City is Sued by Deaf Citizens

A group representing the District's deaf population has filed a class action suit. Here's part of the release.

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 11, 2007 – The District of Columbia government routinely discriminates against its citizens who are deaf and hard 0f hearing by failing to provide for adequate communication with D.C. government agencies, according to a class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court today.

The lawsuit, filed by two D.C. residents who are deaf and the Equal Rights Center, a non-profit civil rights organization, claims that the District government regularly violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal Rehabilitation Act, and the D.C. Human Rights Act by failing to provide reasonable accommodations, such as qualified sign language interpreters and teletypewriters (“TTY’s”), to assure adequate communication with members of the public who are deaf or hard of hearing. As a result, residents who are deaf and hard of hearing are routinely denied access to D.C. government services, benefits, activities, and programs.

I'll keep you posted on the City's response