Update on the FAD controversy with NAD

Renca Dunn interviews new Florida Association of the Deaf President Derick Horne at the NAD Conference in Orlando, Florida and gets an update on what the FAD has done since it was embroiled in a controversy with the NAD over Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Background info: In April, there was a controversy between the Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD) and the NAD regarding Florida’s new law that aims to limit classroom instruction about LGBTQ+ topics in elementary schools.

The bill is called the Parental Rights in Education bill, but it is also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

The FAD’s former president and spokesperson said in April that they fully supported the new law and would disassociate from the NAD due to the NAD’s public opposition against the new bill. The FAD said they wouldn’t be involved with the NAD Conference in Orlando in July.

Chris Wagner, a former FAD president — and also a former NAD president — said in April that the FAD’s disassociation from the NAD was “null and void” because three FAD officials acted independently without involving other FAD board members or regular FAD members.

Links to previous stories:

https://www.dailymoth.com/blog/fad-disassociates-from-nad-over-lgbtq-law

https://www.dailymoth.com/blog/chris-wagner-rebukes-fad-nad-board-posts-video-of-support

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Renca Dunn, Daily Moth Reporter:

Here is an update from the new Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD) president about the undergoing changes that the organization is going through. If you recall, last April, there was a controversy between the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and FAD related to the new Florida law on restricting LGBTQ+ topics from being taught in elementary schools. The former FAD president declared that they would disassociate from NAD, but that’s not the decision anymore. Here is the interview on the update with the new FAD president.

[interview clip begins]

Renca: So, right now, I want to give an opportunity for you to explain what the current status is. I know that the NAD invited you to come to the conference. Do you mind explaining the current status update?

Derick Horne: Okay. Right now, we are back in our affiliation with NAD. That took place after the whole controversy. I knew that something was not right — what was done didn’t seem right. So I called for an emergency meeting with all the (FAD) members at large. I took a pulse and found that what the person said did not represent what the members felt. So it was a concern and we had to own up. Then I discussed what we should do now and said I am here to hear what they wanted me to do as the newly appointed president, because the previous president resigned. So I collected responses and wrote a letter and submitted it and they said it was fine. Then I made a public statement to them. After that, things went back to normal.

But before I met with fellow members, I did my research based on that law. I read through everything because when the controversy was going on, many had impulsive reactions. So I looked at it and asked many different people such as LGBTQIA2S+ communities, BIPOC individuals, asking them how they felt and why — so I could understand because the law doesn’t really impact me. I’m a straight, white male. This doesn’t impact me. So I had to take a deep dive and understand their thinking and their world. I received a lot of input and I understood and “I read between the lines,” which is a hearing saying.

So I really pondered about what I should do next. I had discussions with my members. We decided that we want to invest in rebuilding our community and seek for resources, such as anything that — people to talk with to improve, to unpack, and try to remove the fear of someone feeling that they are unsafe here in Florida. Also for my members at large and for our communities. So I reached out to Gallaudet’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion department and collected resources. I also reached out to the Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf and the National Black Deaf Advocates.

It is a process. It’s not something that can happen overnight. But it’s our… also with the new FAD board members that came in, we discussed and agreed with our priorities. They were “all in.” So, that’s our direction.

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Renca: So now, with you being here to represent and all that, what is FAD’s next goal?

Horne: Like I just said, our focus will be on reaching out to the impacted communities. Because the law just went into effect on July 1st. So it’s tense but it’s too early to see the impact because it’s a holiday/summer break. It looks like it’s cooling off but when it becomes a real-life scenario, we will have to reach out to see if others are doing okay and ask how the law impacted them. We’ll collect information and I guess we have to get involved with legislators.

Right now my members are overwhelmed and dealing with confusion and disorder right now, so we are working towards… the goal, our mission for 2022, my term, is to focus on rebuilding our community and reach out with town halls and to different communities that will be impacted. We have large minority communities in the state of Florida in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Pensacola. Their environments are different from anyone else. Because the ecosystems of their communities are different even though they are in the same state. They still have different ecosystems because of the environment around them. So hopefully we will collect a lot of information and build up better resources and help with things on a nationwide level.

Renca: Thank you for your time. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next actions will be from FAD. Thank you.

Horne: Thank you for inviting me to do an interview.

[interview clip ends]

Renca: That is the current update. Thank you for the interview.