Gallaudet Protesters Ousted Incoming President

In 2006, students, faculty, and alumni at Gallaudet University, a Washington, DC, university for deaf students, protested the appointment of Jane Fernandes as its next president. Critics claimed that protesters considered Fernandes "not deaf enough" because she was born deaf but did not learn American Sign Language until adulthood. Protesters argued that she lacked the charisma to lead the global deaf community. Students occupied Hall Memorial Building, police arrested 133 protesters on October 13, and more than 4,000 supporters marched to the US Capitol eight days later. On October 29, Gallaudet's Board of Trustees withdrew Fernandes's appointment before she took office.

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