Dear Deaf Community,

The time has come for action and I need help from NAD, Gallaudet and other advocacy groups ,
and all individuals who feel this issue deserves action. I am DEAF (MDA 1976).

My CODA son, Ben will be graduating with his Wootton HS class 2010 on June 3 at DAR
Constitution Hall. I have waited four years for Ben’s graduation and for the opportunity to see
him sign the graduation songs (that the chorus sings) with other senior ASL students, including a
DEAF student . I have waited 4 years to visually experience what the hearing audience will
hear with a very large chorus of student singers , accompanied by a very large student orchestra.
Tiasha, a DEAF student at Wootton HS, has waited 4 years to be able to sign the songs with
the chorus at graduation. I worked with the Wootton senior signers and taught them the signs for
the graduation songs that the chorus will be singing at graduation on June 3.

BUT, IT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT. For reasons that are still
unclear and illogical to me, the administration at Wootton HS adamantly refuses to permit
the senior ASL students, CODAs, and the Deaf student in the graduating class of 2010 to
sign the songs on stage that the chorus will be singing at the same time at graduation. They
said the students can stand from their chairs where they sit with their 600+ classmates and sign
the songs! This is their “compromise”! It takes no additional time (the administration said the
class was large and no time could be added to the program). I guarantee you that if 6 or 7 choral
students or orchestra students said they wanted to perform at the graduation ceremony, they
would be permitted to do so, but student signers? NO! Adamantly NO! Wootton administration
said they can't accommodate or “single out” every talented student or group that wants to
perform.[1]

I am asking you on behalf of the Deaf community to contact Montgomery County Public
Schools to voice your concern, your opposition to this unsupportable stance by the Wootton
HS administration, and to voice your strong support for these students and their ability to
join the hearing singers of the school chorus and orchestra members at DAR Constitution
Hall THIS JUNE 3rd. ACT NOW, PLEASE. TIME IS SHORT. Contact Superintendent
Jerry D. Weast. Contact Principal Michael Doran at Michael_J_Doran@mcpsmd.org and
Renee Negin, the Vice Principal Renee_C_Negin@mcpsmd.org. Contact Contact School
Board members. Go to the MCPS website for whatever email addresses you need.

It isn't about whatever the administration of the school thinks their needs are; it's about
recognizing THESE seniors and showcasing a small group (without adding even a minute more
to the program); it's about allowing the families of 6 or 7 more students to see their children on
the stage on the most important day of their young lives; it's about showing the entire audience
how beautiful ASL is and how it complements the music and how it brings a new and exciting
dimension to music for Hearing and Deaf alike. Excited, hard-working ASL students have
rehearsed and are READY!-- and then being told by the administration “NO! You may not sign
at graduation. We have an interpreter for that.” They are heartbroken, as am I, that they are being
barred for no logical or legitimate reasons.
Please help me and these ASL, CODA, and Deaf students at Wootton have their chance to sign
in beautiful, wonderful ASL what the chorus is singing. We don’t need an interpreter to sign the
songs when these teens are able to do this with such flourish and grace and enthusiasm. Do not
allow these students to be disappointed by a bad decision. Time is short. Please act now.
Contact Superintendent Jerry D. Weast. Contact Principal Michael Doran at
Michael_J_Doran@mcpsmd.org and Renee Negin, the Vice Principal
Renee_C_Negin@mcpsmd.org. to voice your concern. Contact Contact School Board members
to voice your concern. Please do it NOW.

Thank you.

Susan Davidoff Gershowitz

[1] I teach ASL at Quince Orchard HS and for over 20 years, my senior ASL students, including
CODAs , have ALWAYS been allowed to sign the choral selections on stage with the chorus at
their Graduation at DAR—bringing the beautiful, melodic words of the songs into a beautiful
visual ASL feast for both Deaf and Hearing audiences to enjoy. It is a visual delight for all, not
just listening to the songs that only Hearing people can enjoy .

I did the same for several years at Wootton HS, where I taught ASL from 1998-2002, and the
senior ASL students and CODAs signed the songs at graduation. After I left, signing at
graduation ended at Wootton HS. The students performed the graduation song with this same
chorus Wednesday night , May 19 at the Wootton High School's Arts Festival , and their signing
was magnificent. The visual beauty of their performance, which obviously was even more
moving performed by a small GROUP of signers accompanying the chorus --was spectacular.
The students signing the song that the chorus sang enhanced the experience for everyone in the
audience, Deaf and Hearing alike.