“I don’t understand why Sign Language is accepted as a second language but Braille isn’t,” said Sophomore Alexis Garcia.
Garcia has been pushing for the opportunity to take Braille as his second language for about two years. However, he hasn’t been able to make progress. Most blind or visually impaired kids around the state of Minnesota have to get it approved by their school district to study Braille as their second language, but some high schools have the choice for their students to take American Sign Language. Fairbault High School is one Minnesota High School that offers this option for students.
Ten out of 14 students polled answered that Braille should accepted as a second language, and eight out of those 10 said they thought Braille was a language already.
One out of the four who answered that Braille shouldn’t be a language said that Braille is more of a code. If this is so, and Braille is more of a code, then wouldn’t Sign Language be considered a code? A “dot one” in Braille is the letter A, but making a fist with your hand is also an A in American Sign Language.
Braille and Sign Language are not that different from each other. Sign Language is using gestures to communicate, and Braille is using dots. Braille should also be accepted as a second language, It’s not fair for blind students.
