ASL Rose Newsletter
Vol. 2 No. 5
June 2008

This month’s newsletter of ASL Rose recognizes Dr. Paul Johnston for his many contributions to the Deaf world through his artwork. He is one of the truly De'VIA artists. De'VIA artists focus on the expression of Deaf experience through visual art. Dr. Paul Johnston's artistic masterpiece "The Deaf Education Pinball" as illustrated above has struck many of us rather strongly because we related the closeness of our Deaf experience and especially the method of our education. More importantly, we know for sure that there are many different interpretations of that painting by Deaf people. Below is what the co-owners of ASL Rose Company wish to share with their readers as their own interpretation of Paul's painting.

"The Deaf Education Pinball" artwork depicts a good number of ideologies that emerge in the Deaf community. Most ideologies shown in the painting are Hearing-centric such as the Oral Method/Verbal Therapy, English-only Education, and Cochlear Implant, just to name a few. As for Deaf-centric ideologies in the picture, you find rather few such as Culturally Deaf and Manual Communication. The pinball machine represents the Deaf world being cramped in a small space that is laden with Hearing people and Hearing ideologies. By virtue of authority easily given to Hearing people for dealing with Deaf children and their education, Hearing ideologies pop up easily like wildfire and also happens quite often without the input from Deaf intellectuals. Moreover, it is incredible that "know-nothing-about-Deaf-people" Hearing people are still granted full control to make decisions affecting the lives of Deaf people from the cradle to the grave including their education. The Deaf voice on what works best in education for Deaf learners is often crushed down and becomes eerily silenced in the name of "Hearing-people-know-everything" and "Deaf-people-know-nothing."

Deaf rage with boiling urgency for fighting back toward sheer absurdities that demean Deaf learners from obtaining quality education is a must. The incessant assaults on Deaf intelligence by Hearing educators must be stopped (thus the importance of Residential Schools). The right way of learning for Deaf students must not be dictated by Hearing people (Oralism--sinking in the sand like an ostrich). Curriculum decision-making on how to best educate Deaf learners must not be completely controlled by Hearing people (English-only Education). Hearing-centric proposals to create laws, rules, and regulations to weaken the Deaf-preferred stances in Deaf educational settings must be constantly challenged (Mainstreaming). Stereotyped views on Deaf learners as helpless individuals who need the help of Hearing people must be discarded (Oral Method/Verbal Therapy). It is no wonder that more and more Deaf people respond with rage over the continued miseducation of Deaf students.

As an unprecedented case in Deaf history, more Deaf people are taking decisive steps to determine that the Deaf voice on education for Deaf youngsters is ringing out quite loudly and crystal clear to the Hearing decision makers. One illustrative example is Deaf Bilingual Coalition (DBC) that recently came into existence for that specific purpose. They fight hard for Deaf children to have ASL as a first language because they understand very clearly that the continued practices of Hearing-centric education without ASL for Deaf learners will dilute the power of learning in Deaf children. By the way, ASL Rose Company is behind the DBC movement 110%. We at ASL Rose Company were able to donate to the DBC five copies of Have You Ever Seen...? An American Sign Language Handshape DVD/Book (HYES DVD/Book) with the hope that Deaf children somewhere would gain further appreciation of ASL and learn more about themselves as members of the Deaf world.

Our deep commitment to the education of the Deaf is necessary and at any cost. Otherwise, Deaf learners will be continually seen as devalued and degraded individuals when they complete schooling. We cannot afford to stand quietly and allow "know-nothing-about-Deaf-people" Hearing people strip away Deaf-centric knowing of ways to educate Deaf learners. What Deaf people want is to see Deaf learners not only obtain quality education but also affirm themselves as complete human beings upon finishing school. We must not allow the complete control of Deaf education through the Hearing lenses. Most importantly, we must believe in ourselves as capable of taking some control in Deaf education. If we are to build on the best of Deaf education, we must center on the importance of Deaf humanity where educators of the Deaf exchange respect, care, and concern for Deaf posterity by not fixing Deaf students to become pseudo-Hearing people. Without pushing for necessary actions, we are doomed to audism and linguicism to the level that impedes the opportunities of Deaf learners, when they become adults, to live lives with decency and dignity.

Paul's painting of "The Deaf Education Pinball" can be understood as such that it does not necessarily require Deaf people in full control of everything about the education of the Deaf. It simply rejects Deaf captivity to Hearing supremacist ideologies in educational practices for Deaf students. Paul also raises the level of Deaf consciousness toward Deaf education by means of his "unsigned/unspoken" question with a sharpness and urgency never posed before in Deaf America. Most of the pins in the pinball machine are predicated on an obsession with the Hearing-controlled sites in Deaf education. He throws in a hint to us of not sleeping like Rip Van Winkle for a good one hundred years. In this manner, Paul steers us to focus on the centrality of Deaf education as a source of problem for too many educational failures in Deaf learners. Deaf people must constantly remain vocal in the planning of education of the Deaf by ensuring that the educational system in this country is a Deaf-centric one. Our togetherness in affirmation of Deaf humanity will happen with greater frequency.

Another piece of Paul Johnston's artwork "Hand Instrument" can be found on page 24 of the HYES DVD/Book where Paul draws to make EYE-music in tune with Deaf people's ASL. In that book, you will find many examples of Deaf cultural processes, products, and perspectives. Included in the book are wonderful pieces of cultural information that can be enjoyed by many readers, both Hearing and Deaf, young and old. Summertime is soon approaching and many Deaf kids are sent to camps. HYES DVD/Book is a perfect gift for Deaf campers to pick up cultural information and take turns in sharing their impressions with their peers around the campfire. This book is a great way for parents of Deaf children, while at home, to learn more about the Deaf world and gain appreciation for their Deaf children when they return home from camp. It will be a wonderful summer reading tool if you have it in your hands. If you have not yet purchased a copy, the book is available on this website along with other helpful materials. Another book strongly recommended for summer reading is The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community by Dr. Harlan Lane, a distinguished professor at Northeastern University in Boston. Harlan is an artist with words and Paul is a master with drawings. In many ways, they are very much the same in their endeavors to remind us how important it is that we must never lost sight of the miseducation of Deaf children and, more importantly, by doing something about it, we will not allow it to continue. To ensure Deaf humanity through better education for Deaf learners requires Deaf people in their own power to take the leadership to a newer and higher level. Your first step is to place an order of the HYES DVD/Book and be a contributing part in the future of Deaf education. Have a wonderful summer and enjoy reading the two books as mentioned above.

Should you be interested in buying a print of "The Deaf Education Pinball" painting (size 20" x 14.5"), Dr. Paul Johnston has agreed to make it available to you. It is strictly a limited edition of 50 prints that are for sale. The cost for a print is $250 plus shipping & handling and sales tax, if applicable. It will take three weeks to process an order. If you want to discuss this matter directly with the artist, he can be reached via email at Pjhandscape01@mac.com.