[PHOTO/CAPTION: Joanne Wilson]

[PHOTO/CAPTION: Joanne Wilson]

The Braille Monitor
March
2005
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Commissioner Resigns
by
Marc Maurer

Joanne Wilson

On February 8, 2005, Dr.
Joanne Wilson resigned from her position as commissioner of the Rehabilitation
Services Administration effective March 1, 2005. Her term in this office began
shortly after the inauguration of George Bush in 2001, and her service to the
disability community in the office of the commissioner of rehabilitation in
the United States might have continued into the future. However, upon sober
reflection Dr. Wilson felt that the demands of service required her resignation.
Why should this be so?
In
the early part of the 1990's a scheme was hatched to eliminate the rehabilitation
service from government by creating an entity within the executive branch supposedly
capable of serving all people seeking employment. The legislative proposal to
create this massive bureaucracy was called the Careers Bill, which would have
eliminated specialized rehabilitative programs, establishing instead a one-stop
agency that would control all programs for those seeking employment. In the
employment arena the disabled are an identifiable minority. Within the disabled
community the blind are yet another identifiable minority. Rehabilitation programs
were established in 1920 with the avowed purpose to offer specialized service
and training to severely handicapped people.
If
everyone seeking employment is placed in one pool, the most severely disabled
will be served last, because the placements for these people are expensive and
difficult. If an abundance of work exists, the placement of handicapped people
will almost never occur, because the counselors serving nondisabled people will
never have time or expertise to place the handicapped. Furthermore, the specialized
training and attention essential for quality rehabilitation will disappear.
Instruction in the techniques to use a white cane, to read Braille, and to acquire
and use computers that operate with nonvisual commands will no longer be available.
Because of the danger that all rehabilitation will be lost, the National Federation
of the Blind immediately led the way to remove programs for the disabled from
the Careers Bill. The rehabilitation program established in 1920 was maintained
in accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Some
of the people who led the effort to eliminate the rehabilitation program are
now among the officials working with the Department of Education in the White
House on redesigning the government. Once again the rehabilitation program appears
to be on the list for elimination. Dr. Wilson concluded that she could not be
a party to the destruction of this enormously valuable program. If she stayed
in the Department of Education, she would be prohibited from speaking her mind
to members of Congress about the urgent need to preserve this vital part of
the government. She resigned from her office as commissioner of the Rehabilitation
Services Administration to assist in the fight on Capitol Hill to preserve rehabilitation
for the disabled of the United States.
Dr.
Wilson will also be leading initiatives at the Professional Development and
Research Institute on Blindness at Louisiana Tech University. She will be devising
new types of training programs for teachers of the blind, and she will be developing
research partnerships with the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
and other entities throughout the United States and in other lands.
During
her time at RSA, Dr. Wilson inspired tens of thousands of our country's most
severely disabled people. Her imaginative guiding hand will be greatly missed
in the programs she deeply loved. Working with those who are promoting rehabilitation
of people who have disabilities has been a joyous work for Dr. Wilson. Her resignation
letter tells of her regret at leaving the committed staff in the rehabilitation
effort. Here is what Dr. Wilson says:
Good afternoon,
It
has been my distinct pleasure to work with all of you as the commissioner of
the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The time has come, however, for
me to submit my resignation effective March 1, 2005.
I
want to express my sincere gratitude for your support and commitment on behalf
of our nation's citizens with disabilities. I look forward to continuing the
journey to change the lives of individuals with disabilities through new avenues
in the future. I feel so very fortunate to have worked with such dedicated,
loyal, and hard-working individuals who share my passion for the empowerment
of persons with disabilities.
Again,
thank you for the privilege and the opportunity to work with all of you.
With
best regards and affection,
Joanne Wilson
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