General
The Buck Stops on Governor Abbott’s Desk! Stop Him from Signing HB3458/SB2364!
Those two bills literally and legally attempt to control the future of the Texas School for the Deaf by adding two more unnecessary people to the TSD Governing Board. Like other controversial education bills at the secondary and post-secondary levels during this 88th Legislature, Governor Abbott is power-hungry for his ulterior political reasons. One thing is for sure: our Texas governor has no respect for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Even as a person with a disability himself, Governor Abbott is clueless about our culture, history, language, tribulations, and educational needs. He rarely solicites our feelings, thoughts and wishes. He listened to the wrong people, wrong agency or wrong organizations.
For the sake of historical comparison, his action and behavior are reminiscent of Alexander Graham Bell, who believed in eugenics (deaf should not marry the deaf) in 1883, and Gayle Linsey, the former controversial TSD board member who said in 1991 that the “Deaf are not ready due to their low reading level.” Both persons became victims of absurd theories or abject misinformation.
But we can stop Governor Abbott from signing the unwarranted bill by taking matters into our own hands civilly. Let him hear from us directly so he can feel our pulse, know our true thoughts, and encourage him not to heed to unqualified persons who probably misled him about TSD.
There are three ways to contact him. If you wish to email him, his public email address is [email protected]. Secondly, it would be best to copy his chief of staff, Mr. Garner Pate at [email protected], and Shayne Woodard, the director of legislative affairs, at [email protected]. Always greet and write “The Honorable Greg Abbott.”
Or express your opinion via this link: https://gov.texas.gov/apps/contact-us/opinion
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Comments: Suggested opening statement: As a Deaf Texan or hearing parent of a deaf child at TSD, I oppose your signing HB3458 and its companion SB2364. Here are my reasons….Thank you for respecting my opinion and the Texas Deaf Community.
The sooner you send your comments or email Governor Abbott and his staff, the better the chance of those bills dying before the legislative session ends.
This message contributed to the Texas Deaf Network by the Deaf Smith Spy and Scout Company II.