Hotel Settles Service Dog complaint

A Connecticut Quality Inn has reached a settlement over its refusal to allow a guest to bring a service dog into its dining room. The settlement includes $1,000 in compensation and requires:

The Quality Inn Mystic-Groton to permit service animals in all areas of the hotel that members of the public and other hotel guests are allowed to go, including in its dining room during meal service. Additionally, the hotel will post signage indicating “Service Animals Welcome,” will implement a “Service Animal Policy,” and will train its managers and employees regarding the policy.

Read more about it here.

Deaf School Apologizes for Decades of Abuse

Leaders of The American School for the Deaf are apologizing to dozens of survivors of sexual abuse and physical abuse by former faculty and staff members. The abuse took place from the 1950s through the 1980s. The statement reads in part:

On behalf of ASD and its Board of Directors, we apologize to the survivors of this abuse — this should not have happened to you -– and we promise to continue to devote ourselves to protecting the current and future generations of children who rely on us and this community to enrich their lives,” they said in a statement.

Read the full statement here and watch a vlog summarizing the findings of the investigation.

Sexual and physical abuse at State Deaf School

An investigation is underway into accusations of sexual and physical abuse at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, Connecticut. The allegations are coming from 40 former faculty and staff. The Hartford Courant has details here.

A Talk With Marlee Matlin

photo by Angela George

      photo by Angela George

The Hartford Courant sat down to talk with Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin before she speaks tonight at the American School for the Deaf's Bicentennial Celebration at the Connecticut Convention Center. She was asked about how things have changed in Hollywood since she won her Oscar at the young age of 21:

I did "Dancing With the Stars," and people said, "hey, deaf people can dance." I raised a million dollars for hearing aids for children on "Celebrity Apprentice." I try to show by what I do that deaf people don't have to be put in a little box. But we still have "disability blackface," where 95 percent of television characters with a disability on television are played by able-bodied actors. You still have the thinking that deaf actors only act in deaf storylines; any story line can feature an actor who is deaf. The topic needs to be part of our conversation.

Read more of what she said here.

Terps Laid Off in Conn.

The state of Connecticut is laying off sign language interpreters working with the Department of Rehabilitation Services. The switch to private interpreting services starts July 15. Dozens came to protest the change today in Hartford at the department's offices. Read the full story at the the Hartford Courant.

Kids at the American School for the Deaf feel the beat

A dance workshop at West Hartford, Connecticut's American School for the Deaf brought out some great moves by the students. WTIC-TV has a video report (no captions but you can read the story here).

Is a college getting ready to close its program for the deaf?

A community college in Connecticut is making changes and "advocates for the deaf are concerned" the program-the "only deaf program of its kind in the state"--is on its way out. But the school denies the changes that are underway are a sign of things to come. Read more from WNPR here.

Time Capsule from 1920 is opened

The American School For The Deaf in West Hartford, Connecticut popped open a time capsule this week. It was buried in 1920 buried under a cornerstone of Gallaudet Hall during its construction. The Hartford Courant has the full story here.

Hospital Settles over ADA complaint

A Connecticut hospital has agreed to pay a deaf patient $45,000 for failing to provide adequate interpreting services. St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, located in the Hartford area, also agreed to train staff members and change its policies. The complaint, filed with the Department of Justice Read more details here.

Accusations against Macy's

A deaf woman in Connecticut says she's had trouble getting changes to her Macy's credit card because the department store insists she must talk to its representatives over the phone. WFSB-TV has a video report (captions available).

WFSB 3 Connecticut

ASD gets new Prez

Jeff Bravin

The American School for the Deaf has named it's new president. The West Hartford, Connecticut school is appointing Jeff Bravin as its 13th executive director. Bravin has been a part of the school for more than a decade, including serving as the assistant executive director and chief operating officer. Read more from the school's website here.

CAD gathering

The Connecticut Association of the Deaf is holding its 29th Biennial annual conference this weekend at Windsor Locks. For more information, click here.

Deaf School, Police sued for tasing boy

The parents of a 12-year-old are suing Connecticut's American School for the Deaf Student along with the West Hartford Police. Audley and Judith Muschette accuse them of abuse for tasing the boy on campus back in the spring.  The suit claims he was thrown to the ground by school staff, punched and eventually tased by police. Meanwhile, a new $20 million, 62,000-square-foot building called the Gallaudet-Clerc Education Center is being unveiled this morning at the school. Read more at the facility here and more about the lawsuit at Patch and Courthouse News.

See Our Signs!

scene from NTD performance

The National Theatre of the Deaf in New London, Connecticut will present a series of free shows at the Hygienic Art Park over the next few days. See Our Signs! will be performed this Saturday (Aug. 18), Tuesday (Aug. 20) and the following Saturday (Aug. 25).  After than, the Little Theatre of the Deaf will go on our with See Our Signs!  The performance begins with improvisation and ends with improvisation during which the actors take create pieces based on audience suggestions, such as an animal or a machine. For another of the improvisational segments, the actors teach signs to the audience. The heart of the show deals with tangrams, in which seven shapes are assembled to form other shapes. The tangram puzzles began in ancient China. Inspired by those shapes, the NTD group creates stories. Find out more here.

Video report on theater lawsuit

We told you yesterday about a lawsuit against a New England theater chain over problems with its captioning--which you can read here. WVIT-TV has a video report on the suit, which we've posted below but there's no captioning.

American School For The Deaf Graduation

Learn about the 31 students who graduated from the Connecticut school yesterday in an article posted here
.

Protest at Connecticut School

A protest took place at the American School for the Deaf this morning. The Connecticut school is making changes that some alumni don't care for. Several dozen of them picketed on the sidewalk in front of the school, carrying signs like "ASD Not For Sale." The focus of their concern is Gallaudet Hall, which is slated to be torn down soon. Some of the property is being sold while two other buildings are up for sale as well. The protesters say the alumi were not told about the changes--something the school denies. Even though American is the oldest deaf school in the country, it was actually founded in the city of Hartford in 1817. It moved a few years later to West Hartford and in 1921 Gallaudet Hall became the symbol of the school. The state approved the demolition and land sale in April and a new building is supposed to be open this fall. The protesters say they'll be back tomorrow.

Tears for children killed in school shooting

Here is President Obamas reaction to the shooting at a Connecticut school today. Click here to get to a captioned version of the speech.

SNL Mocks NY Terp

NBC's Saturday Night Live offered its take off of New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg's expressive sign language interpreter Lydia Callis last night. SNL newcomer Cecily Strong imitated Callis, followed by Nasim Pedrad who pretended to be New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s signer. See the viode of the opening below on DeafNewToday.com.

Saving Gallaudet Hall

Alumni from the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut have started an online petition to save a building that's more than 90 years old - Gallaudet Hall. Watch a video report on DeafNewsToday.com or read the story here.