Congress WILL get involved! Kudos to Rep. Stark!
Tom Holcomb contacted Pete Stark, our local Congressional representative, and Pete Stark's chief of staff was very responsive! Hat tip to Tom H and Michele Berke for this collection of e-mail communications from Debbie Curtis, Stark's chief of staff.
First message from Tom letting us know about his contact with Stark's office
We just had a productive telephone chat with stark s chief of staff. She s going to contact dc mayor s office and few other key players in dc and wash post too and then she will call gally admin directly on our behalf... She was very supportive on the phone about students right to public safety and to freedom of speech and to assemble without fear. Her name is debbie curtis and she is chief of staff to pete stark
Received Friday Oct 6th at 1:47 pm
I have now received two email communications from gallaudet from Fred Weiner, Special Assistant for Planning.
He says that the fertilizer was regularly scheduled and not aimed at them, that he has heard the same reports about pepper spray via the media, but that they have no evidence of it being used -- though it was threatened -- and that they can't use campus interpreters because they don't have a "sponsoring office" to assign them to. He said he's been over to talk to the students about this himself and they've now told him they will use volunteer interpreters.
He's being pretty good about getting back to me.
I'd appreciate hearing if you have any sense from your daughters that they are being treated more fairly.
There has been very good press coverage -- including student perspectives -- on NPR out here and they were on a local radio call in show as well.
I've also reached out to DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's office and they are also in contact with the university seeking more information.
I feel like we are doing what we can. If there is something else specific we can do, please contact me.
Thank you.
Debbie Curtis
Chief of Staff
Rep. Pete Stark (CA-13)
(202)225-5065
From Michele Berke at 2:06 pm
Hi again,
Another update from debbie Curtis. She has been in touch and as a 'go between' between Fred Weiner and the students inside; Barbara Guerner De Garcia, a faculty member is in there with the students and has facilitated the communicatin. They're emphasizing the need to get interpretrs and apparently, Fred is not telling the truth and Debbie has called him on it.
She also said that the situation this morning with campus security was that it was new personnel, some shoving happened and then they were called out of the building because they knew they were doing the wrong thing. She said she heard that the DC police were actually doing a better job and helping keep things under control.
In addition, she said that Eleanor Holmes Norton's office is putting pressure on the Gallaudet administration..
Debbie talked with Pete Stark; he had already heard about it on NPR and said for her to go for it..and do whatever she could to support the students, FSSA, etc.
She said to keep her posted throughout the weekend if there is anything more she can do. She is going to continue her efforts.
One last thing, she said that the students are impressive and should be commended for how they are handling things. Tara, Leala....you have support!!
We are with you...
Michele
First message from Tom letting us know about his contact with Stark's office
We just had a productive telephone chat with stark s chief of staff. She s going to contact dc mayor s office and few other key players in dc and wash post too and then she will call gally admin directly on our behalf... She was very supportive on the phone about students right to public safety and to freedom of speech and to assemble without fear. Her name is debbie curtis and she is chief of staff to pete stark
Received Friday Oct 6th at 1:47 pm
I have now received two email communications from gallaudet from Fred Weiner, Special Assistant for Planning.
He says that the fertilizer was regularly scheduled and not aimed at them, that he has heard the same reports about pepper spray via the media, but that they have no evidence of it being used -- though it was threatened -- and that they can't use campus interpreters because they don't have a "sponsoring office" to assign them to. He said he's been over to talk to the students about this himself and they've now told him they will use volunteer interpreters.
He's being pretty good about getting back to me.
I'd appreciate hearing if you have any sense from your daughters that they are being treated more fairly.
There has been very good press coverage -- including student perspectives -- on NPR out here and they were on a local radio call in show as well.
I've also reached out to DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's office and they are also in contact with the university seeking more information.
I feel like we are doing what we can. If there is something else specific we can do, please contact me.
Thank you.
Debbie Curtis
Chief of Staff
Rep. Pete Stark (CA-13)
(202)225-5065
From Michele Berke at 2:06 pm
Hi again,
Another update from debbie Curtis. She has been in touch and as a 'go between' between Fred Weiner and the students inside; Barbara Guerner De Garcia, a faculty member is in there with the students and has facilitated the communicatin. They're emphasizing the need to get interpretrs and apparently, Fred is not telling the truth and Debbie has called him on it.
She also said that the situation this morning with campus security was that it was new personnel, some shoving happened and then they were called out of the building because they knew they were doing the wrong thing. She said she heard that the DC police were actually doing a better job and helping keep things under control.
In addition, she said that Eleanor Holmes Norton's office is putting pressure on the Gallaudet administration..
Debbie talked with Pete Stark; he had already heard about it on NPR and said for her to go for it..and do whatever she could to support the students, FSSA, etc.
She said to keep her posted throughout the weekend if there is anything more she can do. She is going to continue her efforts.
One last thing, she said that the students are impressive and should be commended for how they are handling things. Tara, Leala....you have support!!
We are with you...
Michele
posted by DeafBayBlogger at 12:25 AM
2 Comments:
FSSA is extremism group.
I will charge them because they stealed money for class.
You certainly have the right to your opinion. *smile* In my view, the Board of Trustees and the Gallaudet administration are extremists. Someone there ordered the spraying of Earth Juice on a peaceful protest. The administration issued guidelines severely restricting freedom of expression on campus. The chair of the Board of Trustees was issuing a statement at the same time a small number of Board members were listening to students (and the Board had invited the students to speak with them), indicating they had no intention of taking anything the students had to say seriously. Looks pretty extreme to me. Thank you for sharing your perspective, whoever you are.
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