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ANGELA MCCASKILL: THE FIRST DEAF BLACK WOMAN PHD HOLDER IN THE WORLD AND A POLITICAL ACTIVIST WHO WAS SUSPENDED FOR SUPPORTING TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE
Dr. Angela McCaskill was the first deaf black woman in the world to receive doctorate degree (Ph.D). She achieved this enviable record in May 14, 2004 when she was awarded Ph.D in Special Education Administration from Gallaudet University ( a prestigious university for deaf students). Her older sister, Carolyn, become the second one the following year. Angela is a "Champion of Social Justice." community leader and a deputy to the President and Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion in Gallaudet University.
Dr Angela McCaskill, the first deaf black woman Ph.D holder
McCaskill found herself in trouble over politically charged contentious and delicate issue on gay marriage when she was suspended (put on a paid leave of absence) Gallaudet University President T. Alan Hurwitz for asigned a petitionasking for Maryland’s marriage equality law to be put to a repeal vote. Dr Mccaskill was reported by an anonymous faculty member, who probably is an LGBT staunch advocate, to the University after noticing Dr Angela McCaskill`s name, address and signature on the anti-gay marriage petition.
Dr. Angela McCaskill signs to reporters during a press conference, where she asked to be reinstated, along with criticizing the university for its actions. (NBC Washington)
Dr. Angela McCaskill has worked at Gallaudet University for 23 years in various capacities. On January 3, 2011, she became the Deputy to the President and Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion.
Throughout McCaskill’s professional career she has served as a leader, teacher and administrator in education and she has worked on issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice.
Most recently, since 2007, McCaskill was the research administrator and director of diversity initiative for the Science of Learning Center on Visual Language and Visual Learning (VL2).
From 2000 to 2007, she served as an education program specialist for the U.S. Department of Education where she oversaw states’ implementation of the Individual with Disability Act (IDEA), No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Education of the Deaf Act (EDA). Gallaudet university top-shots:L-R: Provost Steve Weiner, Chief Diversity Officer Angela McCaskill, President Alan Hurwitz
From 1995 to 2000, she served as assistant principal, acting principal, program manager and outreach specialist at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD). She also taught social work courses at Gallaudet University.
She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Maryland School for the Deaf.
Dr. McCaskill was the first deaf African American female to earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet University.
Ph.D., Special Education Administration, Gallaudet University
M.S., Social Work, Howard University
B.S., Social Work, Alabama State University.
Intelligent Dr Angela McCaskill
Chief Diversity Officer Dr McCaskill recounts her story:
I grew up in Mobile, Alabama. My parents were Willie McPherson (deceased) and Janie McCaskill, currently living in Mobile—both hearing. They never married; basically, I grew up in a single-parent household. I have three sisters and one brother. The first three are deaf and the last two are hearing. My oldest sister, Carolyn, is deaf and was the first Black Deaf Miss Gallaudet in 1976. She is a professor in the Department of ASL & Deaf Studies at Gallaudet and resides in Largo, Maryland. Jacqueline, who is also deaf, graduated from Gallaudet in 1978 and currently lives in Mobile. I am the third sibling and I am hard-of-hearing. My youngest sister, Sharrell, is hearing and currently works as the Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Officer at Gallaudet. My brother is the last sibling, also hearing, and currently resides in Mobile.
Dr McCaskill signing
I initially attended segregated public schools in Mobile during the 1960s and ’70s. My first experience with integration occurred in middle school where I attended Azalea Middle School and W.P. Davidson High School, both predominately white schools. I was very active and ran track. Even though I have always had a passion for cheer-leading, I was not allowed to try out for the cheerleading team due to household chores after school (cleaning, cooking, babysitting, etc.)
Dr. McCaskill with members of the campus community at the reception following her presentation.
I graduated from Davidson High in May 1976 and immediately enrolled at Alabama State University during the summer. In May 1980, I received my Bachelor of Science Degree [in Social Work]. I was very active at ASU. I ran track, played on the softball team, and was a cheerleader. My experience at ASU was the best days of my life. I moved to Washington, D.C. in 1980, immediately after graduating from ASU, and moved in with Carolyn. This was the beginning of a new era for me. I grew as a person when I became immersed in Deaf culture and the Deaf world. It has been my life since. I love it! Even though I have two Deaf sisters, I didn’t know American Sign Language growing up. I was fluent with the manual alphabet. I begin to learn ASL and made many new deaf friends. Ruth Reed and Pamela Baldwin were the two deaf friends that I met upon arrival in Washington. They took me under their wings and taught me ASL. I am forever grateful for their friendship and support, and we remain friends to this day, 31 years later!
New Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Angela McCaskill presents to audience on her goals for the first 100 days in office.
After arriving in D.C., I was hired to work at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf. I worked at a variety of positions at Gallaudet as Assistant Principal, Program Manager, Coordinator of Residence Education and Academic Advisor, and several others. All helped me to grow as a higher-education professional.
here:
In August 1981, I enrolled in the Social Work program at Howard University and graduated in May 1984 with a Master of Social Work degree. After earning my MSW, I immediately began taking classes towards a doctoral degree. I took one class here and there and increased the number of classes over time. I also married and had two sons. My marriage ended when they were ages 2 and 3, so that slowed my progress towards working on my Ph.D. It took me 10 years to finish, but I graced the stage in May 2004! What matters most is not how long it took me to finish my degree, but that I completed it, considering all the things I was juggling.
I worked for the U.S. Department of Education from 2000 to 2007. My primary charge was to oversee the States’ implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). During my tenure there, I did not oversee the full No Child Left Behind Act. I did monitor a portion of it as it related to deaf children. The goal was to ensure that all children with disabilities, including deaf children, participated in district-wide and statewide assessments, which I supported. Schools were reluctant to [comply with] this because they believed that not just deaf children but children with disabilities lowered their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). I was charged with making sure the schools were in compliance with the law. I think my role there helped from having a Deaf person’s perspective and understanding the importance for schools to meet the educational needs of Deaf and hard-of-hearing children and to ensure that whatever accommodations provided during the classroom instructions were also provided during the district-wide and state-wide assessments.
Today, Deaf children of color have better opportunities to achieve their education. There are more role models for Deaf children of color to emulate. It is critical that schools provide the tools for them because the world is becoming smaller and more globalized. Deaf and hard-of-hearing adults have to pass the torch to Deaf children of color.
L-R: First Lady Vicki Hurwitz, Chief Diversity Officer Angela McCaskill, President Alan Hurwitz
The future is theirs. In the not-so-distant future, I envision seeing an increase in the number of Deaf people of color as lawyers, politicians, administrators, teachers, faculty, authors, scientists, and even a university president! There are no limitations as to what they can achieve. I was the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. from Gallaudet University (2004) and Carolyn was the second (2005). Finally I would like to add that if you can conceive it, you can achieve it. It takes faith, hard work, perseverance, and determination to visualize your dream.
On Wednesday, October 10, Gallaudet University suspended a senior university official when it was learned that she had signed a ballot petition giving Maryland voters the right to vote on recently passed legislation that redefines marriage in the state.
Dr. Angela McCaskill serves as the school’s chief diversity officer, and is according to the university’s web site the first deaf African American woman to earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet. Apparently that is not diverse enough for the uniform viewpoint required by the school’s administration. Despite more than twenty years of service to the school, Dr. McCaskill was placed on paid leave by University President T. Alan Hurwitz, who said that “Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer.”
Until a few years ago, a decision punishing an employee for engaging in the democratic process would have been jaw-dropping. However, Gallaudet University’s discriminatory action reflects a troubling nationwide trend of voter intimidation and bullying tactics against those who uphold marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Over the summer, we saw two mayors attempt to block Chick-fil-A location permits simply because the mayors disagreed with the marriage views of Chick-fil-A’s CEO.
A person should no more be punished for signing a petition than they should be for voting. A citizen’s right to participate in our democratic process is at the core of our system of representative self-government.
The University’s punishment of Dr. McCaskill will no doubt have a chilling effect. If this action is allowed to stand, others like it will follow.
We have seen that wherever marriage is redefined, we can only expect more of these civil rights violations. As my friend, Derek McCoy, executive director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, told the Baltimore Sun, “If such attacks can be made before same-sex marriage is law, how can homosexual activists in good faith say that religious liberties will not be attacked if Question 6 passes?”
WATCH: Dr. Angela McCaskill of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., Has Been Punished For Signing a Petition to Vote on Homosexual Marriage in her State
Angela McCaskill signs during her press conference Tuesday.
Dr. Angela McCaskill has worked at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., for 23 years. But the liberal school suspended her after it found out she had signed a petition asking that the public in Maryland get the chance to vote on whether or not same-sex marriage should be legal in that state.
"Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as chief diversity officer," Gallaudet University President T. Alan Hurwitz wrote.
This week, the Maryland resident held a press conference on the steps of her state capitol to criticize what happened to her.
"The university took this action against me because I was among 200,000 people that signed this petition. I exercised my rights," McCaskill said during the news conference. "I felt it was important that we as the citizens of Maryland have an opportunity to vote."
Her attorney, J. Wyndal Gordon, said McCaskill has been wounded by what her university has done to her.
"We demand that Dr. McCaskill be reinstated, that she be compensated for the physical and emotional distress caused by this scandal," Gordon said.
Groups fighting both for and against same-sex marriage in Maryland have all said McCaskill should be reinstated. So has Gov. Martin O'Malley, who pro-gay marriage.
"The reason why this issue is so destructive and has concerned so many is that it is a direct threat to our system of democracy," Delegate Aisha Braveboy, chair of the Maryland Black Caucus, said.
McCaskill hasn't even said whether she's for or against gay marriage. She just signed a petition asking for a vote on the question.
Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun - Dr. Angela McCaskill, the chief diversity Officer at Gallaudet University, was suspended after she signed a petition to put Maryland’s same-sex marriage law to a referendum.
Those who've warned legalized gay marriage will end up harming anyone who shows any support for traditional marriage are now pointing to McCaskill's case.
Gallaudet official blasts school, hints at lawsuit
Gallaudet University chief diversity officer Angela McCaskill this week denounced a decision by the school to put her on leave after she signed an anti-gay petition in Maryland. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Gallaudet University’s chief diversity officer said her reputation was unfairly “tarnished” last week when the university placed her on paid administrative leave for signing a petition in July to place Maryland’s same-sex marriage law on the ballot in a voter referendum.
At a news conference outside the Maryland State Capitol Building in Annapolis, Angela McCaskill, who served as Gallaudet’s Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion, identified two out lesbian faculty members as the ones she claims persuaded Gallaudet President T. Alan Hurwitz to suspend her from her job.
She identified the faculty members as Martina “MJ” Bienvenu and Kendra Smith, saying the two are partners and wrote a joint letter to Hurwitz asking that she be reprimanded.
The Blade sent e-mails to Bienvenu and Smith seeking their version of what role they may have played in McCaskill’s suspension. The two responded late Wednesday with a one-sentence statement released by Gallaudet spokesperson Catherine Murphy.
“At this time, we would prefer this matter be a discussion between the University and Dr. Angela McCaskill,” the statement says.
“I was shocked, hurt, insulted. I was humiliated,” McCaskill said, adding that Hurwitz sought to punish her for merely exercising her private right as a Maryland resident to sign a petition to allow voters to make the final decision on whether the same-sex marriage law should be retained or overturned.
“They have attempted to intimidate me and tarnish my reputation,” she said.
McCaskill, speaking in sign language, delivered her comments through an interpreter.
She declined to disclose her position on same-sex marriage or whether she will vote for or against the marriage equality law in the Nov. 6 referendum.
McCaskill’s news conference came hours after the university released a statement saying it wants to talk to McCaskill about reaching an agreement that could lead to her reinstatement.
Her attorney, J. Wyndal Gordon, told the news conference McCaskill suffered damages by the university’s action and she would seek compensation for the damages. He declined to say whether McCaskill planned to file a lawsuit and seek monetary compensation.
“We will gladly meet with them,” he said of the university offer to discuss ways to reinstate McCaskill.
Gordon stated repeatedly that McCaskill remains neutral on the gay marriage ballot referendum. He said her decision to sign the petition to place the marriage question on the ballot was based on her strong belief that all controversial issues should be put before voters in Maryland.
“I fully support the members of the LGBT community as I support all groups across Gallaudet and its community,” McCaskill told the news conference.
“When I assumed my position we had an LGBTQA Resource Center that had been formed without funding,” she said. “It was simply an office. I relocated resources to provide support for the center because I believe that members of the LGBTQA community deserve more.”
McCaskill, 54, said she has worked at Gallaudet for 24 years. Her biography on the university website says she is the first deaf African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet.
Tuesday’s news conference marked the first time McCaskill has spoken publicly about her suspension since the university community first learned about it on Oct. 10 through a statement released by Hurwitz.
“It recently came to my attention that Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer; however, other individuals feel differently,” Hurwitz said.
I will use the extended time while she is on administrative leave to determine the appropriate next steps taking into consideration the duties of this position at the university,” he said. “In the meantime an interim Chief Diversity Officer will be announced in the near future.”
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has called for the reinstatement of Gallaudet University official Angela McCaskill. (Washington Blade file photo by Pete Exis)
Since making that announcement, Hurwitz has come under fire from both supporters and opponents of the Maryland marriage equality law. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, a strong supporter of the same-sex marriage law, and Josh Levin, chair of Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the lead group campaigning to retain the same-sex marriage law, have called on Gallaudet to immediately reinstate McCaskill.
The anti-gay Family Research Council and the Maryland Marriage Alliance, two groups urging voters to overturn the marriage equality law in the November referendum, have cited McCaskill’s suspension as a predictor of what will happen if the law is upheld and takes effect in January.
“Homosexual activists continue to cry that individual and religious liberties are not at risk,” said Maryland Marriage Alliance Chair Derek McCoy in a statement released on Tuesday. “The suspension of Dr. McCaskill is proof of the disingenuous and untruthful nature of that argument.”
In a full-page ad published Tuesday in the Annapolis daily newspaper The Capital, Marylanders for Marriage Equality disputed McCoy’s assertion.
“Unfortunately, opponents of marriage equality are trying to make what happened to Dr. McCaskill about Question 6, the November ballot measure that will allow gay and lesbian couples to get a civil marriage license and protects religious freedom,” the ad states.
“But her suspension from a D.C. university has nothing to do with Question 6 in Maryland,” the ad says. “It does however have everything to do with being able to express one’s opinions, freely, and participate in the political process…Question 6 is about fairness and equality under the law, and it’s only fair Dr. McCaskill get her job back.”
The blog reported that an unidentified faculty member reportedly found McCaskill’s name on a database list of all signers of the petition that was released by the Maryland board of elections and published by the Washington Blade.
At Tuesday’s news conference in Annapolis, neither McCaskill nor Gordon, her attorney, identified Bienvenu or Smith as the faculty members who discovered McCaskill’s name on the database of petition signers.
But McCaskill told of how the two faculty members played a key role in what she described as a “tremendously horrific” two-week period in which her 24-year career at the university was shaken.
“This nightmare began two weeks ago on Wednesday, Oct. 3, when I was approached by a faculty member of Gallaudet University whose name is Martina Bienvenu,” McCaskill said.
“She asked if I had signed a petition to put the question of same-sex marriage on the ballot as a referendum,” McCaskill continued. “I responded that I had, that I did sign such a petition. In this very moment, she determined that the signature meant that I was anti-gay. No one has the right to decide what my signature meant,” she said. “Only I can do that.”
Added McCaskill, “MJ, Dr. Bienvenu and her partner, Kendra Smith, wrote a letter to the president of the university asking that I be reprimanded.”
Their biographies posted on the Gallaudet website state that both hold a Ph.D., with Bienvenu serving as a professor of “ASL and Deaf Studies” and Smith serving as an assistant professor of counseling. Both have been involved in academic-related projects involving LGBT deaf people, according to the biographies.
Planet DeafQueer reported in an Oct. 8 posting that LGBT students, who considered McCaskill a friend and ally in her role as chief diversity officer, were shocked when they learned she had signed a petition to place the marriage equality law on the ballot in a referendum.
The blog posting said LGBT students and faculty believed it was inappropriate for the school’s diversity officer to take such an action, which they viewed as an endorsement of the campaign to defeat the marriage equality law.
LGBT activists in Maryland have pointed out that the signature gathering effort to place the marriage equality law on the ballot was organized and carried out by people who oppose same-sex marriage.
But Gordon, McCaskill’s attorney, said at the news conference Tuesday that it would be incorrect to label McCaskill as being anti-gay or an opponent of gay marriage.
“Her signature on the same-sex marriage petition referendum that she signed in July 2012 merely represented her desire to, one, have this matter decided through the Maryland democratic process; two, allow Maryland citizens to become more informed on the issue through public discourse; and three, to enable Maryland citizens to cast their votes after thoroughly examining the issues and making an informed decision,” he said.
“Signing a petition to have same-sex marriage placed on the November ballot in Maryland’s general election no more interferes or compromises Dr. McCaskill’s integrity or qualifications as the Chief Diversity Officer than it would if she signed a petition to place affirmative action or any other controversial issue on the November ballot.”
Greg Nevins, an attorney with the gay litigation group Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, said an employer such as a university could establish restrictions on an employee’s public actions under certain circumstances.
“I would say people can vote the way they want to,” Nevins said. “But as far as putting yourself out in a public way, if it’s contrary to your job description – the things that you should be portraying and the employer’s position – they can take action against you.”
The goal was to ensure that all children with disabilities, including deaf children, participated in district-wide and statewide assessments, which I supported. Schools were reluctant to [comply with] this because they believed that not just deaf children but children with disabilities lowered their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). I was charged with making sure the schools were in compliance with the law. I think my role there helped from having a Deaf person’s perspective and understanding the importance for schools to meet the educational needs of Deaf and hard-of-hearing children and to ensure that whatever accommodations provided during the classroom instructions were also provided during the district-wide and state-wide assessments.
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