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The Raw Story | Deaf students mount blockades, hunger strikes By Anne K Walters
Deaf students at one of the world's only universities for the deaf Wednesday were nearing the end of a second week of blockades and hunger strikes aimed at forcing a new president to step down. The ballooning dispute focusses on whether a deaf woman who only learned sign language as an adult and can speak with her voice - the newly named president of Gallaudet University, Jane Fernandes - adequately represents their community.
Amidst colourful tents pitched on the school's lawn in leafy northeast Washington DC, a hunger striker who has gone without food for four days explained her motivation.
"We're willing to sacrifice our health, and we're willing to do this for Gallaudet," said Christine Roschaert, a recent graduate of the school who has joined the protest, through an interpreter.
In fact, the protest has touched Gallaudet graduates from around the country who had planned to attend the annual alumni reunion this weekend - but were told at the last minute by the administration to stay away.
Despite the cancellation, alumni announced Wednesday they were determined to show up anyway, in support of the protestors.
"Doctor Fernandes and (outgoing president) Doctor Jordan seem to think they own this university, they don't," said Andy Lange, the alumni association's president, adding that alumni all over the world "own this university."
Four of Gallaudet's five gates have been shut down by angry, signing protestors, prompting police to arrest 133 of the silent, striking students late last week.
The demonstrators - who also communicate using electronics - forced the university to close down for several days last week, and their actions interrupted services at the university's schools for younger deaf students.
The police released the students, and they were back at the blockades this week, amidst signs hanging from the university's gates lampooning Fernandes.
Classes resumed Monday at the 1,800-student university.
Some students have been living in the tents, and strikers have vowed to stay their course until Fernandes steps aside.
Fernandes was named in May to succeed the university's current President I King Jordan - himself a benefactor of student protests in the late 1980s demanding a deaf president lead their community.
Fernandes is deaf, but grew up reading lips and speaking, only learning sign language in her 20s.
When protests against her nomination began last spring, some protestors worried openly that she was not deaf enough and could not serve as an adequate representative of the deaf community. They demanded Fernandes resign her post and that the search process be reopened.
Jordan, who had been a popular leader, has backed Fernandes, but students rejected her as an unfit leader for Gallaudet and complained that the search process was not adequate. They said she was not a good leader in her previous position as the institution's chief academic officer.
Delia Lozano-Martinez, who is studying education at Gallaudet, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa through an interpreter that the university needs a leader with a "knowledge of deaf culture and communication ... who can keep all of us together and strong in our beliefs."
Students were angry about the arrests, and said they felt their rights were being violated at an institution that is supposed to serve as beacon of tolerance for the deaf community.
"They keep taking our rights here, at this university," Lozano- Martinez said.
Deaf students at one of the world's only universities for the deaf Wednesday were nearing the end of a second week of blockades and hunger strikes aimed at forcing a new president to step down. The ballooning dispute focusses on whether a deaf woman who only learned sign language as an adult and can speak with her voice - the newly named president of Gallaudet University, Jane Fernandes - adequately represents their community.
Amidst colourful tents pitched on the school's lawn in leafy northeast Washington DC, a hunger striker who has gone without food for four days explained her motivation.
"We're willing to sacrifice our health, and we're willing to do this for Gallaudet," said Christine Roschaert, a recent graduate of the school who has joined the protest, through an interpreter.
In fact, the protest has touched Gallaudet graduates from around the country who had planned to attend the annual alumni reunion this weekend - but were told at the last minute by the administration to stay away.
Despite the cancellation, alumni announced Wednesday they were determined to show up anyway, in support of the protestors.
"Doctor Fernandes and (outgoing president) Doctor Jordan seem to think they own this university, they don't," said Andy Lange, the alumni association's president, adding that alumni all over the world "own this university."
Four of Gallaudet's five gates have been shut down by angry, signing protestors, prompting police to arrest 133 of the silent, striking students late last week.
The demonstrators - who also communicate using electronics - forced the university to close down for several days last week, and their actions interrupted services at the university's schools for younger deaf students.
The police released the students, and they were back at the blockades this week, amidst signs hanging from the university's gates lampooning Fernandes.
Classes resumed Monday at the 1,800-student university.
Some students have been living in the tents, and strikers have vowed to stay their course until Fernandes steps aside.
Fernandes was named in May to succeed the university's current President I King Jordan - himself a benefactor of student protests in the late 1980s demanding a deaf president lead their community.
Fernandes is deaf, but grew up reading lips and speaking, only learning sign language in her 20s.
When protests against her nomination began last spring, some protestors worried openly that she was not deaf enough and could not serve as an adequate representative of the deaf community. They demanded Fernandes resign her post and that the search process be reopened.
Jordan, who had been a popular leader, has backed Fernandes, but students rejected her as an unfit leader for Gallaudet and complained that the search process was not adequate. They said she was not a good leader in her previous position as the institution's chief academic officer.
Delia Lozano-Martinez, who is studying education at Gallaudet, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa through an interpreter that the university needs a leader with a "knowledge of deaf culture and communication ... who can keep all of us together and strong in our beliefs."
Students were angry about the arrests, and said they felt their rights were being violated at an institution that is supposed to serve as beacon of tolerance for the deaf community.
"They keep taking our rights here, at this university," Lozano- Martinez said.