A suggestion

From: Ed Feuer
Date: 10/8/99
Time: 4:26:31 PM
Remote Name: 216.81.2.87

Comments

Bill, Jim McClure, who also does advocacy for NSA, posted the following on the Stutt-X newsgroup: "Every time I
think I've identified a job a stutterer cannot possibly hold, I meet a person who stutters who's doing that job successfully.
Over the years I've met people who stutter who were succeeding as: lawyers, college professors, teachers, engineers and
scientists, newspaper reporters, secretaries, computer programmers, business owners and managers, senior military
officers, motivational speakers, physicians, psychologists, veterinarians, sales people, a millionaire real estate developer,
public relations professionals, authors Ñ not to mention speech-language pathologists. And those are just the folks I have
met." 

As I told Jim, such examples should be documented and sent to human resource organizations and HRO publications.
Awareness of these facts could help break down the stereotypes of what PWS *CAN'T* do among some key people who
have perpetrated unfair discrimination in the employment area. Ed Feuer edfeuer@escape.ca

Re: A suggestion

From: William D. Parry
Date: 10/12/99
Time: 4:22:23 PM
Remote Name: 152.163.195.194

Comments

This is a good suggestion and something that we intend to pursue.

School Teachers and Public Education

From: Ira Zimmerman
Date: 10/9/99
Time: 1:16:21 PM
Remote Name: 205.188.197.53

Comments

Bill, 

What is the latest news on the teacher denied a job because of his stutter? Is NSA planning to educate the public on what
jobs stutterers can do through print Public Service Announcements in national magazines?

Using the ADA on the job

From: Patti Bohlman
Date: 10/9/99
Time: 7:18:07 PM
Remote Name: 205.188.192.172

Comments

Bill, I did use the ADA to get a phone installed in my room. I am a speech pathologist and need to make many phone
calls. The only phone available was in a noisy crowded hall in the office of my school. While my principal was going to
do it, there was a ban on installing new phones that year in the district. I went to the union, clearly stating the many
phones calls required and the phone situation at work. Within two weeks, I had a phone. 

Re: Using the ADA on the job

From: William Parry
Date: 10/12/99
Time: 4:26:12 PM
Remote Name: 152.163.195.194

Comments

That is a good example of "reasonable accommodation" required by the ADA. Congratulations!

Employment Discrimination Against those who stutter

From: Gina M. Smith,Ê Fontbonne College, St. Louis, MO
Date: 10/10/99
Time: 3:37:00 PM
Remote Name: 199.217.208.162

Comments

Is the National Stuttering Association's Advocacy Committee currently taking any action to address the "Catch 22"
situation discussed in your article? For example, is there any type of questioning taking place when individuals prove they
are "qualified" for the job in terms of being able to speak, yet are still denied or removed from a position of employment?
Or, do employers just usually say these individuals were not hired for some other reason?

Re: Employment Discrimination Against those who stutter

From: William Parry
Date: 10/12/99
Time: 4:19:54 PM
Remote Name: 152.163.195.194

Comments

Strategies to get around the "Catch 22" problem it would depend on the specific facts of each individual case. This would
have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis by the person's own lawyer. The NSA's Advocacy Committee does not
provide legal services or represent anyone in court cases.

Employment and Job Discrimination

From: Marcy
Date: 10/14/99
Time: 7:38:59 PM
Remote Name: 134.29.41.7

Comments

I really enjoyed your article, I too have been the subject of discrimination in the work place because I stutter. Thank you
for the very informational article.

Possible Employment Discrimination

From: Jeff Shames
Date: 10/17/99
Time: 9:30:48 AM
Remote Name: 152.163.194.179

Comments

Thanks, Bill, for an informative article. 

One difficulty here is that one frequently does not know if being denied a position was employment discrimination or just
not getting the job. I have spoken about this with other stutterers. If there is no blatant discrimination it can be difficult to
know the reason.

New Presidental Directive

From: Ira Zimmerman
Date: 10/17/99
Time: 1:46:38 PM
Remote Name: 205.188.197.32

Comments

October 16, 1999 

``I'm releasing the first-ever government plan to ensure positive career paths for people with disabilities in our federal
work force,'' President Clinton said Saturday in his weekly radio address. ``I'm directing every federal agency and
department to take concrete action to expand opportunities for people with disabilities in all levels of the work force, from
entry to senior ranks.'' 

Will the National Stuttering Association make sure that the new directive includes persons who stutter? 

Question?

From: Melissa Jean-Batiste
Date: 10/19/99
Time: 4:45:07 PM
Remote Name: 209.142.182.78

Comments

Do you know of any cases where a plantiff won a substantial amount of money for stuttering discrimination in the work
place?

Re: Question?

From: William Parry
Date: 10/22/99
Time: 8:22:06 AM
Remote Name: 152.163.195.188

Comments

I do not know of any reported cases in which a stutterer won, except for one in Ohio involving a firefighter. I do not
know how much money he was awarded. However, I do know of a number of cases that were settled before trial, but I
do not know the amounts of the settlements.

discrimination

From: Janet Hartman
Date: 10/21/99
Time: 11:07:51 AM
Remote Name: 206.10.49.101

Comments

I found your article very interesting and it made me think of how often children that stutter are discriminated against in the
classroom. Are we not setting them up for further discrimination later in life? These children are not given the lead roles in
school play, are not asked to read aloud, etc. all because they often have the "thoughtful teacher" that doesn't want to
"embarrass" them. What messages are we sending our children - not only the ones that stutter but the others? Your article
made me think that many times I am also the one with the so call "good intention". Am I not really promoting the idea that
stutterers can't do something that everyone else can do when I don't even afford them the opportunity. 

The disability issues you bring forth is one that I feel the ADA needs to further define. As it currently is written, it leaves
the door too wide for misinterpretation. 

employment discrimination

From: Carrie Heidger (Fontbonne College)
Date: 10/21/99
Time: 2:26:32 PM
Remote Name: 205.188.196.46

Comments

Thank you for your article on an interesting topic. I learned a lot about the difficult situation people who stutter can be put
in when they are looking for a job, promotion, etc. It does seem like a "no win" situation for these people. Hopefully,
appropriate legal precedent will occur soon so that others with this problem will have a chance to be protected.


Workforce Training Opportunities for People Who Stutter

From: Phyllis R. Butler