This story is appalling. In a nutshell, a blind couple in California, on the day of their newborn’s birth, were told that they had to sign a form giving the county custody of their baby, or they’d be hauled into court.
Racism and classism are probably part of this story as well – it sounds like the couple isn’t rich (the mother is studying to become a court reporter, and the father sells soda at soccer games and is studying to become a massage therapist), and their native language is Spanish. The form they signed was read to them in English, not in Spanish, nor was it offered to them in Braille.
It seems clear that the Zepedas were prepared to become parents; they have a good support system (not only family and friends nearby, but an online support and information group for blind parents), and they’ve given thought to how they’ll deal with any special parenting problems caused by their blindness (for instance, purchasing a talking thermometer and “pip squeaker” shoes.
Thankfully, an outcry from activists convinced the government to let the Zepedas take their baby home – although they’ve had to arrange to have a sighted person check their baby every two hours (as blind people, they’re seemingly presumed to be incapable of checking to see that their baby is breathing themselves). Hopefully the government will do the sane thing and stop harassing these folks.
Accomodations made for deaf and blind parents are really amazing, and there is no reason why an otherwise perfectly sound couple should have their child taken away at birth even if they are considered handicapped by an uncompassionate mainstream society.
I’m glad their child is back in their custody and I wish them well. But it’s misunderstanding of altternative cultures like this that make me think the world is completely outrageous.
“Alternative culture”? What, do the Zepedas get their radio broadcasts from Dimension Q, where Dewey won, soccer doesn’t suck, and Earth is part of the UFP?
That said, I agree with Amp.
Well, I don’t know about the blind, but there has been a distinctive deaf subculture for a long time.
Precisely, DJW.
When I say “altrnative culture” I mean one outside of the mainstream with specific modes of operation and tools distinct from seeing and hearing cultures. I’m not referring to their choices of band t-shirts.
Just for the record, the blind don’t really have a distinct culture in the same way as the deaf do–probably in large part because they do not have (or need) a shared and separate language.
That said, though, of course the blind do have different ways of performing tasks–the “specific modes of operation and tools” of which Lauren speaks–and the mistaken belief that a blind couple would not be perfectly capable of looking after an infant is surely due to sighted people’s refusal to recognize the efficacy of those methods.
Hey, Elkins. Loooong time.
It realy makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Someone presents, well-fed, clothed, obviously functional in the world, and we don’t recognize their ability to function. All we can see is the disability.
Oh my god. That’s horrible.
Things are moving forward in favor of the Zepedas, according to a story in yesterday’s Mercury News.
Absolutely disgusting. The parents call for a small service (a jaundice check) and are met with abuse. The child care system is in despeate need of an overhaul. Even if they have fears for the child threats to take the child away are counterproductive. Advice on products that could help and services that could benefit a blind couple were what was called for. Not this.
One of the things blind people need most is for sighted people to help with advocacy. We do a good job of advocating for ourselves, but at least for me it’s always refreshing when a sighted person jumps in and stands up for me as a “normal” competent person. Stories like this terrify me as a prospective single adoptive parent. I have plenty of child care experience–even paid–and good references. But a social worker who doesn’t know and doesn’t want to know about nonvisual techniques will presume me unsafe from the outset of the process. Too bad we can’t gain emotional stability points based on all the mess we have to put up with from people treating us like little children!
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