WHEREAS, The Maryland State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) receives tax dollars to assist blind persons by providing educational and training opportunities that should enhance our employment and tax-paying capabilities; and
WHEREAS, clients who receive transportation, maintenance, tuition, and other allotments from DVR have no other income to fall back on when these payments are late; and
WHEREAS, these payments are frequently late, due to such bureaucratic excuses as: "the Maryland State Department of Education must send all of its monthly bills to the state treasury at the same time--if one vendor.is late with its bills, all of the bills are submitted and paid late,"; and
WHEREAS, when a blind college student discussed the problem of late checks in an interview on November 16, 1987, with Mr. George Raiden, Director of Accounting, Maryland State Department of Education, she was treated in a condescending and disrespectful manner with such answers as: "Sweetie, we really can't be expected to hold some little student's hand at the University of Maryland up there taking little classes in accounting": Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this 11th day of September, 1988, in the City of Towson, Maryland, that this organization demands_ a written apology from Mr. Haiden for his prejudicial remarks against blind persons and women; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urges the Maryland State Department of Education institute accounting changes to insure that checks are delivered to DVR clients in a timely manner.