HB2033: Dangerous for Washington State Library and Blind/Disabled Populations

In the interest of full disclosure, let me start by saying that I
am an employee of the Office of the Secretary of State, Washington
State Library Division, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library.
This is written on my own time, at home, on my personal computer and
internet connection...The views are my own and do not necessarily
reflect those of OSOS.

In addition to working for the library, I'm also blind, and have
been since birth. Therefore, I benefit greatly from the services
provided by my own library, and have benefited from said services
while living in Arizona and Oregon, so I know the value of the service
we provide...Probably moreso than most of the state House members in
Olympia.

Today, we were informed about House Bill HB2033, which creates a
new Department of Heritage, Arts, and Culture. In an effor to
consolidate, the House wants to combine several divisions which it
apparently sees as similar, and i turn, from what was explained to
several of us, slash the various agencies' budgets by 20%. The
following is an email sent to us by Interim State Librarian Rand
Simmons. For the record, I have not spoken with Dr. Simmons in order
to request permission to re-post this email, but as it was sent via
state email, and contains strictly informational items, I hope this
will serve the purpose for which I intend it.

There is a bill now in the House (HB 2033) that would take the
State Library and the Legacy Project (oral history) out of the
Secretary of State’s office and place it in a combined Department of
Heritage, Arts and Culture (HAC), along with the two Historical
Societies, the Arts Commission, the Department of Archaeology and
Historic Preservation, the Tourism Board, and the Film Board. This
would also reduce the Library’s budget by 20%.

The bill also would switch the Heritage Center Fund to the
proposed Department of HAC along with the fund-raising capacity of the
State Library and the Legacy Project.

The Office of the Secretary of State is opposed to the bill. The
State Library has found a champion in the Secretary of State and we
see no compelling reason to move these programs to another agency.

There is concern that some parts of the State Library’s mission may
not be a good fit under the Heritage, Arts and Culture umbrella:

• · The State Library has an important role in the
  preservation of the record of state government through the state
  publications depository function, which requires close cooperation
  with the Digital Archives for the preservation of state publications
  in digital formats.
  
  
• · The State Library serves as the only regional federal
  depository library, ensuring that Washington residents have access to
  the records and research of the federal government.
  
  
• · The Library serves visually-impaired,
  physically-handicapped and learning disabled persons across the state
  through the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library through digital
  audiobooks, Braille, large-print books and a radio reading service.
  
  
• · There are State Library branches in the state
  psychiatric hospitals and the larger correctional centers, offering
  educational and recreational materials to support re-entry
  initiatives and treatment plans for residents;
  
  
• · The State Library works with public, school and academic
  libraries across the state, using federal funds to strengthen their
  services to their communities. This includes projects as diverse as
  collaborating on a broadband grant with NoaNet, organizing group
  purchases for libraries, and facilitating the E-rate application for
  libraries.
  
  
• · The State Library is actively involved in the statewide
  Early Learning movement and is a member of the Early Learning Public
  Library Partnership.

The bill, in its entirety, may be found Here

Rand states the crux of the concerns for the library division quite
well. There is also concern that the bill may include language to try
to move all of the services to Tumwater...This won't work for the
Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, as was determined a few
years ago when administration of the agency was movved from the City
of Seattle into the Office of the Secretary of State. We have far too
many volunteer programs, which account for a great deal of the work
that is done by the library...Most of those volunteers are in Seattle.
Also, many of our staff have specialized, hard-to-replace talents.
Moving to Tumwater would make continuing to work for the library
prohibitive for those who can't make a move with the library.

Second, there is some concern that this will have a negative effect
on prison libraries. I know some of you are saying "They're in
prison...They don't deserve libraries." Personally, I'd rather have
them spending their time reading than getting into more trouble.

In the end, for those of you here in Washington, particularly those
who utilize the services of the Washington Talking Book & Braille
Library, use another part of the state library, or no someone who
does, I ask that you look this bill over. Contact your legislators,
and either request the bill not be passed, or that the Washington
State Library be removed from the contents of this ill-conceived plan.

For anyone who knows me, you know I'm for smaller government, and
less government spending. However, I don't see how this particular
bill achieves that without worsening the unemployment problem in our
state, and obstructing services to the elderly, disabled, and other
vulnerable populations. HB2033 is, as a colleague of mine with whom I
rarely agree on anything put it, simply a shuffling of the deck chairs
on the Titanic...Things are getting moved, but they don't seem to
notice the ship's stil sinking. Tell the folks in Olympia to wake up,
and come up with some real solutions.

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Blind Children Need Better Social Education: Is The Problem Parents, Or Society?

Today at lunch, I had an experience that took me back to high school days. Now, I'm 32, so before anyone gets snarky, high school wasn't THAT long ago...But, it let me know that sadly, when it comes to my fellow blind people, things really haven't changed. As a warning, this post will probably anger a few people, but remember...My blog, my opinions. You don't like them? Leave a comment, start your own blog, or try to convince me I'm wrong.

Where I work, we get students from an independent living-type program every summer. Having gone through one of these programs, here's the drill for sighted readers, and other blind readers who maybe didn't have such a program. Basically, they take you and have you live away from home. Where I grew up, it was a month, but you went home on weekends. They try to teach you some basic living skills...Doing your own laundry, making meals, washing dishes, in some cases some personal grooming, and things like this. Also, as part of this program, they get you a job for the month, usually minimum wage, and usually the first work experience most of us get. For me, thanks to great parents, I knew most of the basic life skills they showed us, but went for the interaction and for the job as when I was growing up, it was still difficult for a blind student to get an after-school job. In the programs in which I participated, I made some good friends...But we also had some students that made us all cringe. You know the type; someone who brings to mind every stereotype about the blind, and then a few that, sadly, I think we're the only ones who really notice...And the sighted world either doesn't see these, or they stupidly ignore them, thinking "He's got a disability...he probably doesn't know any better". And here's where we pick up today's story.

I was having lunch, and happened to sit with this year's crop of kids. Of the four, I'll say right now that I have great hope for two of them...The other two...No comment. and for the record, I'm not saying where I work, though those who know me know what I do for a living. Also, for the record, this is being written in my personal time, in my own blog, and is in no way connected to my employer. I don't know what their opinion of this post would be, but this is not associated/affiliated with them in the least.

During the course of lunch, I conversed with the students, made small talk, and we generally had a good time. To set the scene, it was me and three of the students; two males, and one female. During the course of the conversation, one of the males, who, unfortunately, is the typical sheltered blind kid in many ways, blurts out to the female "You're hot...I mean, REALLY hot". She tells him to knock it off, and expresses the fact that she's uncomfortable with it. He then turns to me and says "Man, she won't go out with me. Why not? What's wrong with me?" I explain that it's really not tactful to talk to a woman that way in the work place, and really inappropriate to ask a colleague, in this case me, why she won't go out with him right in front of her. So instead of realizing he should change his track, he says "I used to have a girlfriend. She was dumb, but hot...And she had the biggest boobs in the world."

For the readers who are employed, you know that if you or I said that, we'd be looking at a sexual harassment complaint, a write-up, and possibly a loss of job. I explained this to this young man. Luckily, he seemed to kind of understand that he was wrong, but then went on to ask really personal questions about something that happened to this young lady's family. I admit I intervened and asked her if she was okay. She said she was, but she, along with me, explained to this kid that the question was REALLY inappropriate and, in her words, "could get your ass beat" if you asked the wrong person that question.

In the end, I let our director know, and she in turn intends to let his supervisor know what's happened.

My issues with this incident are many.

First off, I realize these people are young. Usually between 16 and 19 or so. But shouldn't parents, teachers, somebody be tteaching them that certain things are simply inappropriate, especially in a work or other public setting? This kid swore he had no clue he was doing anything wrong.

Next, I saw this in the independent living programs I participated in as a youth. It was usually either the kid who was blind with other disabilities, or simply blind, but had sheltering, and in many cases, overbaring, parents...Unfortunately, usually sons, with mothers who were a bit too over-protective while also being equally demanding and pushy. I did not, however, see this behavior from sighted, non-disabled peers. So it makes me wonder, are we as a society teaching ourselves and our children that it's okay for the disabled to be inappropriate as human beings? And if that's the case, isn't that doing them a disservice? The real world isn't going to, and shouldn't, except this behavior.

Finally, doesn't human nature sort of kick in at some point and tell you "Whoa! What I'm saying is way out of line and wrong."? Don't get me wrong; I had great parents who showed me how to act as a person, as a man, and as a functioning member of society. However, I don't remember mom and dad having to tell me "Now, sexually harassing a person is wrong...And we don't talk about boob sizes in the lunchroom at work." I just sort of always figured that was a conversation, if it happens at all, best saved for the local bar with your buddies, at home, or something of that nature.

I don't know...Maybe I'm making too much of this, or maybe I'm expecting too much from the parents of blind and disabled kids. All I know is I had great parents...and still do, for that matter...who would've NEVER let me get away with something like that. yet, as I said, I see it all the time in the blind and disabled community, especially among my fellow males...many of them seem to never be tought right from wrong when it comes to social situations. Why is this?

At the same time, it's not just the parents who are at fault. Sadly, I notice it's also rampant with the kids who've gone to "specialized" schools all their lives. Those of us who went to a public school as opposed to a school for the blind generally seem to be a bit better adjusted to the world. I know there are many benefits to a school for the blind for some, but it definitely makes me question how much good they're doing...Or, maybe they just need to spend a bit more time on social skills for acting like a human being instead of an animal or an infant. And for the record, though I didn't attend school there, the state in which I currently reside is fortunate to have the best school for the blind in the country. They tend to do a great job.

Again, these are just my opinions. If you have a different opinion, I welcome your comments.

Update on the Leg: For those who are Interested

I'm posting this here instead of directly to my Facebook notes so that it will upddate both via FB and via TwitterFeed to my Twitter followers. To the general public, this will likely not be of much interest. :-)

Quick Background: For new followers and friends...On June 6, I broke my Tibia, just above the ankle. On June 9, I injured it further when coming out of the shower. On June 17, I had an operation to put a titanium plate and some screws in the area. I was in splints off and on, and had a full cast put on on June 24. Since the break, unfortunately, I've been away from work, but have been fortunate enough to be allowed to work from home since June 22.

Okay, history lesson over. We have new stuff today.

When I took my shower last night, some water seeped in to the cast through the cast cover, turning the front edge of the cotton liner into a nasty mush and keeping my skin gooey and wet. (Doesn't that sound appetizing?) I called the doctor's office, and they said I should come in and we'd just take the cast off a week early. So, the good news is, I'm out of the cast and in a walking boot.

I'm still not supposed to put any weight on the injurred leg until about the first part of August, however, but after that, can begin trying to walk. The doctor says to put limited weight on it at first, and maybe use a walker. Then, I'll go back to see him in mid-August, and we'll also start up physical therapy at that time.

Since the telecommuting is working out so far, he's decided he doesn't want me to return too the office on a physical basis until right after Labor Day...So here's hoping we can keep enough projects going for me to keep working from home. That, for me, is the one downside...The delays in getting back out in to society. If it weren't for doctor's appointments and the occasional other outing, I would've forgotten what the sun feels like.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank family and friends for their help and support in this time of chaos.

So, that's where we are. Boot now, walking somewhat by the start of August...Physical therapy in mid-august. Out of the boot and back to work, if all goes as planned, by Labor Day.

Talk to you all soon.