Deaf News Briefs: Michigan House passes LEAD-K Bill; Apple CEO to deliver Gallaudet commencement address
Michigan House passes LEAD-K bill
Here are two Deaf News briefs.
The first: Freida Morrison, the spokesperson for LEAD-K Michigan, announced that HB 5777, Michigan’s LEAD-K bill, passed 92-10 in the Michigan House last week.
The bill aims to provide parents or guardians of deaf children with an equal amount of resources on information on ASL and English, to develop assessments for language development in ASL and English, and to have deaf children be academically ready to enter kindergarten.
The bill will now go to a Senate committee. Morrison said in a previous interview with “The Daily Moth” that this is the fourth attempt by the Michigan LEAD-K group to get this bill passed.
Many members of Michigan’s deaf community came out in support of the bill during testimony in early March. Opposing the bill were those connected with the Michigan A.G. Bell chapter and the Michigan Audiology Coalition.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook to deliver Gallaudet commencement address
The second news: Gallaudet University announced that Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver the university’s commencement address on Friday, May 13. Cook first confirmed that he would go on Twitter as he responded to a request from the undergraduate speaker, Molly Feanny, to come. Feanny said this year’s commencement would be special because it would be the first in-person ceremony since the coronavirus pandemic started. Feanny also pointed out that Apple supported the “CODA” film, which resulted in a positive impact on the Deaf community.
Deaf actress Lauren Ridloff will also speak at the commencement and will receive an honorary degree.
That’s the two Deaf News briefs for today.
LEAD-K Michigan: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1408348745895987
Previous LEAD-K Story: https://www.dailymoth.com/blog/michigan-deaf-community-testifies-in-support-of-lead-k-bill
https://www.gallaudet.edu/news/apple-tim-cook-keynote-speaker/
https://twitter.com/GallaudetU/status/1515352237542985737
https://www.gallaudet.edu/news/lauren-ridloff-to-receive-honorary-degree-and-speak-at-commencement/