"I have recently learned that a person was interpreting for my son, in a high school class, that had only taken 1 ASL class."
-chappy58
"It is my opinion (and ONLY my opinion) that often DHH teachers choose 'interpreters' with LOW skills and LITTLE knowledge of Deaf culture/education so that the interpreter will not be a 'bad' influence on the Deaf child or judge the ridiculous activities that the children are forced to do that benefit them very little. Again, this is just my observation from what I experienced at an elementary school. Honestly, the hearing teacher of the deaf kindergartners had no knowledge of Deaf culture and got every aide who did sign well to quit or she would find ways to get them laid off by telling the district she didn't really need anybody, then a week later saying she did and hiring somebody new who didn't sign. The same teacher hired an ASL 3 student for an interpreting position instead of me with my (at the time) 10 years experience working with Deaf kids and trained as an interpreter. Ridiculous. When I asked the teacher, 'How is she going to interpret? She doesn't know how? I mean, seriously?' the teacher replied, 'Well, she can watch the other interpreter, and she'll learn that way.'"
-Rmyeyesopening
"It sickens me the way public schools take advantage of deaf students. I'm a certified interpreter and the only one in my entire district. We have a deaf and HOH program "specialist" who has never taught a deaf child in her life and can't even sign yet she is the one hiring interpreters, evaluating them, and handing out all kinds of advice to unsuspecting parents! I've had Teachers of the Deaf ask me signs for words while they were testing the cognative abilities of deaf children! Do you THINK that MAY have effected the results at all?"
-ntiddearie
"Just for your info it not only happens in the schools but other places too. As a Deaf person, I cannot tell you how many times I have asked for an interpreter for an appointment and have arrived to find out that the place is using someone off the street or someone that works at the place who thinks they are qualified to interpret after just one month at some Sign Language Class. I do not understand how anyone could think that ASL is so easy that you become skilled after one month. Would Hearing person think they can become fluent in Spanish after only one month? NO WAY."
-deafmack
"I'm a certified interpreter and the majority of the interpreting assignments in my area are filled by signers, not interpreters. That means that the thousands of dollars I have paid in Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) and FRID membership dues and testing fees were pretty much worthless since I get no assignments. I cost agencies too much money."
-ntiddearie
Another article on About Deafness offers advice to parents in this situation: Parental Point of View on Qualified Interpreters.
When is having an interpreter worse than not having an interpreter (i.e., being in a self-contained deaf class instead)? Share your thoughts on the forum.
