Deafness and Minnesota

[FunkyLeprechaun]

Hey, I'm glad I found this subforum.

I'm originally from Rochester, and my deafness and Minnesota politics are closely tied. When I was born, I was deaf (not genetically, just a fluke due to my mum's flu). My parents wanted me to go to public school and the Rochester School District 535 said no. No deaf person was in public school in Minnesota at the time.

So they took the school district to court and one of the people defending the district was the nasty Gil Gutknecht and he told the judge that I should not go to public school because it took up taxpayer money.

Fortunately, he lost the case and as a result of the case I was the first deaf child in Minnesota to attend public school. I also use Cued Speech, which helped me learn the English language and also gave me a voice.

I also talked to Paul Wellstone about deafness, and as a result of me talking to him, he started to use captioning in his advertisements, and one of the first politicans to do so (this was 1996 and tvs with the caption chips had come out 3 years earlier). I helped Mary Reider in her campaign against Gutknecht (I appeared in one of her campaign ads. If you are from District 1, you should remember the ad: she was in a classroom, I was one of the students in the room). I didn't have time to do any campaigns for MN, although my mum helped out with Patty Wetterling and Leigh Pomeroy.

I was really disheartened that Gil Gutknecht, who nearly ruined my entire life because it "used up taxpayer money" to send me to public school (he had argued that the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf was best for me and I should grow up in the Deaf Culture because they were "my people."), beat Pomeroy. Although, I'm pleased that Rochester (especially the Pill Hill district, where plenty of my friends live) is starting to trend Democrat, Maybe he'll lose the next time he runs!

I also thought about running against Gutknecht but due to the fact I'm planning on moving out of the country soon (my fiance's British, so it's not because of Bush), I can't. But if anyone who lives in District 1, and I'll donate, wants to run against Gutknecht, you're brave.

I did run into Gutknecht, and my mum told me it was him and she said say hello (just to spite him a little), at the old Barlow's grocery store and he talked to me and I said, "Oh, nice to meet you." Little did he know... That was in 1996 as well, he was running again for Representative.

[China_cat]

1. If it had been me

I'd have said hello to him alright...in the rudest sign language I know.

[katinmn]

2. Gutknecht - Can't say he was groomed by * and Rove

like Coleman and Pawlenty. Sounds like he's a self-taught a$$hole.

I can't believe he went to court to keep you out of public school!
:mad:

I'm not sure who is running against him but his retirement from "public service" is long overdue. What a disgrace for the state.

[FunkyLeprechaun]

4. That was in 1982

when that case happened and yet, he's still being an asshole right now.

He voted to cut the budget of assisted-living, aka the Charter House on the Mayo Clinic campus, saying that the elderly are better off in an institution. This was just last year.

My friend was soooooo pissed off with Gutknecht because she works with disabled people... and then she voted for Bush. :banghead:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. And welcome to the Minnesota Forum and to DU

(wish I could sign that) :-)

[FunkyLeprechaun]

5. Thanks!

Although I'm not sure how to sign that! :) I grew up oral and used Cued Speech and I know very little sign from the Community College classes I had a couple of years ago. I can speak and I also listen with a Cochlear Implant.