There's a lot going on the last few days! 

Here's an update written by my new friend Emily who has been so wonderful to offer her support as an interpreter and a member of the Deaf Community in Utah. It's been amazing to find people willing to join me in organizing all this! 

I am just blown away by the outpouring of support from people across the country. Thank you to each and every one of you for taking the time to sign this petition and share it with your friends!

I wanted to give everyone a few important updates on where we are to this point.

Friday Emma interviewed with The Utah Statesman, the USU campus newspaper. They should be publishing a story shortly and also mentioned possibly putting together a video report. When these are published we'll be sure to share. 

The dean of Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services, Dr. Alan Smith, published an announcement providing some explanation as to why the Bilingual-Bicultural Master's teaching program has been suspended. 

https://cehs.usu.edu/news/2022/announcement-of-bibi-program-closure

In response to the dean's announcement, the Council on the Education of the Deaf's president Barbara Raimondo made the following statement: 

Response of the Council on Education of the Deaf to the Announcement of Program Closure of the Bilingual-Bicultural Track of Utah State University’s Master’s Program in Communication Disorders and Deaf Education 

On February 2, 2022, Utah State University (USU) issued a statement that erroneously attributed the suspension of the Bilingual-Bicultural Track to the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED). Immediately CED contacted USU to demand a retraction and correction.   

To set the record straight: 

CED had not yet completed its process regarding a recommendation on re-accreditation of the program. 

CED never recommended that USU suspend the program. 

USU has since edited its statement. CED continues to work with USU to further edit this statement, ensuring accuracy.  

CED stands behind its accreditation process, which promotes teacher education standards embodying best practices, reflecting current research, and embracing diversity and multiculturalism. 

Barbara Raimondo

CED President

February 3, 2022 

Also on February 3rd, Michelle Tanner, Associate Superintendent of the Deaf at Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind shared this on social media:

I [want] to publicly refute the recent statement by USU when they announced the suspension of “the bilingual-bicultural (Bi-Bi) track of our master’s program in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education” where they stated that the ASL/English Bilingual/Bicultural program was not operationally sound, preventing them from offering the high-quality education expected at Utah State University. 

As the Superintendent of the Deaf at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind and the main hiring body for these graduates, I can attest that the graduates from the ASL/English Bilingual/Bicultural program from Utah State University are some of the strongest educators of the deaf that we have had the pleasure of hiring. They are skilled at using the natural language of the deaf and hard-of-hearing students to teach all aspects of the curriculum. They have ensured that they met a high standard for communicating in American Sign Language and they are very knowledgeable in using that language to provide access to the Utah Core Curriculum. These graduates have also been very well prepared for the spectrum of employment opportunities available to educators of the deaf. We have placed these highly skilled educators in classrooms at our schools and in mainstreaming situations as itinerant teachers of the deaf and each has performed well.  

Sadly, the “internal review” that was completed by USU was conducted by individuals who have actively worked to destroy the ASL/English bilingual/bicultural program. I think an external review would have been more appropriate. I would have appreciated an opportunity to answer any questions about the quality of graduates from Utah State University. It is sad that the only value that USU sees for ASL is for hearing people learning the language. Although we are grateful that more people have the opportunity to learn American Sign Language, that language has far greater worth to the deaf and hard of hearing children that need it to develop a strong language foundation. That is why we need a strong ASL/English program in Utah that develops educators of the deaf that know how to weave language into every aspect of a deaf child’s education.

Thank you Dr. Freeman King, Jan Kelley-King, and Dr. Curt Radford for creating these highly skilled graduates. I would like you to know that the recent statement by USU was INACCURATE. You have produced graduates to be proud of!!!

-- Michelle Tanner

Both statements create significant holes in the USU announcement. 

At Emma's request, I reached out to the dean's office and started working on arranging a time to meet. We've now been joined by fellow students and community members and together we'll sit down with Dean Smith and discuss these discrepancies. 

I want to make sure and mention that Dean Smith and his office have been very easy to work with, arranging for interpreters and providing a space to meet. We are very grateful!

Our meeting is set for next Tuesday (Feb 8). If there are additional statements or relevant information we should include, feel free to make a comment (which we will be monitoring closely) here on the petition. 

Again, thank you all for your support! We couldn't do this without you!

*Emma's note: I'd also like to thank all of you for caring about this program! Please keep sharing the petition with friends. The more signatures we get, the more USU will have to pay attention to us. 

There has also been some talk about Utah Valley University possibly starting a BiBi Deaf Ed program, which would be amazing. So many exciting things happening! 

P.S.

Wow! While writing this, Emily texted to let us know that the Association of College Educators- Deaf and Hard of Hearing put out a statement in support of the program and asking for reinstatement. This has gotten way bigger than I ever could've hoped! �