THE S-4 STUDENTS OF THEEL PASO REGIONAL DAY SCHOOL PROGRAM for the deaf At hillside elementary present

Come on, come on…..You can think of an answer!We believe in you!

People in our country have many legal rights!

If you are arrested, here are some of your rights:

The right to remain silent!

The right to have a lawyer (even if you have no money!)

The right to have a jury and witnesses!

The right to know what they think you did!

But deaf people can’t hear what a judge says! We can’t hear what the police say! We do not hear what the lawyers say! And the judge, the police, the lawyers and the jury may not understand us! What do we do if we are arrested or are victims or jurors or witnesses or lawyers?

Come on, come on…..You can think of an answer!We believe in you!

DEAF PEOPLE USEDTO BE CUT OFF FROM TV AND THETELEPHONE ANDCLASSES AT REGULAR SCHOOLS!

BUT TDDS, ADAPTIVEDEVICES, CLOSEDCAPTIONING ANDCOMPUTERS HAVECHANGED THAT!

AND THERE ARE A LOT MORE (AND BETTER) INTERPRETERS NOW! AND THAT’S WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM!

REAL TIMECAPTIONING HELPS, TOO!

HERE IS AN INTERPRETER IN THE COURTROOM!

HERE ARE INTERPRETERS AND REALTIMECAPTIONING IN THE COURTROOM!

Come on, come on…..You can think of an answer!We believe in you!

If the policeArrested you,What would You do? Speech-Read the cop?C’mon!!!! Give Me a break!!!!

Speechreading is hard, especially if the other person hasgum. a pipe, a mustache or a beard! And many sounds Look the same on the mouth!

Youhavetherighttoremainsilent!

Do you thinkThat you canWrite notesTo the judge?Get real!!!!You may notUnderstand What the judgeWrites! The Judge may notUnderstandYour note!

What? Huh? I doNot understand this note!

DO YOU THINK THATYOUR MOM OR A FRIEND CAN INTERPRETFOR YOU IN COURT?GET A CLUE! YOUNEED TO GET AREAL, CERTIFIEDINTERPRETER WHO KNOWS HOW TOINTERPRET IN COURT!

MY POOR BABY! SNIFF!SNIFF! MY POOR BABY! YOU WILL GO TO

JAIL FOR 50 YEARS!

WAH! WAH! IDO NOTUNDERSTAND!

BUT WHY SHOULDOUR GOVERNMENTAND OUR COURTSHELP MAKE SURETHAT DEAF PEOPLEUNDERSTAND WHATIS HAPPENING TOTHEM IN OUR SYSTEMOF JUSTICE?

Come on, come on…..You can think of an answer!We believe in you!

In 1776 our Founding fathersWrote the Declaration ofIndependence!

All men, um, I meanPeople, wereCreated equal!

But how can Deaf people be‘equal’ if theHearing peopleKnow what is Going on in courtAnd deaf peopleDon’t know?

In 1789 our Country Adopted A newConstitutionWith tenAmendments toProtect usCalled ‘theBill ofRights’.

‘we the people will have freedom of speech, press, petition, assembly and religion. We will also be protected in court with freedoms like having lawyers, your own witnesses, juries and fast, public trials! There will be no double jeopardy, unreasonable search and seizure, and cruel or unusual punishment!’

But these Freedoms can’tHelp you ifYou don’tUnderstandWhat is beingSaid in court!

Congress has written even more laws to help disabled people!

We in congressHave passed lawsLike theAmericans withDisabilities act!

But these laws will not help you if You do not know what is going on and what is being said!

Yeah, we know you are tired….We are tired,too…Hey, I think my watch stopped!

We have learnedMany things!

AS AMERICANS WEHAVE MANY LEGAL RIGHTS!

DEAF PEOPLE NEEDINTERPRETERS AND OTHERSERVICES TO MAKE SURETHEY GET THEIR LEGALRIGHTS!

BUT DEAF PEOPLEARE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE WHOSE RIGHTSMUST BE PROTECTED!

COURTS MUSTBE FAIR FOR THE BLIND!

IF DEAF PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS HEARING PEOPLE, AND IF BLINDPEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS ASSIGHTED PEOPLE….

THEN PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS SHOULDHAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS PEOPLE WHO DO NOTHAVE TO BE IN WHEELCHAIRS!

BUT WE DO NOT JUSTHAVE RIGHTS AS DEAF PEOPLE! WEALSO HAVERESPONSIBILITIES!WE MUST TRY TOCOMMUNICATE AS BEST WE CAN! WEMUST BE GOODCITIZENS! WE MUSTHELP OUR POLICEAND OUR COURTS!

THAT’S ALL, FOLKS! HOPE YOU LIKEDOUR SHOW AND LEARNED A LOT!

PRODUCED BY THE FLYING HANDSOF THE S-4 STUDENTS OF THE ELPASO RDSPD, HILLSIDE ELEMENTARY