From: Pete Donahue 
Subject: Re: Seeing Eye's bad dogs
Hello Harvey and listers,
There you go again, giving the guide dog schools free reign to decide what
kind of standards they will set for the field.  Now if this were general
rehabilitation agencies we would demand a say in the quallity and type of
services they provide to the blind.  Why Are guide dog schools so
different?  For that matter don't forget that rehabilitation agencies of
one kind or other existed long  before the NFB as well, but it is us that
coach them on the kind of training they offer to their blind clients and
students.  Why are guide dog users having such a problem with this line of
reasoning?  I know for a fact that dr. Jernigan was shocked at the
behavior of some of those at the guide dog division meeting last year
after Peggy spoke.  Later that week I told him that I fully agreed with
her that we must advise and demand a respectible level of performance from
guide dog schools just as we do from other agencies, and this was
unbelievagble how the guide dog users reacted after he took his time to
come and talk to us concerning the now faimous October 1995 Braille
Monitor.  Those at the NAGDU Meeting had a chance to begin to formulate
with the guide dog schools in attendance ideal training standardsand to
begin to forge a better working relationship with them.  Instead they
rebelled and got on a high horse all because a non guide dog user spoke to
them urgint us to begin that process.  I guess it never occurred to you
that Mrs. Eliot probably spent time researching how guide dog training
programmes were conducted so she would have a bbasic knowledge of how
these programmes operatedin order to address uswith her concerns.  And
remember that she lives with a guide dog user so this gave her more insite
in to how training was done.  From this she most likely made her
observations and formed her suggestions of what could be done to improve
training in the future.  Now in my book she diserves a gold star for being
willing to make her observations based on her concern for the welfare of
the blind including guide dog users and to improve the immage they portray
to the public.  I hope we won't be stuck on Peggy Eliot's speech at last
years guide dog meeting for the next ten years.  Think of the
opportunities we will loose if we keep allowing nonsence like this to set
us back.
If youFor your information if you read the last issue of Harness Up even
Dr. Gabbias expresseed his concernabout the quallity of training offered
by the guide dog schools; The Seeing Eye included.  Even I wasn't
prepaired for what he said later in his editorrial.  He stated that
perhaps a major solution to turjn things around would be for the NFB to
start it's own guide dog training programme.  I have felt that this would
be a good idea as well.  After all we have just about edvery other kind of
training for the blind, and we've made it the best around.  So immagine
what we could do if we started our own guide dog programme.  Harvey we
then be in the business along with seeing Eye and the rest.  Dr. Jernigan
told me that if funding could be found, and if there was a need for it he
would support such a venture.  I know that talk is cheep and the rest, but
for all we know this idea could be on a faster tracik than we may realize.
I didn't know that we were all ready considering Real Audio broadcasts of
our national conventions, but after writing to Curtis Chong and Davic
Andrews I found out that it is bding worked on.  Only time will tell.
As for getting home training Fidelco does not comver this area.  Perhaps
if and when the Guide Dog Foundation of the soughwest which is located
Right here in San antonio ever get's it's training programme started we
may have home training more available for those who request it.
As for NFB's leadership bossing guide dog users around does any one who is
a guide dog user want to run for a posission on the National Board wso
there will be more of us on it?
Anyway, I'm out of gas for now.  Take care and have a good evening.
Yours truly,
Peter donahhue
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