Deaf community and Mental Health/illness

[Maria]

Smart comments.

 

[Dennis S.]

Oh, really? So, what makes you so "special" sunshine? If people can't read, it's because their school hasn't taught them. Did you know, hotshot, that your local newspaper is written at the seventh grade reading level? Yet, you INSIST others read at the 12th grade level? I see a problem here and it sure isn't with those who have trouble reading.

Yes, my company requires those doing a specific job to have the ability to speak and read at the 12th grade level. It's stated as a requirement in our state and federal government contracts. I didn't write those contracts, I manage them. To not meet this requirement would mean that we're not going to get paid for the services we provide.

It's entirely off the point of this thread. Mental retardation and automatic promotion of students through school has nothing to do with mental illness. I admitted that mistake earlier in this thread. If you want to continue this, let's take it to PM.

 

[Dennis S.]

Rachel wants us to be nice, so I'm gritting my teeth and will address your issue, Dennis, without bashing the daylights out of you.

Hmm. Sounds like mental issues are something that hits close to home for you. Wanting to bash the living daylights out of me because of what I felt about 1 girl graduating from high school sure sounds like issues to me. You do understand that my feelings pertain to that one girl, and not every possible mental retardation case out there, correct?

First, you "fet insulted." You didn't explain why; neither did you show any concrete evidence that this deaf girl was mentally retarded. How do you know she was "mentally retarded?" Did you talk to her doctor? Did you see her health chart at the school? Did you see her test scores? Did you talk to her teachers and/or volunteer to help in the special education department?

Did you entirely overlook "I felt rather insulted that I graduated high school with a deaf girl who was mentally retarded, when I took all the hard mainstream courses while she never left the special education classroom and was still working on multiplication tables in 12th grade. There weren't any "exit exams" at that time, but in my opinion, she didn't meet any testing requirements to graduate from high school except that she was 18 and had been socially promoted through the school.

Again, this was a girl who had difficulty grasping multiplication tables, writing critical thinking papers for English courses, learning menial tasks such as doing homework or getting the correct books for a class outside of the Sp Ed class. Yet, she has a high school diploma."

Maybe you did. So, fine. The concrete evidence I have is that a) she never took any courses outside of the Special Education classroom except for Physical Education and Art, b) since I had to visit the Special Education classroom once a week, I had ample time to observe her scholastic prowess, c) She had been in my same grade level since I was in kindergarden, so we had literally been "peers" for 12 years, and d) I was intimately familiar with her teacher and aides as I they were also my assigned Special Ed teachers for my high school. Any deaf related issues come up, they were responsible. Of course, you couldn't have possibly have known any of this info before I told you. I've got no problem letting you know the whole story.

Your last two sentences, starting with the word, "In" and ending with, "ridiculed," doesn't match what you addressed. You said it was no laughing matter, yet you made fun of her, laughed at her and made her (and quite possibly her family) to feel bad. Now you come to alldeaf.com and post this, hoping that people here will have sympathy FOR YOU. Let me re-emphasize what you had said about this young lady that she did nothing to deserve being ridiculed. So, why did you do it?

I've matured enough today that I wouldn't make fun of her anymore in the way I did in high school or immediately post-high school.

As for "educating" people? Surely you're jesting? My rate is $100/hour with a two hour minimum, cash and no checks or credit cards, prepayment required, then I will "educate" them, not a moment earlier. These people can go to google.com or yahoo.com and search the search engines to their hearts desire regarding service animals or whatever they'd like to learn. It's not my job or another deaf person's job to "educate" people. Time is too short for that.

I don't see anything posted by me that is related to "educating" people.

 

[pek1]

Education is the key. EDUCATE OTHERS.

Dennis,

This is the comment I was referring to . . . educate others. Sorry, if I'm out and about, I don't have the time of day to stop and "educate" someone about me, my hearing dog or deafness in general. Even Annie doesn't have time for that nonsense.

 

[pek1]

Hmm. Sounds like mental issues are something that hits close to home for you. Wanting to bash the living daylights out of me because of what I felt about 1 girl graduating from high school sure sounds like issues to me. You do understand that my feelings pertain to that one girl, and not every possible mental retardation case out there, correct?

No, not at all. It just sounded like you were an immature punk in high school.

Did you entirely overlook "I felt rather insulted that I graduated high school with a deaf girl who was mentally retarded, when I took all the hard mainstream courses while she never left the special education classroom and was still working on multiplication tables in 12th grade. There weren't any "exit exams" at that time, but in my opinion, she didn't meet any testing requirements to graduate from high school except that she was 18 and had been socially promoted through the school. Maybe you did. So, fine.

I didn't overlook it; I don't recall exit exams, either. I hope she is doing well in life, though.

I've matured enough today that I wouldn't make fun of her anymore in the way I did in high school or immediately post-high school.

Well, I certainly hope so. With the ADA in place now, I'm willing to bet that if this had occurred in this day and age, you'd be called on several times on those violations, as this student had just as much a right to an education as you.

I don't see anything posted by me that is related to "educating" people.

Not by you and I have addressed it.

 

[Dennis S.]

No, not at all. It just sounded like you were an immature punk in high school.

By all rights, I bet everyone is in many ways immature during high school. I accept that of myself.

I didn't overlook it; I don't recall exit exams, either. I hope she is doing well in life, though.

Sure, I hope she's doing well too. I just don't think that if in the late 1990's, if there were any high school exit exams, she wouldn't have passed them. They're required in my state now, for sure.

Well, I certainly hope so. With the ADA in place now, I'm willing to bet that if this had occurred in this day and age, you'd be called on several times on those violations, as this student had just as much a right to an education as you.

ADA was in effect at the time. ADA doesn't do anything about teenage peer ridicule.

Let me put it this way. I don't think a high school diploma should be a reward for "putting up with 12 years of school." Some people view college diplomas as "being able to commit and put up with 4 years of college B.S." I don't view it that way. I view it as you've genuinely learned a minimum amount during those years, and the school decides what that minimum amount is.

Unfortunately, my ideal does fall short. I guarantee that many students who DIDN'T have mental issues wouldn't be able to read and write at the 12th grade level, even if they passed all the classes or passed the exit exam.

 

[pek1]

Most people can't read at the 12th grade level, Dennis. But, they're required to when they get to college or the military. If they can't read a simple sentence by that time, they're doomed.

 

[suicidegirl]

I have noticed that many years, some people I know have MI or MH, and they have been made fun by deaf people, and feel unwelcomed in the deaf community, and they tend to hide... any ideas why, and how can we improve to be more welcoming them to be involved?

I believe that education is the key. we need to be educated more about mental illness, because as a society, we are ignorant about mental illness.

 

[suicidegirl]

I really think mental Illness is a made up thing to sell drugs. I mean I know someone who had schizophrenia who's parents wanted to lock her up but her twin sister took care of her and now she's a homeopathic doctor!

as a mentally ill person, I beg to differ.

I have bipolar disoder, which means that my moods aren't regulated normally so I experience periods of extreme highs and lows. it's not about changing moods at the drop of the hat, btw.

and yes, I am on medication for my mental illness. before I was medicated, I had to deal with horrible periods of irritablity and depression. and now, ever since I started mood stabliziers, my moods are a lot more stable. and my life's better.

alternative remedies aren't always effective. I took 5-http and omega 3 oil for my mental illness and I realy didn't notice an improvement. it may work for some people, but it doesn't work for everyone.

but I have to agree with you- we do have a problem with being overmedicated. doctors do receive endorsements from pharmaceutical companies and they're quick to prescribe anti-depressants to people who may just be going through a funk. I believe that mental illness is a very serious thing that often needs medical treatment.

racheleggert- I thought a bit more about your question and... there is a stigmata attached to mental illness. mentally ill people are scared to reveal their illness, because of judgement. I try to remove the sitigmata of mental illness by sharing the fact that I'm bipolar. and I'm one of the most normal people out there, so people are often surprised to hear that I'm mentally ill.

 

[pek1]

I believe that education is the key. we need to be educated more about mental illness, because as a society, we are ignorant about mental illness.

There is more "education" on hearing animals than mental illness. Yet, people know about depression and the like. As I said to Dennis, if someone wants me to "educate" them on service animals and the ADA, it's gonna cost them and I don't do anything for free.