By Brian Messenger
bmessenger@eagletribune.com
July 01, 2009 12:55 am ANDOVER — A deaf American Sign Language teacher at Andover High School may lose her job because she has failed the English competency exam to become a certified teacher in Massachusetts. Daniela Ioannides, 44, of Methuen has been teaching American Sign Language under a waiver for five years and has failed the state-mandated English test four times. Ioannides said yesterday through a sign language interpreter she found out June 23 that she was not being invited back next fall. "It's really disheartening that the system is not accessible to me," said Ioannides, who said she believes the state exam discriminates against deaf educators. Ioannides said she was born deaf and that her English speaking and reading skills are not at the same level as someone who has heard and used the language since infancy. Ioannides said she took the test for a fourth time in the spring, but did not pass. William Kolbe, a Spanish teacher at Andover High, is organizing a rally in support of her tomorrow at 10 a.m., in front of the Andover School Administration Building on Whittier Court. Kolbe said Ioannide's supporters include teachers, students and parents who also believe the English competency exam should be more accessible to the hearing impaired. To become a certified teacher in Massachusetts, educators must pass that exam and a second exam specific to their subject area. There is no certification test for American Sign Language teachers, something Kolbe said supporters also want to change. "We are together as a faculty, we are mobilized and we're prepared to go very, very far with this issue," said Kolbe. Those at the rally also will demand that Andover Superintendent Claudia Bach reinstate Ioannides until the state develops changes to its certification tests. Ioannides has been working in Andover through a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education waiver program that allows non-certified teachers to teach in public schools as long as they continue to work toward gaining their certification. But in order for that waiver to be renewed next year, Bach said yesterday the School Department must first attempt to hire a replacement with the proper certification. "We'll see what happens," said Bach. "In the past we haven't found someone." Bach said there is a possibility Ioannides will be asked to teach again in the fall. "We think she does a good job and we'd like to keep her here," Bach said. "They need to have a rally at the Statehouse. We don't really have a choice. We have to go through the steps. If granting her a waiver is our best option, we'll go through that process." American Sign Language is an elective at Andover High. Ioannides said she taught about 75 students this year. She also teaches American Sign Language at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
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