Group protests appointment at university for the deaf by written (By KATI BEXLEY) at St.Augustine Record Newspaper

From left, Zachary DmAngelo, 5, Michaela Kelley, 4, Caitlyn DmAngelo, 3, and Jacylyn Kelley, 2, entertain activists standing in solidarity with the protestors at Gallaudet University Saturday afternoon, October 14, 2006

Members of the deaf community from all over Florida stand in solidarity with the protestors at Gallaudet University Saturday afternoon, October 14, 2006, at St. Augustine Beach, Fla
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About 50 members of the Florida and National Association of the Deaf came to St. Augustine on Saturday to protest the new president at Gallaudet University, the nation's only liberal arts university for the deaf and hearing-impaired.

The group protested Gallaudet's selection of Jane K. Fernandes as the Washington, D.C., school's new president. Fernandes was appointed in the spring to succeed outgoing President I. King Jordan.

More than 100 demonstrators have protested the school in Washington, D.C., including not allowing anyone to enter or leave its main academic building in the last week and writing graffiti on buildings, said Heidi Jordan, the daughter of outgoing President Jordan.




Heidi Jordan lives in St. Augustine and works at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. She said people on the FSDB campus have been very supportive, but added that there is an unidentified group that has "intimidated" her. She did not want to give details, but said the behavior "definitely has a hostile feel to it."

"My concern is about the ugliness happening at the university," she said.

The Associated Press has reported that Fernandes feels students aren't accepting her because she is not "deaf enough." She was born deaf, but grew up speaking and did not learn American Sign Language until she was 23.

Local protesters said Saturday that that is not true and that Fernandes is playing to media to add controversy.

Lissette Molina, 30, a Gallaudet alumna, traveled from Miami to join the protest on St. Augustine Beach. She said Fernandes is playing her "deaf cards."

"It's not about her being deaf enough. To say she's not deaf enough is an insult to me," she said through an interpreter. "It's about her leadership abilities. ... The reason this rebellion is taking place is because we don't have the right leader right now."

Group members said Saturday that they want Fernandes to resign and the school to reopen the presidential search process.

Christopher Wagner, president of Florida Association of the Deaf and vice president of the National Association of the Deaf, said the group chose to come to St. Augustine because Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is located here and the city is considered the state's main center for the deaf.

However, few FSDB students came to the protest.

Heidi Jordan said judging if someone is "deaf enough" should not be an issue. She said Gallaudet has always been an "inclusive and embracive community for all deaf people."

"I feel like Gallaudet really needs our support in order to begin the healing process of this difficult time," she said.