MAYOR’S PROCLAMATION

Braille Readers are Leaders Day

WHEREAS, since its invention by Louis Braille (1809-1852), the reading and writing code for the blind that bears his name has become the accepted method of reading and writing for the blind the world over; and

WHEREAS, the Braille code is used to represent not only the alphabets of most written languages, but is also used for mathematical and scientific notation and the reproduction of musical scores; and

WHEREAS, contrary to widely believed myths, Braille is not difficult to learn, nor is reading Braille slower than reading print; and

WHEREAS, while technology has improved the lives of blind people by facilitating quick access to information, no technology can replace Braille literacy, since literacy is the ability to read and to write and to do the two interactively; and

WHEREAS, despite its efficiency, versatility, and universal acceptance by the blind, the rate of Braille literacy in the United States has declined to the point where only 10 percent of blind children are learning the code; and

WHEREAS, just as a literacy rate of 10 percent among this nation’s sighted children would be rightly viewed as a crisis and as cause for national outrage, the decline in Braille literacy is a crisis and swift action must be taken to reverse this dangerous trend; and

WHEREAS, Braille is the key to independence, productivity, and success for blind people, as evidenced by the fact that while 70 percent of the blind are unemployed, 85  percent of those who are employed use Braille; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of blind people and the leading advocate for Braille literacy in the United States, has launched a national “Braille Readers are Leaders” campaign to promote awareness of the importance of Braille and to increase the availability of competent Braille instruction and Braille reading materials in this country; and

WHEREAS, a key component of this campaign is the release of a United States Louis Braille commemorative silver dollar, proceeds from the sale of which will benefit the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to increase Braille literacy.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Anthony T Calderone, Mayor of the Village of Forest Park, Illinois do hereby proclaim March 26, 2009 as Braille Readers are Leaders Day in this Village, and I call upon all public officials, educators, and citizens of Forest Park to recognize the importance of Braille to the lives of blind people and to assist the National Federation of the Blind in its efforts to increase the instruction in and use of Braille in this city and across the nation.

                                                                                                        _______________________________

Dated this 23^rd day of March, 2009                                  
Mayor Anthony T. Calderone