NAD Urges White House to Make Disability Part of Diversity in Judicial Nominations

 The National Association of the Deaf joined the efforts of 104 other national and state-based disability rights organizations, law firms, and individuals, urging the White House to make disability part of its efforts to achieve diversity in judicial nominations. The White House recently published an “infographic [2]” describing the efforts to bring diversity to the bench. The infographic discusses efforts to nominate African Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, women, and openly gay judges, but does not mention people with disabilities.

The makeup of the federal judiciary is extremely important to the rights of individuals with disabilities, as it is to other civil rights. Too often, court decisions have stripped individuals with disabilities of the rights that afford them equal opportunities in their workplaces and communities.

"The NAD is not aware of any deaf or hard of hearing federal judges who use sign language. With the increasing number of deaf and hard of hearing attorneys in the United States, over 300 today, we want to see a signing judge appointed to Federal court in our lifetime," said Bobbie Beth Scoggins, NAD President.

Click here [3] to download and read the letter.