NAD E-News
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
NAD Elated with ICED Rejection of 1880 Milan Congress Resolutions
On Monday, July 19, 2010 the International Congress on the Education of the
Deaf (ICED) opened its 21st Congress with a historic announcement that it
formally rejects the resolutions passed at its 2nd Congress (commonly known
as the 1880 Milan Congress) which discouraged the use of sign language in
the education of the deaf. This move follows a recent letter (link below)
by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and numerous advocacy
organizations and leaders throughout the world urging the ICED to formally
reject their previous resolutions and embrace signed languages and deaf
cultures. Links for the ICED press release, introduction, and statement of
principle and accord for the future are listed below.
The original resolutions passed at the 1880 Milan Congress did irreparable
damage to deaf individuals, educators, professionals, schools and
communities around the world. Established in the same year as the 1880 Milan
Congress, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right of
the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues
important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national
level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as
a core value.
“We are elated to see that, for the first time in 130 years, the ICED has
joined us in rejecting the actions of its predecessors and moving forward to
improve educational systems for the global deaf and hard of hearing
community. We are grateful and proud to see the ICED take this important and
very appropriate step towards reconciliation,” said NAD President Bobbie
Beth Scoggins. “The formal rejection of the 1880 resolutions made in Milan
by the ICED realizes a dream that we have had for 130 years. Together with
the ICED we have taken the first steps towards a beautiful, bilingual future
of cooperation and mutual respect.”