Canada: NAD Supports Deaf Children's Right To Sign Language

[Harold F. Schiffman]

National Association Of The Deaf Supports Deaf Children's Right To Sign
Language

16 May 2007

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) was represented at a rally held
at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC on May 11, 2007, in support of
the language rights of deaf and hard of hearing children in Canada.
Remarks by NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins, read by NAD Chief Executive
Officer Nancy J. Bloch at the rally. The National Association of the Deaf
(NAD) joins with the Ontario Association of the Deaf, the Canadian
Association of the Deaf, and the deaf and hearing community in Canada, the
United States, and around the world to support the language rights of deaf
and hard of hearing children in Canada.

Language is a fundamental human right. The Canadian government, through
its establishment of anti-sign language policies, is denying the right of
deaf and hard of hearing children to language. American Sign Language
(ASL) and Langue des Sourds du Quebec (LSQ) are recognized as languages of
instruction in Canada. Regulations for their use, however, have never been
developed. This means inadequate government support for families who
choose sign language for their children. Particularly egregious is the
policy that parents may choose to obtain a cochlear implant for their
child, or they may choose sign language, without the option of choosing
both. Such a prohibition against choosing both is contrary to evidence
based best practices, the right of parents to make choices for their
children, and plain common sense.

The oppression of deaf and hard of hearing people and the oppression of
our languages must end. We call on the Canadian government to end its
discriminatory practices. We call on the Canadian government to
collaborate with families of deaf and hard of hearing children and with
advocacy leaders within deaf and hard of hearing community. We call on the
Canadian government to develop policies and practices that promote age
appropriate language development and educational access for children who
are deaf or hard of hearing, including appropriate support for their
families. Language is a fundamental human right. There is no time to lose.

Those who are interested in reviewing the NAD position on ASL and
bilingual education, please visit www.nad.org/aslpositionstatement. Please
note that this position statement was released in 1993. The NAD Board of
Directors is currently working on a new ASL position statement for release
later this year.

www.nad.org
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=71024

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