After learning more and more about the shitstorm that is happening at Oregon Commission for the Blind right now, I am even more relieved that N didn’t get that job. I think he might have dodged a major bullet. This still doesn’t make what is going on fair for any of the blind Oregonians that need services and deserve a competent, highly effective services center. What I am afraid of, (yet also why we probably dodged a bullet) is that the state is going to cut funding, fold the program into regular VR where specialized training will no longer happen, or cut the entire program altogether. I support the continued funding of the program as it is, (or is supposed to be) a consumer-driven program that provides specialized services to blind Oregonians. But agree that MUCH improvement and overhaul is needed. I think the only way this is going to happen is for new blood to get in there and clean f’ing house.
Anyway, to promote the outing of OCB director Linda Mock, which I support, I will publish a few links of info for ya.
First, an article about the OCB protests that happened earlier this month, with some good commentary.
Second, a good summary article from the Braille Monitor: A Wake-Up Call for the Oregon Commission for the Blind
And third, a Change.org petition to the Oregon Legislature that calls for the resignation of Linda Mock. (BTW, the shitty spelling and grammar on there should be a clue as to the need for skills training for blind Oregonians, but I respect their speaking out, even if done so imperfectly.)
There are some good employees at OCB, I do want to say that. But the defensive comments of Ms. Mock are just hilarious. They couldn’t track funding because they are counselors, not accountants????? At almost every job I’ve had, I’ve had to track funding. As a teacher, I had to track supplies and curriculum purchases, as a researcher, I had to manage grant budgets, as a home health care worker, I have to track hours, and any money that changes hands between client and worker. And believe you me, I AM NOT AN ACCOUNTANT. And then they couldn’t give a ten-page budget document to their (mostly blind) commissioners because it was TOO COMPLEX? C’mon. I got a ten page budget in the mail yesterday from my stupid HOA and I understood it just fine. And they can’t track cell phone bills because they are HARD TO READ? Um, I’m blind, and I can read my own phone bills ON THE COMPUTER.
Oh, she entertains me. Almost as much as when she said N was the most qualified for the job but they wanted someone who could start right away with no training. Heh.
