CA
State's School's Chief Jack O'Connell Announces Recognition of 2008 National White Cane Safety Day
Author: California Department of Education
Published on Oct 15, 2008 - 7:11:56 AM

SACRAMENTO, Oct. 14, 2008 - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell is calling upon Californians to celebrate National White Cane Safety Day, which is observed each year on October 15 to recognize the "white cane" as an instrument of opportunity and equality for those who are blind or visually impaired.

On Wednesday morning at California Department of Education (CDE) headquarters at 15th and N streets in Sacramento, O'Connell will congratulate three students, Travis Erdman, Rusty Rendon, and Mark Rodriguez - all from the California School for the Blind (CSB) in Fremont, for writing winning essays on "What My White Cane Means to Me."

In addition, CDE personnel will be invited and encouraged to engage in simulated blindness experiences, including street crossings under blindfold and learning white cane techniques in an obstacle course. They will hear firsthand from blind students regarding the challenges and rewards of learning to travel independently with the specialized training they receive from certified orientation and mobility instructors.

"Participants at this event will be able to gain a new perspective on the challenges faced by persons who are blind or visually impaired," O'Connell said. "This will help us better serve students who are blind or visually impaired and improve our support for programs that enhance their access to education and future success."

Participants also will learn about Braille, play Braille and mobility games, and enjoy Braille fortune cookies from the Lucky Touch Fortune Cookie Company, a CSB student-operated business, and the only fortune cookie company in the world that carries chocolate-dipped giant fortune cookies with Braille and print sayings.

National White Cane Safety Day has been observed annually since the White Cane Law was passed and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The law declares that people who are blind or visually impaired have the right to full access to all places that the public is invited, and as pedestrians have equal access to the streets of our communities. The law also authorized the president to proclaim October 15 of each year as "White Cane Safety Day" to make the public aware of the significance of the white cane, or dog guide, as a symbol of independence and to celebrate the freedom to live lives as equal and productive citizens of the community.

October is also Meet the Blind Month, a nationwide campaign to increase awareness of and support for the National Federation of the Blind. For more information, please visit, http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Meet_the_Blind_Month.asp.

For more information on the California School for the Blind, Fremont, please visit http://www.csb-cde.ca.gov/.

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