agreement. If I would “agree” to go to the Retarded school JUST for ONE Semester, to become fluent in ASL and when I am tested by the Expert (Professor) and if I pass (minimum was 92%). I could return back the following semester and remain with the Junior High.

PRINCIPAL: She’s now 102.0

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The first few years (1976–1977) I was STILL enrolled to that State School (for Deaf & Blind). Because of that, They got all of my school records got screwed up (which of course, naturally, I took advantage of this! HA!) I was supposed to graduate in 1978 xxxx 1979 xxxx 1980 xxxx and above all, I elected to stay and graduate in 1981! All because the School Board System was paying for my Vocational Tech Education, The Junior College Education, all while I was in Senior High.

PRINCIPAL: Yes I heard her, loud and clear. I was right there.

PROGRAM BOARD MEMBER: So she actually read the law (reading the law book that I had laid down on the table) and I have to admit. She stands correct. Quite firm at it, nonetheless, is absolutely correct.

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NURSE: Sirs? Her mother is here to pick her up.

I fought long and hard, then in 1976. Attended to the brand new Senior High, the first of its kind in the World - A “Shopping Mall” Styled High School! In fact, School Systems from all around the world stopped to visit this “new technology and new type of “futuristic” School”. The first group that came to visit were Japanese. We’ve had Frenchies, Germans, Brazilians, Koreans, Australians, you name it, they flew and visited the “first of its kind”.

PRINCIPAL: (interrupting her) She didn’t do anything wrong

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FORMER STUDENT THAT I TUTORED:

(::: he didn’t finish, he just walked back to the bench with his wife and sat down, you could tell he was getting pretty emotional :::)

As you know this fine man here, our beloved Principal. He actually called for her to come up, and he introduced me to her. He then told her what my problem was. I will be upfront and confess, I was upset! I mean, what kind of a guy that will go to some girl and tell her all my short comings? Nope! He knew what he was doing. The first thing she said to him, a Principal, was “let me check my schedule and I can work with him”.

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DEAN: She was brassy and sassy! She’ll make a great leader some day! She doesn’t put up with crap!

My parents never learned sign language. Everything was verbatim, no exceptions. I did have to go through Speech and I learned at a very young age to lip read. When I became a Junior High (Middle School today) student; the new “law” required me to learn sign language.

MOM: Hello? (a bit puzzled as why I’m in the Principal’s Office and not in the Bed in the Sick Bay - spies me and then immediately blurts out) WHAT DID SHE DO NOW?

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Then it was time for me to enter Senior High. However, the School Board system were going to turn me over to the State’s School. I was livid and furious, and my response was “NEGATIVE! I WILL NOT GO TO A STATE SCHOOL, I AM ATTENDING TO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HERE IS GOING!”

ME: removes thermometer and standing up

YES?

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Every time in the past years, recent time, I hear someone putting disabled people down as if they are incompetent or amount to anything of any worth! It pisses me off! When I tell people that a deaf girl taught me how to speak, they all look at me funny! This part I do not understand. The very people that we see or deemed worthless are the most valuable on this planet!

MOM: SHE WHAT?

It’s true, I could at any time, walk to the Principal’s Office and tell him “Fork my diploma over.” And he would have to. My credits exceeded the requirement!

MOM: Now you listen to me young lady, we’re ….

Both the Principal, his secretary and the Dean of Boys heard me, they knew I was rock solid. In fact, the Dean of Boys was going to “suspend” me because of my outburst and “disrespecting” authorities. The Principal told him “NO! She’s got a point. I am going to phone them up and have a conference here!”

UNTIL THAT DAY (eyes the Principal) comes up to me to applaud at the rapid success rate.

THIS IS MY POINT, SHE MADE IT POSSIBLE! SHE REFUSED TO HAVE ANY INTERPRETERS! SHE REFUSED TO EVEN BE ASSOCIATED WITH HER OWN KIND, WHICH WERE THE DEAF AND HEARING IMPAIRED. SHE PRESSED FORWARD, AND AS YOU KNOW, SHE SUPERSEDED THE REGULAR AVERAGE HEARING PERSON!

LISTEN TO ME GOOD, AND LISTEN TO ME THE FIRST TIME AROUND BECAUSE I AM NOT GOING TO REPEAT IT. I AM STAYING PUT IN THIS SCHOOL. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL YOU REMOVE ME TO FORCE ME TO LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE TO APPEASE AND LAUD THE OTHERS! THE LAW WAS SPECIFIC THAT IT SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE. IT DID NOT STATE IT WAS REQUIRED. HOW, DO I KNOW, I READ THE LAW MYSELF…. (opened the book and flipped over and read the Law word for word) AS I JUST STATED, THE LAW MADE IT EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAR THAT SIGN LANGUAGE SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE, IT DOES NOT STATE THAT …I… AM…. REQUIRED TO BE FORCED TO LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE. I DO NOT WANT TO LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE. IS THAT CLEAR? IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? IF YOU REMOVE ME FROM THIS SCHOOL, PLEASE LET THIS FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT BE A FAIR WARNING THAT ‘I, (full name), WILL REMAIN AT THIS SCHOOL (full name of school) AND IF YOU REMOVE ME, I SHALL QUIT EDUCATION FOREVER! I WILL WALK OUT!’ IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? I AM STAYING PUT! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS?

He said ‘CLOSE YOUR MOUTH BEFORE YOU CATCH A FLY!’

PRINCIPAL: She’s sick.

I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW AND BE AWARE, SHE’S 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHANGE IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. WE CAN NO LONGER FORCE A DISABLED STUDENT TO COMPLY IN REGARDS TO THEIR DISABILITY. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH HER → HOW MANY REMEMBERS HOW SHE WAS IN YOUR CLASS, NO INTERPRETER, NO HELP? YA KNOW, ALL THOSE TUTORS AND A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF?

PRINCIPAL: *ahems* Think again!

ME: No, I came to school feeling sick, I’ve gotten sicker.

DEAN: Sharon?

He told me, no matter what he objected to as well as the Dean of Boys (yes, my Dean was not a Girls Dean, it was the Boys Dean for obvious reasons and I won’t go there). I DEMANDED an APPEAL, and for the School Board to COME HERE, to this school and meet me in person, otherwise, I AM STAYING PUT HERE! I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE! IF THEY THREATEN → GUESS WHAT? I QUIT!

ME: (looks up weakly) YES?

Finally the silence was broken and the Director then turned and asked for my Principal, which he came and stood beside me and said “YES?”

So the argument went on, the School Board wanted me to go to a “Special Retarded School”. My grades and all were well ahead of my peers. I was 3–4 grades ahead of everyone. In addition to a high-end “tough class”, which were nearly “identical to College Education”.

Since 4th period was my free time, twice a week, she would call me into this small tiny room. She skipped her own class to see to it that I can talk, just like everyone else! She motivated me, there were times I would be so frustrated and wanted to quit, and yet, she knew when to back off and when to push me over the cliff and watch me drown!

I learned ASL, was fluent, however it was NOT “deaf” signing, it was word for word (just like you read the sentence). There’s no way for me to sign or “deaf speak”. They speak in “Syntax”. Many people would be surprised to learn that signing is a Japanese & English Syntax!

ME: Puts thermometer back in mouth

NURSE: Keep an eye on her, and if the temp stays, call Dr. xxxx

Lots of my classmates often teased me “Never been in 8th grade or 9th grade” - They’re correct, I was stuck in 7th grade - TWICE and 10th grade (Sophomore) TWICE.

MANY OF YOU DO NOT REALIZE, EVEN THOUGH SHE CAN SPEAK IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, I’M A GAMBLING MAN, I COULD PUT ALL MY BETS ON THE TABLE THAT SHE CANNOT SIGN FLUENTLY TODAY!

PRINCIPAL: Points finger at me and makes a “gun shot” - BINGO!

Here’s the weirdness, I learned Braille from a blind man that lived nearby, I learned sign language from an elderly woman who was a (Southern Baptist) Church Interpreter, she took classes because their customers who came to their business were hearing impaired or deaf. There was a Pastor (Lutheran) who also held a Deaf Church. I learned sign language through them too.

PRINCIPAL: You know who she is.

He speaks the truth, while in the early years, when ASL Interpreters were beginning to surface, when education (College or Vocational or Private or two or all availability) became a requirement to be certified. I used to be “On-Call” Interpreter, day or night. Having to handle crisis, having to interpret for a deaf person in court, or in hospital, or whatever it might be. From the 80’s until about 1991.

ME: It is when they’re crossing the line!

ME: ::: glaring at him :::

NURSE: Returns to take my temperature again.

(The Principal just shook his head and the people were belly up in laughter, after the laughter subsided)

I IMMEDIATELY STOOD UP, LEANED OVER TO THE BOARD PERSONNEL AND BLURTED OUT THIS → FLAT SMACK IN THEIR FACES:

DEAN: Yeah, she told them off!

I think it was, I think 4 months, I think, Sir? (Principal - acknowledges) And I was “talking the talk!” (::: classmates and teachers and volunteers who knew him well - were in agreement, they remembered :::)

I have NOT signed (ASL) since then. I am so rusty, that I don’t even know what I just signed sometimes! HA! I would be very slow (unlike my earlier years) as I would have to “remember” what the sign was for that word!

(going back to his original language he spoke) ANG-lash e tarribull! Hablar no Innstand! (::: everyone laughed, yes, they remembered it very well! ::: after the laughter subsided:::)

NURSE: Yes Sir?

DIRECTOR: Is she for real?

DEAN: Who the hell are you?

FOLKS, YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO AGREE WITH ME, THERE’S PEOPLE WHO HATES HER, AND PEOPLE WHO LOVES HER, BUT ONE THING FOR SURE IS → YOU CANNOT FORGET HER NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY!

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS: Just sat there, none of them had any knowledge of what to say or to discuss.

::: everyone stands up to applaud :::

DIRECTOR: Meeting Dismissed. You, Sir? I will be in touch with you or the Dean (of boys) at another time.

As y’all know, I was a foreign exchange student, which I did graduate with the class in 1980. After returning back to my country, I was flat out miserable! There just weren’t any good education there. My mom had died, but my dad was out there working all the time, a lumber jack. I decided to return back to the United States, in which I am an American citizen now… (voice trailing - long pause) I went to UF, and graduated, then went to FSU to extend my studies in biochemistry.

PRINCIPAL: I will talk to you later, she really needs to go home (yanks thermometer out of my mouth)… NURSE? NURSE?

DEAN to PRINCIPAL: What’s up with her?

DEAN: Stand up!

SIR? I wish to say something?

DEAN: HER? WHERE WERE YOU? SOMEWHERE IN OUTER SPACE? DIDN’T YOU HEAR HER?

It was back and forth, forth and back - bickering here, until they finally gave up!

For me, it’s easier and faster to talk than it is to sign.

Well, before the meeting began. The Principal introduced me to them, and as soon as he said “Now, we’ve all been formally introduced… The meeting will begin….”

Even today, I just cannot get over to the fact, a DEAF GIRL taught ME how to speak!

Y’ALL KNOW WHO SHE IS. ONE THING I LEARNED FROM HER IS, WHEN YOU HAVE A PERSON LIKE SHE IS (chuckling) IF YOU STAND IN HER WAY, YOU’RE GOING TO BE MOWED DOWN! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP HER!

(I laughed, nodding my head, yes, he’s 100% correct!)

3 days later, the School Board, came in. The Library was closed, and the Principal told me to stay in the Library and not go to my classes, the teachers were aware of where I was. So I was in the library, as usual, sitting on the floor and reading an old Historical Book (not allowed to be checked out, must be read in the library, this book belonged to the Librarian → we are required to wear gloves and use the book stand), that was in “Old English”.

(This guy was known to be a clown… he walks up and stands beside the retired Principal, a decorated Veteran.)

Then I reached for his hand and put the Buck in his hand and folded it and said “You win!”

:::: hands were raised ::::

H.O.W.E.V.E.R - I was NOT fluent. The law did not “specify” that a “hearing impaired or deaf” had to be FLUENT in ASL (American Sign Language). I was fluent in the old Helen Keller Sign, and the early version of Sign Language (which later I became the ONLY sole person in the State to be fluent in that “ancient” mode of signing - which at that time I was a minister, so I was sent out to various places in Florida to Interpret for the elderly deaf and blind or deaf person that only spoke in that “ancient” mode). The ancient mode required TWO hands for everything, for letters, to numbers, to objects.

ALL THE WHILE YET, HOW MANY OF YOU IN HERE, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU WERE TUTORED BY HER! ( ::: a couple of hands were raised ::: ) DID YOU KNOW SHE SKIPPED HER OWN CLASSES SO THAT YOU WOULD EXCEL IN YOUR WEAKNESS? (One of them stood up - holding his hand)

Before that Principal passed away, at a Band and Class Reunion (joint) the Principal told everyone in regards to me:

The School board showed up, not all of them but 3 of the 5 did, it was so noted in the minutes that the request of xxxx and xxx to rely on the report of the 3 - named xxxx, xxxx, xxxx shall be the final decision.

He then silenced everyone:

Well, the Dean of Boys was looking for us, well, me specifically. (He’s very mean, extremely strict, doesn’t put up with any crap whatsoever. A lot of it has to do with his Military Background, a Ranking Officer.)

MOM: What meeting?

He even told me that he was overly impressed (Principal really shook his head, I remember that, because I was standing right there).

(::: I pulled my wallet out, and had $1.00 bill in there → pulled the buck out :::)

MOM: Yes.

NURSE: You’re her mother right?

Because of the “new law” which “required” (but it was not mandatory) → it was later ratified ALL after when I protested and flat-out refused to go to the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and Blind, and was within my rights to remain at a “Hearing School”.

COME ON UP HERE AND SAY SOMETHING.

DEAN: DAMMIT! I demand to know where she got that brassy attitude! That’s no way to speak to the School System Personnel