Jerry Hassell
This paper reveals the childhood life of Jerry Hassell, prominent advocate of Deaf rights. It discusses the roles he played that changed the public’s perspectives of the deaf. It also discusses his achievements for the deaf that influenced legislations, organizations, deaf advocacy, etc.
Keywords: Jerry Hassell, deaf, legislation
Childhood, Roles, and Advocacy of Jerry Hassell
How the contemporary world indiscriminately treats deaf people like normal people is not a random incidence. This justly humanitarian treatment is a product of continued battle for Deaf recognition and rights in terms of education, communication, socialization, community, employment, etc. by influential people, some are deaf themselves, whose Deaf advocacy …show more content…
He was the first deaf person hired by the University of Texas to teach sign language. He was instrumental in the formal accreditation of American Sign Language in schools. He pushed to legally allow deaf people to work as school bus drivers. He was also instrumental in legally allowing deaf people to serve on juries. (Flynn, 2004) Additionally, Jerry Hassell played other interesting roles that continued the promotion of Deaf agenda. He taught the Gospel through sign language in a Sunday school. He influenced his family to use dinner time for communication using sign language. On family trips, he used to stop at every historical marker to deliver a lesson through sign language. Even when he was in the hospital for his kidney dialysis appointment, he was fond of teaching his doctors and nurses some sign language lessons. (Flynn, 2004)
Advocacy
Jerry Hassell used his storytelling skills to proliferate his Deaf advocacy. In 1974, he influenced State Representative Ronald Coleman to introduce and pass legislation for a sign language interpreter program. In 1990s, Jerry Hassell was key in passing the bill that provided financial assistance to deaf people and people with partial hearing loss for equipment that enabled them to use telephone. In 1994, he co-founded the Intertribal Deaf Council, an organization that supported and advocated for deaf American Indians.
Keywords: Jerry Hassell, deaf, legislation
Childhood, Roles, and Advocacy of Jerry Hassell
How the contemporary world indiscriminately treats deaf people like normal people is not a random incidence. This justly humanitarian treatment is a product of continued battle for Deaf recognition and rights in terms of education, communication, socialization, community, employment, etc. by influential people, some are deaf themselves, whose Deaf advocacy …show more content…
He was the first deaf person hired by the University of Texas to teach sign language. He was instrumental in the formal accreditation of American Sign Language in schools. He pushed to legally allow deaf people to work as school bus drivers. He was also instrumental in legally allowing deaf people to serve on juries. (Flynn, 2004) Additionally, Jerry Hassell played other interesting roles that continued the promotion of Deaf agenda. He taught the Gospel through sign language in a Sunday school. He influenced his family to use dinner time for communication using sign language. On family trips, he used to stop at every historical marker to deliver a lesson through sign language. Even when he was in the hospital for his kidney dialysis appointment, he was fond of teaching his doctors and nurses some sign language lessons. (Flynn, 2004)
Advocacy
Jerry Hassell used his storytelling skills to proliferate his Deaf advocacy. In 1974, he influenced State Representative Ronald Coleman to introduce and pass legislation for a sign language interpreter program. In 1990s, Jerry Hassell was key in passing the bill that provided financial assistance to deaf people and people with partial hearing loss for equipment that enabled them to use telephone. In 1994, he co-founded the Intertribal Deaf Council, an organization that supported and advocated for deaf American Indians.