Editorial

Abstract

Editorial court decisions, federal regulations, and deaf children The education of deaf youth has been thrown into states of confusion and uncertainty by recent court decisions and proposed changes in federal legislation, especially those relating to PL 94-142. One of the more confusing aspects of the situation has resulted from the Suppreme Court decision in the Hendrick Hudson School District vs. Rowley case. In this decision, a deaf child of deaf parents was denied the right to a sign language interpreter. The danger of the Rowley case is that it will be over generalized to the conclusion that public schools have no responsibility to provide deaf students interpreters. The Supreme Court decision was not nearly this broad, although it is being perceived as such by the general public. We must remember that in the Rowley case, the Supreme Court upheld the fundamental tenet that a deaf child is entitled to sufficient support services to benefit from education. Of course, what remains to be decided is what sufficient support services are. The Court avoided dealing directly with this more fundamental issue in its decision. The Rowley case relates to PL 94-142 only. It in no way affects Section 504 which has governed the use of interpreters in other settings. Changes in the regulations for federal legislation for deaf youths and adults are currently being proposed by the Reagan Administration. At the time of this writing the exact nature of these proposed changes is unknown. Other legislative action on the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths on captioning, and on postsecondary programs for deaf students is in process. Court decisions and legislation over the next 2 years will have major impacts on deaf people of all ages. Had the original regulations in PL 94-142 and, to a lesser extent, in the Rehabilitation Act of 1975, been written with more realism and professional knowledge, they would not be so vulnerable to change today. PLAUDITS Ms. Gertrude GaUoway has just stepped down from her term as President of the National Association of the Deaf (N. A.D.). The first woman to ever hold this high office, Ms. Galloway gave the N. A.D. a solid leadership that brought harmony to the home office and progress for the organization. Dr. William McClure, long a major factor behind the American Annals of the Deaf, recently resigned as President of the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. An outstanding administrator , one of the most progressive leaders in the field, and an incisive writer, Dr. McClure has recently done some college teaching. Dr. Edward C. Merrill Jr., President of Gallaudet College, has announced that he will soon retire as President but that he will stay on a little longer in a fund-raising role. Dr. Merrill brought about a huge growth in Gallaudet's program and services while at the same time presiding over a major building program. Perhaps the one accomplishment of Dr. Merrill most deaf people will remember him for most was his amazing ability in and commitment to sign language. Dr. Merrill was able to do this despite the fact that he did not start to learn to sign until well into adulthood. These three outstanding individuals have made life better for deaf people of this and coming generations. McCay Vernon, Ph.D. Editor A.A.O. I October 1982 739 ...