It has been alleged on social media that Newcastle United Football Club have allegedly refused to provide a 9 year old Deaf mascot with a sign language interpreter – unless his father waits outside the ground.
The 9 year old boy was due to be the mascot at Saturday’s game against Manchester United, and it is common practice for a parent to accompany their child for what would be a proud day for parent and child alike.
However, according to his father, for ‘health and safety’ reasons, the club have refused to give the boy a sign language interpreter unless he waits outside the ground while his son attends the event with an adult he’s never met before.
The other option the parents say they were given was for the club to provide no sign language interpreter at all – with the father fulfilling that role instead. Is it really too much to ask for the parents of a Deaf child to attend an event without having to be their child’s interpreter for the day?
The boy’s father, Benjamin Wassall, left a post on the Spit the Dummy BSL Act campaign group on Facebook last night saying:
So Newcastle United ask my 9 year old son, Deaf, to be the mascot for Saturday’s game against Manchester Utd. However, due to health and safety on the day cannot allow an interpreter to attend in order to provide access unless I wait outside the ground and he attends the event with the interpreter. Do believe, this is not the remit of an interpreter. Alternatively, I could be his interpreter for the afternoon, even though I’m his dad and despite the fact I am not qualified to do this highly skilled job. No more solutions offered. Both of us truly fed up by the lack of real access and understanding regarding interpreters. Great PR from NUFC! Time to phone local rag and spit the dummy!
His mother, Rebecca, added on Twitter:
It is not right @NUFC ask my son to be mascot for sat match but then refuse him access to the experience due to his disabilities? @DeafBV — Rebecca Wassall (@Bexmoxon) April 2, 2014
The club’s actions have already generated a negative response, with one Tweeter pointing out:
@DeafBV @BDA_Deaf @ash_robin @NUFC @ManUtd @Bexmoxon to destroy the wee boy’s dream and his confidence in one go is so wrong!
— QOBF (@hccath) April 2, 2014
After our story went out, the club replied on Twitter, saying:
@Limping_Chicken Hi guys, there may have been a misinterpretation here. We'll be speaking to Mr and Mrs Wassall to find a positive solution.
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) April 3, 2014
Let’s hope they can find a positive solution soon.
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Andy, not him, me.
April 3, 2014
Ridiculous! Why is it such a big deal, for goodness sake?
It’s a deaf child, he won’t be feeling very secure, we all know what it’s like to go into a strange hearing place. Of course he needs his dad. The question is, why are they denying him a terp?
Unthinking, unfeeling lack of humanity on the part of the club.
Lana
April 3, 2014
Shame, this father did not learn BSL to communicate fluently with his son
Editor
April 3, 2014
He does know BSL, but thought it was unfair to have to be his interpreter for the day – why can’t he be like other parents?
Leah
April 3, 2014
He knows BSL, but “knowing BSL” and “being an interpreter” are different (although obviously overlapping to some extent) skill sets.
Jack
April 4, 2014
Parent with BSL are better than Interpreter because like my dad is deaf and he can talk to hearing, he would do better job than interpreter, it all depend on how good is interpreter’s bsl level.
That guy parent say I can sign so why not let him with his son around the ground?
jeremyhine
April 3, 2014
Lana that is the same attitude that has lead to service providers, such as hospitals, assuming that an interpreter is not required and that the parents can do this. I am sure most parents spend a significant amount of time interpreting for their children 365 days of the year. There are times though when they should be able to relax and enjoy themselves with their child rather than having to act as a terp. It’s important for both the child and the family.
Jen Dodds (@deafpower)
April 3, 2014
That’s basically just silly. And unfair on the poor kid.
If the partner of a patient about to have a caesarean section, for example, can be allowed into the operating theatre WITH an interpreter (after arguing about health and safety of course), then I’m sure a football pitch cannot be too dangerous…
Carri Neilson
April 3, 2014
Makes no sense to deny the little boy a basic human right to have access along with his father by his side – I certainly hope that Newcastle FC will realise their mistake and remify this as quickly as they can!
Craig
April 3, 2014
I do sympathise, however to the father I would say this; toughen up and do it. It is YOU who is stopping your child enjoying a once in a lifetime occasion with your selfishness. You don’t ask for an interpreter when you take your son to the shops do you? I understand you want to be absolved of responsibility so you can indulge in your childhood fantasies and rub shoulders with the players, without having to look after anyone else, but you are a parent. It’s what parents do. So stop trying to paint the club on a bad light so you can sell your non-story to the papers, and put your child first.
Ronaldo
April 3, 2014
Just a minute, to those looking to bag the father out for not signing, that shows a complete lack of understanding around the issues that deaf people face today.
I have deaf parents with ailing health and while I can sign fluently I don’t sign for them at medical appointments, a professional interpreter does. This is so I can take in all the facts as their son as opposed to interpreting first and digesting it later.
Just as an interpreter allows me to be free to concentrate on what I need to ask and think about as a son, an interpreter should be provided so that the father can enjoy the day and the fact his son has been selected for such a special occasion.
I must also point out I’m an NUFC season ticket holder – while I have no anti-club bias, they’ve got it badly wrong here. A little Deaf Awareness training is in order!!!
John Maughan
April 3, 2014
Agree 100%. Be a dad and and enjoy the experience with your son. Stop moaning you been invited to a privilege thousands would love. Man up and enjoy or I’ll take my boy in your place
Jack
April 4, 2014
what a nasty comment you are, you don’t understand us, don’t you? Every parents don’t able to commication clearly 100% what they hear. Interpreter are there for help you to tell you whole information clearly, my dad’s deaf but he can hear through hearing ears however sometime he had to stop and ask again to hear to understand words.
That’s bother however interpreter will be more lots of helpful. Some parents can’t learn how to do BSL, its their choices. This parent is try to help his son. What else solution would he do ? Leave it and see son sad disappoint of his father? I would take it to public and Newcastle already embarrassed of their actions. Newcastle will sort it out help his son. Well done to Parents.
Lin
April 3, 2014
Craig, this is just a stupid reaction. Of course this kid should have access to an interpreter. It’s a JOB. To say that the dad just wants to be absolved or responsibilities is just shocking. As someone has said, it’s attitudes like yours that make people think it’s OK for children of Deaf adults or parents of Deaf children to be interpreting for their family, whatever the situation. There is a difference between looking after your kid and having to interpret everything that is happening around instead of sharing a special moment. Should the dad go to school with his son and be his interpreter as well then? What would you say if they were telling a blind kid to go without his cane or his dog – after all the parent can guide them. Also a parent could just carry a kid up some stairs instead of having a ramp for wheelchair access. It’s what parents do isn’t it?
John Maughan
April 3, 2014
Not the same. The club invite him as a treat. It shouldn’t cost the club. If he doesn’t want to interpret. Don’t go. Simple. Sorry for being harsh but I find this petty and Un appreciative.
Kelly
April 3, 2014
In reality the only selfish people here are his mum and dad. Pushy parents who are using there sons disability to try and get what they want. The fact their child has been offered a mascot place in the first place is an amazing experience of course the child’s experience will be different to others but it will be to the best of his ability. The fact that Dad seems to be refusing to sign for his child is absolutey crazy. Do you take an interpreter shopping or on holiday or a simple task as eating lunch together? I assume not. The only person who is ruining the experience are the family. If the club are saying it’s for health and safety then go with it. We all hate silly health and safety rules but they are built for a reason to protect us.
JB007UK
April 3, 2014
Spot on
Jack
April 4, 2014
Well said, want explain it to me, that I & my little brother sam we were play training on ibrox ground and coach asked my dad came up and talk explain as interpreter?
how is that?
JB007UK
April 3, 2014
As a parent I would share the experience with my son and want to sign for him, it’s what parents do for their children. Insisting on an interpreter has more to do with a political agenda than providing this child with the necessary support he needed. Dad needs to be a Dad and if his child has a need then then HE should meet that need, especially as he so clearly can.
David
April 4, 2014
Don’t understand if father knows sign why need an interpreter unless he is a friend and they want am extra ticket
Natalya Dell
April 4, 2014
Really disgusted by the level of ignorance displayed by many commenters who just assume this kid’s dad should interpret for him. Completely missing the point and autonomy, qualified interpreters, roles family/interpreters play.
This isn’t a small organisation who can’t afford an interpreter. It is a large football club who pay their sports people silly money every week and won’t pay £100ish for a BSL interpreter… Shame on them quite frankly!
The law is not on NUFC’s side, they’re treating this child less favourably because of his “disability” by not providing him full access to the Mascot thing they have invited him for. It isn’t entirely them doing this child a favour, they gain from it too. It is exactly as someone said about wheelchair access, allowing a guide-dog or came (often withdrawn from blind people on bullshit so called H&S grounds) and more.
Families shouldn’t have to interpret for their children it takes away from their time to be a family and is extremely hard work. Anyone who says family should interpret for people should try doing it sometime. I’ve done facilitating BSL between signing and non-signing friends and it’s REALLY hard work and I’m not very good – it slows everyone down. BSL terps train for years to get good enough to do their job effectively.
Andy, not him, me.
April 4, 2014
What seems very obvious is that this world famous English Football club knows absolutely nothing about deafness or indeed disability issues.
If they had been better informed this would never have happened. As it is they haven’t a clue and they have just piled insult onto injury.
This is pretty much the story of disability campaigning. Depressing isn’t it?
donaldo of the wasatch
April 4, 2014
Nothing like the word assume – make an “ass, of, u/me” (assume). Be careful, very careful what you assume about life and its issues. And when you consider the communication chasms that are a natural gap between communicating with hands/fingers versus oral methods – whoa! My experience is that interpreters also have to be gifted in psychology, including trauma which they rarely are), facial/body language cues, and mediators/facilitators. Then you throw into the equation variables that are unexpected? Whew – nasty. Requires patience and initiative from all.
jb_007uk
April 5, 2014
There is a suggestion this young boy was invited by NUFC when, as I understand it, they do not offer this Free or as a token of goodwill. There are different ways in which you can become a mascot and in high profile games, such as with MUFC, it would be part of a corporate sponsorship deal that allocates a certain number of match tickets, provides hospitality and then a certain number of places for child mascots. If this is the case here then the allocation of a ticket for an interpreter and meeting that cost would be down to the corporate sponsor who has bought that package for the day, not for NUFC to do so.
http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Hospitality/MatchSponsorship