Before I get started on this post, let me apologize to the people of Long Island. In my previous blogs (and in email messages) I’ve been saying that I’m doing book events IN Long Island. The schoolkids I visited today set me straight.
I’m ON Long Island, not IN Long Island.
In addition to discussing prepositions, we discussed politics.
Elliott Spitzer stepped down as New York governor today. Lieutenant Governor David Paterson was named his successor. The kids today wanted to know what it meant to be “legally blind.”
Here’s the deal. David Paterson lost sight in his left eye and much of the sight in his right eye after an infection when he was a baby.
When Paterson takes office on Monday, he will become only the third African-American governor in the nation since Reconstruction. He will not be the first New York governor with a disability, though — Franklin Delano Roosevelt governed from 1928 to 1932.
Paterson will, however, be the first blind governor — at least as far as the National Federation of the Blind is aware.
From an AP story today:
“Refusal to bow to his handicap came early.
When New York City schools refused to let him attend mainstream classes, his parents established residency on Long Island, where they found a school that
would let him go to regular classes.”
The kids on Long Island feel proud. Or let me put it this way: they feel proud ON Long Island.
Isn’t life interesting. Who would have imagined that you would be ON Long Island when the legally blind and African American David Paterson takes office. What a great discussion you had with the students – politics, disabilities, geography – and I am sure Hanni!
Yes, I think if you look up “interdisciplinery curriculum” in the teacher dictionary, you’ll find a description of my day with the kids on Long Island!
The ‘other’ Beth! How are you? I loved loved LOVED this post! I heard about this guy and thought, wow, he reminds me of a cool person with an even cooler name that I met! 🙂 I was impressed by you and impressed by this guy, as well. I will have to listen to his speech.
I wanted to thank you for posting to the blog. I’m finally updating it, and hopefully will do that on a regular basis from now on until we get a web-a-holic who can work on it with more panache than I can. But for now I’m the best Dupage Writer’s Group has! I do apologize, however, for not getting back to you sooner. I didn’t check the email until now and i had a few emails in there, believe it or not! What a surprise you posted.
Thank you, Beth, for supporting DWG and I can’t wait to meet you again and listen to you speak about your experience. You inspired me and I hope I have the power through DWG and my writing and life to inspire others as well.
PS. Hanni is probably ‘the’ coolest dog i’ve ever met
Wow! What a sweet note! No need to apologize for not getting back to me sooner — you’ve corresponded with me now in the way I like best: responding to my blog!
PS: hanni says thanks for the compliment…!
[…] with our locale. You know, Sister’s Book Club. . This year’s book is a bit of a stretch. After visiting Long Island last month I found myself wanting to read The Great Gatsby again. When I went to order it, the notes said Jay […]
[…] Gets the Last Laugh Published January 10, 2009 blindness <If you read my post last March about the first blind man to become governor of New York, you know I’m a David Paterson fan. So when Saturday Night Live decided to do a skit […]
[…] three different schools while we’re there. During our last visit, I thought it was kismet that we were there the very day David Paterson was named governor. David Paterson lost sight in his left eye and much […]
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