RH9 disks on the net.

[Janina Sajka]

I would agree with "piss poor." But, to my mind, this still doesn't rise to the level of deliberate decision to discriminate. Rather, it describes a deliberate RH
policy that allows no exceptions to standard procedures. Unfortunately, it's clear those procedures don't include any consideration of accessibility and any
accomondation to disability which might be reasonable.

Certainly, there should be a clear and proper policy regarding accomodations. Under U.S. law RH should get busy and fix this, or you (and/or other RCE candidates)
should take action. What you experienced is most likely the lack of any deliberation whatsoever around disability among those who are empowered to make policy at RH. I
would not expect you were actually in communication with the policy makers, just those discharging RH procedures.

Of course I don't have any evidence either. I don't know, for a fact, whether (or not) RH ever sat down to set a policy of discrimination. But, lacking evidence to the
contrary, it's just far more likely they haven't thought about it very much. Certainly they need to, and should be pushed into it, if that's what it takes.

Was what happened to you discriminatory? Absolutely. But, was it the result of a deliberate policy to discriminate? I doubt it. It was most likely the result of a
policy that says "everybody must do it the same way." So, the people you talked to deliberately followed the policy that says "everybody must do it the same way." It
had nothing to do with you, disability, race, gender, or planet of origin. It wasn't a decision to say "let's stick it to beings from Mars," or "all green people," or
"all people with no hands." It was laziness in the policy department that foolishly presumed that one size can fit all. They likely believe this makes the RCE more
valuable, because everybody goes through the same ringer. Unfortunately for them, they need to do a bit more work around this.



Aaron Howell writes:
> From: Aaron Howell <aaron at kitten.net.au>
> 
> actually, to set the record straight.
> redHat _does_ maintain a policy of deliberate discrimination wrt their RHCE material.
> I was told in no uncertain terms that there was no way i would be given an electronic copy of the RHCE training material,
> and that to scan the material might be considered a breach of RedHat's copyright.
> My only option was to have a sighted person read me the whole manual *ahem-bullshit-yeah-right* that thing is like 500 pages.
> I asked RedHat Asia pacific what their response to being slapped with a disability discrimination claim regarding their refusal to provide material in an accessible format would be,
> and was told by the trainer that it would make RedHat's being able to provide me a place on the course somewhat more difficult.
> in other words, tow the line or you don't sit the course.
> that's not even the half of it though,
> i was told until 3 days before i was to start the course that yes, it would be ok for me to use speakup,
> then RH call me to say, oh, sorry, Redhat U.S said no to that and your only option is brltty
> (oh and by the way, you have to supply a compatible braille device yourself) 
> *because-everyone-has-6-thousand-spare-to-buy-one-of-those*.
> I ended up getting them to accept me having a sighted person along to read the exam,
> and to use speakup throughout the course.
> To say RedHat's attitude to accessibility is piss poor in the extreme is being nice to it.
> Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to try actually getting them to cooperate on something like the RHCE.
> My next re-sit of the RHCE when my current one expires will be in the company of a lawyer well versed in discrimination law,
> and with a little more than 3 days to work with - i intend to get access to their training material in electronic form
> if I've got to take them all the way to the human rights and equal opportunity commission.
> So, deliberate denial? absolutely!
> Regards
> Aaron

-- 
	
				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina at afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175