[sw-l] Very serious problem in Condega School in Nicaragua

[John Gray]

I have read the James Shepard- Kegl’s messages regarding the Deaf School of Condega. His comments ranged from mistaken to libelous.  That is his position, but it is necessary to see the other face of the coin. It would be important that somebody without prejudices thoroughly made an investigation about what it has passed in the program for deaf students of Condega from 1989 until the present time.



I had very good years in Nicaragua, in Los Pipitos and other organisations. I still appreciate the people over there and I am convinced about the importance of their work. I learnt a lot from my friends in Condega and I am grateful to them for their friendship and company.



When I visited the Integrated School “Hno. Roberto Clark” two years ago, I observed aspects that were positive. Deaf students were progressing well in acquisition of Nicaraguan Sign Language and Spanish.  Some, of course, were doing better than others, depending upon their age, time in the program and individual cognitive function.  Without a doubt, the most positive aspect of the program was the involvement of Deaf people as teachers in the classroom.



I see two Deaf young adults, Claudia Avila and Tomasa Gonzalez, they were serving as authority figures and role models for the Deaf children in the Shelter House and in the Integrated School “Hno. Roberto Clark”



I do not know why James Shepard-Kegl says that they were dismissed as school teachers and relegated to custodial duties at the Shelter House. They are assistants of the hearing teachers in the Integrated School “Hno. Roberto Clark” and I have photos about this.


During my visit to Los Pipitos I also could observe that everybody without any exception felt supported by Nestor. Everybody with no exception felt grateful by Nestor, and respected by him.


I had a friendly conversation with Nestor, we also started to email each other, but in fact I was very happy by the very positive way he was talking about his colleagues in Condega. He express a great respect for them and James Shepard-Kegl’s work. And it was clear to me that he is a good professional with 22 years of experience in the field of deaf education in several countries. He is a Speech Therapist and Teacher of Deaf Students, but not an Audiologist.


James Shepard-Kegl make reference to the Deaf School of Condega, however, the school is not a Deaf School, but a Integrated School with 2 classrooms to assist to boys and girls with deafness in two levels.



>From 1989 up to 2003, there was an immersion program in language of signs of 10 weeks for semester, operated by Los Pipitos. But since 2004, the program of students with deafness is assumed totally by the Integrated School “Hno. Roberto Clark” of the Ministry of Education of Nicaragua and the students go to classes the rounded year.



It is clear that the School for years was assumed by the MECD and since last year (that is to say this it is the second school year), MECD is pedagogically in charge of the whole educational politics of the School, including the related with the two classrooms for boys and girls with hearing problems.



When I visited Condega, this year, the Director of Integrated School “Hno. Roberto Clark” explain me that also the politics of human resources and of internal implementations of the integrated school are impelled by the Director or under her recommendation and consultation with the authorities of the local MECD (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports). In this sense, she explained me that Tomasa and Claudia, in the process of changes, when being created the Deaf Classrooms were not accepted as teachers with deafness for not filling the requirements of the MECD, because they do not have a teacher title, that which is institutional requirement.



When wondering that if the system that is used is oral or of signs, she outlined that the signs are promoted and Spanish written.



I believe that James has a personal enmity with Nestor. I do not believe that they have technical divergences of bottom. I believe that James simply hates Nestor and he wants to make him the impossible life. I believe that James has jealousies of Nestor for the advances that deaf students have had in Condega in Spanish and Language of Signs Skills that were not had in another time.



		
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