Deaf Students Express Dissent Along a High-Tech Grapevine
More on the controversial election of the new president of Gallaudet University.
Eighteen years ago, Gallaudet students pulled fire alarms and passed alerts person to person for the Deaf President Now protest, which became a civil rights slogan and brought I. King Jordan into the president’s office. It was the first time, many said, that the world had heard them.
Now, as Fernandes prepares to replace Jordan in a role that has become for many the voice of deaf culture, there are more ways than ever to communicate.
It’s a watershed moment, said Jared Evans of San Diego, because deaf people can broadcast information widely and instantly. Like so many in the deaf community, he tracked events at Gallaudet almost in real time. That spurred rallies at other deaf schools and letters from national groups, and compelled alumni to travel to Washington.
