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