Deaf Educators

* This is in response to the article (“Two Deaf Educators Breaking the Sound Barrier,” March 18).

The hearing world could gain a much better understanding of the capabilities of the well-taught and capable person without hearing by reading this excellent article.

There is one viewpoint expressed by Tom Humphries that I would like to explore. He says that some 300 deaf educators will be needed in San Diego County to teach deaf students.

In this period when all efforts are being made to provide a less segregated lifestyle for all people with disabilities, it is not reasonable to prejudge a professional instructor based on having a certain disability.

One only needs to look to the advances in this field to find many professionals who are hearing yet have worked most effectively with the deaf community.

Unfortunately, public education practices often change too rapidly, fueled by individual court cases, pressure by ambitious “armchair” college professors and very limited input from teachers who actually perform the day-to-day instruction. Let me personally request that this idea of prequalification for teachers in this important field not be so narrowly defined.

MARJORIE BEU

Pacific Beach