Bobby!
I'm glad you came and stay in Alldeaf.com. I know you will go far in information with the deafness here in AD.
Don't worry about what your ASL teacher tell you about who you are. You just tell them who you are... deaf or hard of hearing or any good reputation you want yourself to be.
I am profound deaf and I had CI. I born hearing but meningitis attacked me at 6 months old. LOL I grew up oral and learned SEE first in high school then ASL in third year of HS. CI did not help me anymore. So now I am without any aids, because being deaf is who I am. I call myself deaf, and I don't sign ASL fluently, IMO!
Again,
and keep on posting!