# why is sign language dangerous? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682 "2001-04-20T15:38:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/1 "2001-04-20T15:38:34Z")
there are already two threads on [this news story](http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/signlang_ban010418.html), but neither answers the question. does anyone know what the argument is against sign language being used on a school bus? not whether it’s valid or not, just what is it? The school officials in the article didn’t comment, and the only explanation given by the kid’s parents - kids getting out of their seats and teasing - is just speculation. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/2 "2001-04-20T15:47:50Z")
Oh, easy one. The person on the bus was probably being PC. You don’t tell a non-speaking deaf person to not talk, you tell the person to stop signing, which is an equivalent of telling a hearing person to shut up. ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/3 "2001-04-20T16:00:40Z")
Is that they way it is these days? No talking on school buses? I didn’t know that. Does that extend to all forms of communication, including written? ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/4 "2001-04-20T16:01:24Z")
In the second paragraph of the article linked above, it indicates that the school officials are under the impression that the use of sign language on a school bus constitutes a safety hazard. It does not go into further detail to explain the rationale for this belief. Nor does it explain why other languages would not constitute a safety hazard. A later paragraph indicates in more detail exactly who that the school feels is being jeopardized by the use of sign language: > [@](#): > > However, the board insisted it has not violated anyone’s rights and is only trying to protect other students who must ride on the school bus. Note that the board is quoted as saying “other students”, _not the girl_ who was using the sign language. It seems that they believe that her using sign language is threatening towards the other students. I have other comments on this, but it’s IMHO stuff, so I’ll leave it out of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/5 "2001-04-20T16:52:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Atreyu \* > \*\*In the second paragraph of the article linked above, it indicates that the school officials are under the impression that the use of sign language on a school bus constitutes a safety hazard. It does not go into further detail to explain the rationale for this belief. Nor does it explain why other languages would not constitute a safety hazard. > \*\* If I read the article correctly, the problem was that other students were getting up and teasing the girl about using sign language and they were causing the safety hazard. But for some reason, they are blaming the signing girl. ---
**Author:** ![\_Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e47c2d/32.png) [@\_Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Tim)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/6 "2001-04-20T17:40:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phobos \* > But for some reason, they are blaming the signing girl. Perhaps I’m cynical, but I suspect that the reason relates to the last sentence of the article: > [@](#): > > Danica’s parents say she began losing her hearing last November, when a classmate allegedly shot a bottle rocket near her ear. They have already sued the Branchburg School District over that incident. This sounds like a reason (if not necessarily a good or just reason) for the school to be particuarly insensitive to her hearing problems. Certain individuals at the school may believe she’s faking the hearing problem for the money or may simply hold a grudge. ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/7 "2001-04-20T20:08:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Atreyu \* > **It seems that they believe that her using sign language is threatening towards the other students.** The only rational I can think of for this is if she gesticulates wildly when signing. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phobos \* > **If I read the article correctly, the problem was that other students were getting up and teasing the girl about using sign language and they were causing the safety hazard** This was just the parents’ version of things. In the article it says that the Board of Education’s version of events differs from the parents’. I hate articles like this which report “news” before there are enough facts available to make it newsworthy. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/8 "2001-04-20T21:13:16Z")
As those of us who’ve seen DSL commercials on TV know, sign language is dangerous because you might accidentally say, “I baked your dog for you.” ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/9 "2001-04-20T23:45:48Z")
“The only rational I can think of for this is if she gesticulates wildly when signing.” My terp does that sometimes, hit me in the nose a few times. ---
**Author:** ![50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/b9e5f3/32.png) [@50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/50)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/10 "2001-04-21T00:34:33Z")
on a related note… There was an incident on a public bus here in MN where there was someone signing, and some idiot thought they were thoring gang signs, long story the idiot killed the deaf guy. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/11 "2001-04-21T00:49:48Z")
IMHO, we really don’t have enough info from the school board on this issue to make this a GQ. It would be great if someone could dig up another article on this topic that contained the school board’s official version. > [@](#): > > _handy posted this little gem_: > My terp does that sometimes, hit me in the nose a few times. I never thought the old “Your freedom to swing your arms ends at the tip of my nose” axiom would run counter to the First Amendment. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/12 "2001-04-21T03:39:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 50¢ \* > \*\*on a related note… > > There was an incident on a public bus here in MN where there was someone signing, and some idiot thought they were thoring gang signs, long story the idiot killed the deaf guy. \*\* Could this be a fairly new UL? We have heard the same thing in LA. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/13 "2001-04-21T15:04:34Z")
I also read years back that two or three deaf people a year get shot by cops when the deaf person reaches in the pocket for paper & pencil. Could be UL. Sure is getting dangerous to be Deaf. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/14 "2001-04-21T16:24:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EJsGirl \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by 50¢ \* > > \*\*on a related note… > > > > There was an incident on a public bus here in MN where there was someone signing, and some idiot thought they were thoring gang signs, long story the idiot killed the deaf guy. \*\* > > Could this be a fairly new UL? We have heard the same thing in LA.\*\* I’d say it’s an urban legend, yes. Please note that this does _not_ mean it has never happened - though I personally don’t find it likely. The few gang signs I’ve seen have looked nothing like ASL or other formal sign languages. See [http://www.urbanlegends.com/death/gangs\_kill\_sign\_language\_users.html](http://www.urbanlegends.com/death/gangs_kill_sign_language_users.html) and [http://www.urbanlegends.com/death/gangs\_kill\_sign\_language\_users\_more.html](http://www.urbanlegends.com/death/gangs_kill_sign_language_users_more.html) for more information. ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/15 "2001-04-21T16:29:56Z")
The only way I could concievably see someone signing to be a danger to others is if they were signing to someone nearsighted and they got too close and got poked in the eye. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Glenoled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Glenoled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glenoled)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2001, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/16 "2001-04-22T17:40:16Z")
could it be that students are raising a fuss, because they can’t understand what the girl is signing, are paranoid and think she’s saying stuff against them… ? Glenoled ---
**Author:** ![Rattler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ebca7d/32.png) [@Rattler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rattler)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2001, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sign-language-dangerous/62682/17 "2001-04-23T01:21:41Z")
I think everyone is digging too deep here to find out ‘why signing is dangerous’, clearly it isn’t. What happened here is the school administrators got caught doing what they routinely do, violating the rights of students. They got caught with their pants down and they’re pulling out their one and only defense, “we have to save the childruuuuuuuun!!”. School administrators know that they can defend policies that wouldn’t be allowed in 3rd world kleptocracies as long as they pander to the Cult of the Child.