Comments on: This day in Civil Rights history http://www.somervillevoices.org/2008/07/25/accessibility/this-day-in-civil-rights-history/ An independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:37:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: barry http://www.somervillevoices.org/2008/07/25/accessibility/this-day-in-civil-rights-history/comment-page-1/#comment-238 barry Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:49:24 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=249#comment-238 I think eila's point is that even after 18 years of the signing of ADA, it is still a struggle to include accessibility in design. Even if her complaint resulted in a brand new ADA-compliant desk tomorrow, it would still be an injustice that she had to make a complaint at all. I wonder what role the city's ADA Coordinator had in the desk's design? It would also be helpful to know the administration's record on ADA compliance. I think eila’s point is that even after 18 years of the signing of ADA, it is still a struggle to include accessibility in design. Even if her complaint resulted in a brand new ADA-compliant desk tomorrow, it would still be an injustice that she had to make a complaint at all. I wonder what role the city’s ADA Coordinator had in the desk’s design? It would also be helpful to know the administration’s record on ADA compliance.

]]> By: eila http://www.somervillevoices.org/2008/07/25/accessibility/this-day-in-civil-rights-history/comment-page-1/#comment-237 eila Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:34:04 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=249#comment-237 O my! Thanks for your comment, Jon It's true that, if this were just a one-time simple mistake, then I certainly would have good faith that this issue did not represent a persistent negligence in accounting for, and caring about, access and usability for people with physical disAbilities. However, since I've spent thousands of hours trying to work in good faith with the city's designated staff over the past three and a half years on design, planning and program details- only to consistently encounter what appears to be an extraordinary aversion to caring about these details - I guess my good faith has just about wilted! Would you please inform the city's ADA Coordinator or 3-1-1 that the Welcome Desk is too high- and give us all a follow-up report, Jon? O my! Thanks for your comment, Jon

It’s true that, if this were just a one-time simple mistake, then I certainly would have good faith that this issue did not represent a persistent negligence in accounting for, and caring about, access and usability for people with physical disAbilities.

However, since I’ve spent thousands of hours trying to work in good faith with the city’s designated staff over the past three and a half years on design, planning and program details- only to consistently encounter what appears to be an extraordinary aversion to caring about these details – I guess my good faith has just about wilted!

Would you please inform the city’s ADA Coordinator or 3-1-1 that the Welcome Desk is too high- and give us all a follow-up report, Jon?

]]> By: Jon B. http://www.somervillevoices.org/2008/07/25/accessibility/this-day-in-civil-rights-history/comment-page-1/#comment-236 Jon B. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:25:57 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=249#comment-236 Dear lord, could this post be any more snide? Isn't it possible that the city made an honest mistake and inadvertently missed section 36.6 of CMR 521? Did it occur to you that if you pointed this out politely to the city that they might get a new desk that conforms to section 35.6 of 521 CMR? It doesn't matter that you're 100% right. Posts like this only give a bad name to the cause you are supposedly trying to help. Dear lord, could this post be any more snide? Isn’t it possible that the city made an honest mistake and inadvertently missed section 36.6 of CMR 521? Did it occur to you that if you pointed this out politely to the city that they might get a new desk that conforms to section 35.6 of 521 CMR?

It doesn’t matter that you’re 100% right. Posts like this only give a bad name to the cause you are supposedly trying to help.

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