Dr. Robert G. Sanderson's Dream
Compiled & Written by Jodi B. Kinner
2019
Dr. Robert G. Sanderson
With a long history of political controversy over the circumstances surrounding the inequality of Deaf Education that existed in Utah, especially since 1962, the parents and Utah Deaf community would not settle for anything less in assuring that Dr. Robert G. Sanderson’s dream become a reality!
The Utah Deaf community has only advocated for equal, unbiased information to be passed on to parents. The Utah School for the Deaf has a long way to go to improve its quality of services and education to serve deaf and hard of hearing children. For years, the deaf and hard of hearing students were continually subdivided by teaching methods, communication methodology, programs, educational philosophies, and LRE issues.
I believe Dr. Sanderson's dream will help unify all parties to achieve his dream by serving the deaf children and hard of hearing children.
“MY DREAM”
“This is my dream and only mine. I’ll share it with you, even though some of you may think it’s more like a nightmare.
I dream:
That every deaf child in Utah will get an education as good as if not better than that provided to normally hearing children in the public schools;
That every deaf child will be encouraged and helped to develop his or her own identity as a person who is deaf, and who is not ashamed of deafness;
That each child will be carefully evaluated by unbiased professionals who have the best interests of the child at heart, rather than their personal philosophies.
I dream:
That there will be high quality options for parents who wish only the best for their children who are deaf, such as:
I dream:
That these quality schools will have:
I dream:
That there will be a program to get parents involved with adults who are deaf, to learn that we are anxious to help and to share our real life knowledge of what living with deafness is like.
And yes, I dream that we can all work together to make it happen! (Sanderson, UAD Bulletin, July 1992).”
I dream:
That every deaf child in Utah will get an education as good as if not better than that provided to normally hearing children in the public schools;
That every deaf child will be encouraged and helped to develop his or her own identity as a person who is deaf, and who is not ashamed of deafness;
That each child will be carefully evaluated by unbiased professionals who have the best interests of the child at heart, rather than their personal philosophies.
I dream:
That there will be high quality options for parents who wish only the best for their children who are deaf, such as:
- A top-quality comprehensive residential school for deaf children who live far from urban schools;
- A high quality day school with proper grading K-12 in a central division location in each of the major cities, SLC, Ogden, and Provo—in which children who are deaf may interact freely with their peers;
- Schools in which communication philosophies fit the child, and not the child to the philosophies.
I dream:
That these quality schools will have:
- Administrators who know who to motivate and get the best out of their teachers;
- Top-quality professional teachers who not only understand the subjects they teach, but deafness as well, and who will earn salaries commensurate with the special skills they have;
- That all graduates of the Utah School for the Deaf will score in the top 20% of all high school graduate statewide, and will qualify for higher education if they so desire.
I dream:
That there will be a program to get parents involved with adults who are deaf, to learn that we are anxious to help and to share our real life knowledge of what living with deafness is like.
And yes, I dream that we can all work together to make it happen! (Sanderson, UAD Bulletin, July 1992).”
For years, the parents of deaf children wanted to have both ASL and LSL options, but Bitter/Noyce administration would not allow it. Under the administration of Joel Coleman, USDB Superintendent and Michelle Tanner, USD Associate Superintendent, they finally allow it.
It is Dr. Robert G. Sanderson’s dream that we all work together to make it happen. After more than 50 years, the Utah School for the Deaf finally has the right administrators, Joel Coleman, Superintendent and Michelle Tanner, Associate Superintendent who thrive to provide an equal deaf educational system. Moreover, they are able to achieve Dr. Sanderson’s dream. We can have greater impact if we collaborate successfully as partners on achieving equality of deaf education for all deaf and hard of hearing children in Utah.
It is Dr. Robert G. Sanderson’s dream that we all work together to make it happen. After more than 50 years, the Utah School for the Deaf finally has the right administrators, Joel Coleman, Superintendent and Michelle Tanner, Associate Superintendent who thrive to provide an equal deaf educational system. Moreover, they are able to achieve Dr. Sanderson’s dream. We can have greater impact if we collaborate successfully as partners on achieving equality of deaf education for all deaf and hard of hearing children in Utah.
Michelle Tanner, USD Associate Superintendent; Joel Coleman, USDB Superintendent; Carolyn Lasater, USB Superintendent @ Twitter.com
Reference
Sanderson, R.G. (1992, July). My Dream. UAD Bulletin, Vol. 17, No. 2, p. 8.
Sanderson, R.G. (1992, July). My Dream. UAD Bulletin, Vol. 17, No. 2, p. 8.