Excellent guess. The story is a good match with what I remember. (I was a bit older than 8 in 1971, but close enough!)
That’s making me cry right now!
(Why on earth would you discourage a child from signing?!)
My question would be if the parents are not allowing him to sign who is teaching him to do it? He’s a four-year old, he’s not driving across town to the local institute for the deaf, is he? The whole story stinks on ice.
It is very, very common. The thinking is that it will interfere with them learning English (or whatever the majority language is).
My mom recalls being told by the doctors to discourage my sister (who was born Deaf), from using non-verbal communication. “She has to learn to get along in a Hearing world” was the argument given. Thank goodness that is not the current recommended guideline!