Deaf Community Petitions President Obama

The ASL for America movement petitions President Obama to formally recognize American Sign Language (ASL) and to take strong steps that will ensure that ASL is protected, encouraged, and strengthened.

St. Paul, MN, December 05, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The ASL for America movement, fiscally sponsored by SignCasts, petitions President Obama to formally recognize American Sign Language (ASL) and to take strong steps that will ensure that ASL is protected, encouraged, and strengthened.

Despite ASL being a native language of the United States and North America at large, the language has been marginalized due to its minority status. For instance, the United States Census does not list ASL amongst the home language options, despite having at least half million native users. Most importantly, Deaf children still struggle to receive unfettered access to ASL in education, when hearing infants and toddlers often are taught the language to improve their English literacy. ASL for America strongly believes this must change.

Therefore, the ASL for America organization and its supporters petition President Obama to issue an executive order directing federal agencies such as the Department of Education, and other appropriate agencies to ensure that ASL is not marginalized in any way, shape or form. The organization also respectfully requests that the Administration work with its legislative counterparts toward laws that will ensure no child or adult is barred from learning or using ASL.

ASL for America implores those who support social justice and civil rights, to also support unfettered linguistic access for the Deaf Community by signing the petition on the White House website, which can be found here: http://wh.gov/9Amm

For more information on ASL for America and to follow the organization on social media, visit ASL for America's website at www.aslfor.us, facebook.com/aslforus and @aslforus (Twitter).

About SignCasts
SignCasts is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated towards building the Deaf and Signing communities by informing and engaging its citizens through citizen-driven advocacy journalism.

About ASL for America
A Deaf community grassroots movement founded in 2012, ASL for America is fiscally sponsored by SignCasts.
Contact
ASL for America
Adrean Clark
651.829.2836
aslfor.us
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