So I just got back from my court meeting and, needless to say I am pissed the fuck off. I was just told my a judge, even though the law is on my side that I am not going to get an interpreter to take some classes for my probation. He said that I've shown him that I can read lips well enough because of our dialogue in court.
I explained to him very clearly that I am not really hearing that much of what he's saying, but I do my best to read lips. He said that we had been doing just fine so that he'll provide "reasonable accommodations." So I got a reserved seat right up front and the teacher gets a heads-up to make sure she's facing me.
Frankly I'm pissed off and I don't know where to go from here. I can't really afford an attorney, and I need this taken care of ASAP because I have to pass tests for this class and I have to go every Thursday for the next 6 months and pay $40 bucks each week I go.
I think it's insulting that the judge is going to make assumptions about what I can and cannot do and refuse an interpreter when I have to pay $40 bucks to attend a court ordered class which they want me to learn something. How the fuck am I gonna learn anything if I can't hear anything?
I explained to him very clearly that I am not really hearing that much of what he's saying, but I do my best to read lips. He said that we had been doing just fine so that he'll provide "reasonable accommodations." So I got a reserved seat right up front and the teacher gets a heads-up to make sure she's facing me.
Frankly I'm pissed off and I don't know where to go from here. I can't really afford an attorney, and I need this taken care of ASAP because I have to pass tests for this class and I have to go every Thursday for the next 6 months and pay $40 bucks each week I go.
I think it's insulting that the judge is going to make assumptions about what I can and cannot do and refuse an interpreter when I have to pay $40 bucks to attend a court ordered class which they want me to learn something. How the fuck am I gonna learn anything if I can't hear anything?