USDB Advisory Council &
Institutional Council
Compiled & Written by Jodi B. Kinner
Edited by Bronwyn O’Hara & Valerie G. Kinney
2013
Edited by Bronwyn O’Hara & Valerie G. Kinney
2013
W. David Mortensen
Repeated Requests by the Deaf Community Were Ignored
Ned C. Wheeler, a deaf person, served on the Governor’s Advisory Council for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB) from 1968 until his death in 1981. A hearing person was appointed, despite a request by the Utah Association for the Deaf (UAD) that a Deaf person be appointed in Ned’s place. The Utah Deaf community explained the importance of being represented by a Deaf person, not a hearing person, on the five-member Governor’s Advisory Council. Despite their repeated requests, they were ignored.
In 1984, the UAD asked Utah Governor, Scott Matheson, to appoint a Deaf person to the Institutional Council of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. Instead of giving them an answer, Governor Matheson referred them to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). The state board’s answer was that they would consider their request when a vacancy occurred on the Council (Mortensen, UAD Bulletin, June 1985); nothing more. Because this issue was so important, UAD President Dave Mortensen requested a meeting in February 1984 with State Superintendent of Public Instruction, G. Leland Burningham. Mortenson’s aim was to gain assurances that the Deaf community would be represented. He did not get a letter from Dr. Burningham until April of that year (Dabling, The Salt Lake Tribune, May 24, 1984) and learned what had been the Governor’s Advisory Council for USDB would now be the Institutional Council. On May 23, 1984, Mortensen objected to the Utah State Board of Education concerning the composition of the Institutional Council because there was no deaf representation on it. His point? “There was a deaf member [Ned C. Wheeler] on the [former] Governor’s Council, but after Wheeler died, a hearing person was named in his place. Wouldn’t you think that a deaf person should have been named to fill the vacancy of a deaf member….?” (Dabling, The Salt Lake Tribune, May 24, 1984).
In April 1985, a new member of the Institutional Council was appointed and that person was not deaf. Despite the Council’s request for submissions from the Utah Deaf community, two Deaf persons who applied were turned down. This greatly upset the Deaf community. President Mortensen said, “What does this mean….? That we are back where we started from [in] 1970 and that we are being subdued once again and cast aside as “handicapped beings” that really can’t be part of the decision-making apparatus when it comes to deciding what is good for the Deaf community” (Mortensen, UAD Bulletin, June 1985).
One year later, in March 1986, the UAD wrote an official letter to Governor Norm Bangerter and Bernarr Furse, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, requesting that a Deaf person be appointed to the Institutional Council. Nothing happened. Five months later, on August 3, 1986, President Mortensen spoke up again to the USDB Institutional Council by saying, “We have been to the State Board of Education; we have met with Bernarr. We [the Utah Deaf community] were concerned that a deaf person was not on the Institutional Council.” President Mortensen explained, “We told Bernarr our concerns and Bernarr understood the problem but it was as far as he went. There was a vacancy coming up. It seems to me like we had some deaf people who applied” (Auer, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 3, 1986).
Superintendent Furse had no recollection of getting such a request. He said, “I’m not aware of such request. Whether there are any board members that were asked, I do not know. All I can say is I get hundreds of letters.” He also stated, “It’s very difficult to get all the groups who feel they should have a voice adequately represented.” Darrell McCarty, an associate state superintendent, said, “Everyone has the right to make recommendations (Auer, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 3, 1986). However, the Deaf community maintained that, time after time, their requests had been ignored.
1986 was an important year because it saw UAD President Mortensen work hard with the state legislature to pass a law mandating two deaf persons being guaranteed seats on the USDB Institutional Council (UAD Bulletin, November 1999). The first two Deaf individuals to be appointed on the Institutional Council were Dr. Robert G. Sanderson and Dennis Platt. They took their seats in 1987.
Ned C. Wheeler, a deaf person, served on the Governor’s Advisory Council for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB) from 1968 until his death in 1981. A hearing person was appointed, despite a request by the Utah Association for the Deaf (UAD) that a Deaf person be appointed in Ned’s place. The Utah Deaf community explained the importance of being represented by a Deaf person, not a hearing person, on the five-member Governor’s Advisory Council. Despite their repeated requests, they were ignored.
In 1984, the UAD asked Utah Governor, Scott Matheson, to appoint a Deaf person to the Institutional Council of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. Instead of giving them an answer, Governor Matheson referred them to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). The state board’s answer was that they would consider their request when a vacancy occurred on the Council (Mortensen, UAD Bulletin, June 1985); nothing more. Because this issue was so important, UAD President Dave Mortensen requested a meeting in February 1984 with State Superintendent of Public Instruction, G. Leland Burningham. Mortenson’s aim was to gain assurances that the Deaf community would be represented. He did not get a letter from Dr. Burningham until April of that year (Dabling, The Salt Lake Tribune, May 24, 1984) and learned what had been the Governor’s Advisory Council for USDB would now be the Institutional Council. On May 23, 1984, Mortensen objected to the Utah State Board of Education concerning the composition of the Institutional Council because there was no deaf representation on it. His point? “There was a deaf member [Ned C. Wheeler] on the [former] Governor’s Council, but after Wheeler died, a hearing person was named in his place. Wouldn’t you think that a deaf person should have been named to fill the vacancy of a deaf member….?” (Dabling, The Salt Lake Tribune, May 24, 1984).
In April 1985, a new member of the Institutional Council was appointed and that person was not deaf. Despite the Council’s request for submissions from the Utah Deaf community, two Deaf persons who applied were turned down. This greatly upset the Deaf community. President Mortensen said, “What does this mean….? That we are back where we started from [in] 1970 and that we are being subdued once again and cast aside as “handicapped beings” that really can’t be part of the decision-making apparatus when it comes to deciding what is good for the Deaf community” (Mortensen, UAD Bulletin, June 1985).
One year later, in March 1986, the UAD wrote an official letter to Governor Norm Bangerter and Bernarr Furse, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, requesting that a Deaf person be appointed to the Institutional Council. Nothing happened. Five months later, on August 3, 1986, President Mortensen spoke up again to the USDB Institutional Council by saying, “We have been to the State Board of Education; we have met with Bernarr. We [the Utah Deaf community] were concerned that a deaf person was not on the Institutional Council.” President Mortensen explained, “We told Bernarr our concerns and Bernarr understood the problem but it was as far as he went. There was a vacancy coming up. It seems to me like we had some deaf people who applied” (Auer, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 3, 1986).
Superintendent Furse had no recollection of getting such a request. He said, “I’m not aware of such request. Whether there are any board members that were asked, I do not know. All I can say is I get hundreds of letters.” He also stated, “It’s very difficult to get all the groups who feel they should have a voice adequately represented.” Darrell McCarty, an associate state superintendent, said, “Everyone has the right to make recommendations (Auer, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 3, 1986). However, the Deaf community maintained that, time after time, their requests had been ignored.
1986 was an important year because it saw UAD President Mortensen work hard with the state legislature to pass a law mandating two deaf persons being guaranteed seats on the USDB Institutional Council (UAD Bulletin, November 1999). The first two Deaf individuals to be appointed on the Institutional Council were Dr. Robert G. Sanderson and Dennis Platt. They took their seats in 1987.
Deaf People Who have Served on the USDB
Advisory Council / Institutional Council
Advisory Council / Institutional Council
Ray G. Wenger
Ray G. Wenger, USD alumnus of 1913, served on the USDB Governor’s Advisory Council from 1945 to 1968.
Ned C. Wheeler
Ned C. Wheeler, USD alumnus of 1933, served on the USDB Governor’s Advisory Council from 1968 to 1981. The Governor’s Advisory Council changed its name to the USDB Institutional Council in 1981. Ned had served as chairman during part of his tenure.
Dr. Robert G. Sanderson
Dr. Robert G. Sanderson, USD alumnus of 1936, served on the USDB Institutional Council from 1990-2004. He served as chairman during part of his tenure.
Dennis Platt
Dennis Platt served on the USDB Institutional Council from 1987-1990 and 1995 to 2008. He had served as chairman during part of his tenure.
Jodi Becker Kinner
Jodi Becker Kinner served on the USDB Institutional Council from 2004 to 2008. The Institutional Council was renamed to the USDB Advisory Council in 2009. She was reappointed in 2008 and served until 2010.
Scot Ferre
Scot Ferre served on the USDB Advisory Council from 2008 to 2013.
Jeff W. Pollock
Jeffrey W. Pollock served on the USDB Advisory Council from 2011 to 2013.
Dan V. Mathis
Dan V. Mathis served on the USDB Advisory Council from 2013 to 2016.
Erika Smith
Erika Smith served on the USDB Advisory Council from 2013 to 2014.
Jared Allebest
Jared Allebest was appointed on the Advisory Council from 2015 to to 2017.
Stephanie Morgan
Stephanie Morgan, as a Deaf Education teacher, was appointed on the Advisory Council from 2015 to 2017. She represented the USDB teachers.
Philippe Montalette was appointed on the Advisory Council from 2016 to 2018.
From 1945 to 2013, or for 68 years, Deaf individuals have served on the councils that provided oversight and guidance for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind. These individuals represented the American Sign Language Deaf community of Utah. For the first time in its history, a deaf person representing the Oral/Aural/Listening/Spoken Language group has been appointed to the Council in the person of Ms. Smith.
As members of the USDB Advisory Council change, I will update a list of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in this webpage.
As members of the USDB Advisory Council change, I will update a list of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in this webpage.