2025 Resolutions

1. RESOLUTION Regarding Accessible Real-Time Audio for Detroit Sports Teams

WHEREAS, blind sports fans deserve equal access to the full experience of live sporting events; and

WHEREAS, attending a baseball game is a time-honored summer tradition for many Americans, offering the joy of community, entertainment, and nostalgia through

iconic elements like peanuts, crackerjacks, and the spirit of the game; and

WHEREAS, accessibility accommodations in Major League Baseball (MLB) stadiums have made progress, with 27 stadiums across the country recognized as hearing

loss-friendly, enabling deaf and hard of hearing fans to cheer on their teams without missing a beat; and

WHEREAS, the inclusion of accessible features in sporting venues enhances the experience for all fans and promotes equity and participation regardless

of ability; and

WHEREAS, the legacy of William “Dummy” Hoy, the first deaf professional baseball player (1888–1902), lives on through the use of hand signals by umpires

— a powerful example of how disability has shaped and enriched the sport of baseball; and

WHEREAS, real-time audio description and play-by-play commentary are essential for blind fans to fully experience the game as it happens; and

WHEREAS, the Major League Baseball mobile application provides audio options, but these feeds are subject to delays of up to two minutes, rendering them

inconsistent with real-time game play; and

WHEREAS, this delay prevents blind fans from enjoying an equitable, immediate, and immersive experience compared to their sighted peers; and

WHEREAS, other Major League Baseball teams and professional sports venues across the country have adopted assistive listening devices that provide immediate

real-time audio play-by-play without delay; and

WHEREAS, fans of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Lions, and Detroit Pistons currently do not have equal access to such devices and therefore

cannot fully experience their games in real time; and

Whereas, The National Federation of the Blind of Michigan can and will advocate for comparable accessible devices for use at professional baseball, hockey,

football and basketball games during all home games with all four of our Detroit teams; and

WHEREAS, providing real-time audio through effective gameday audio devices is consistent with the principles of accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunity;

and

WHEREAS, ensuring accessibility in Detroit’s professional sports venues will uphold the rights of blind and low vision fans and serve as a model for other

communities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan in Convention assembled this Second Day of November in 2025, in the City

of Auburn Hills that this organization strongly urge the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Lions, and Detroit Pistons, along with their respective

venue operators, to implement effective audio devices that provide real-time play-by-play commentary for blind fans; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these organizations consult with the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan to ensure the devices are reliable, fully accessible, and available to blind fans at all games; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan continue to advocate for full accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of public life, including professional sports; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution honors the historical contributions of athletes with disabilities, like William Hoy, and calls on stadiums, teams, and leagues to continue prioritizing inclusive fan experiences for generations to come; and

BE it FURTHER RESOLVED, that efforts are made by these teams and their arenas to refer to the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan as a quintessential source of positive blindness philosophy  and representation, ensuring continued  services like real-time audio description, tactile seating maps, assistive listening devices, captioning, and trained accessibility staff are standard offerings at all stadiums.

2. Regarding the dignity and acknowledgment of the NOMC (National Orientation and Mobility Certification in Michigan Agencies:

WHEREAS blind children and adults throughout the State of Michigan need high quality orientation and mobility (O&M) instruction to gain the skills required for safe, efficient, and independent travel, as well as to support adjustment to blindness; and

WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Education—Resources for Blind and Low Vision (MDE‑RBLV) and related state partners reference the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) as the recognized certifying body for school‑based certified orientation and mobility specialists (COMS), and Michigan does not currently issue a separate state O&M teaching license; And

WHEREAS national bodies including the National Blindness Professional Certification  Board (NBPCB) award rigorous certifications—such as the National

Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC)that validate competency to teach O&M, and these credentials are nationally and internationally recognized; and

WHEREAS some state-level practices and local hiring policies relying solely on one certifying organization can unintentionally exclude otherwise

qualified O&M instructors, reduce the available workforce, and limit timely access to services for blind Michiganders; and

WHEREAS model language from sister affiliates has identified related barriers created when initial licensure or recognition depends upon completing a program approved by only one professional association, even while renewal may accept either ACVREP or NBPCB certifications. 

Now, therefore; be it resolved by the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan in convention assembled this second day of November, 2025, in the city of Auburn Hills, that we urge the Michigan Department of Education, the Office of Special Education, intermediate school districts, local education agencies,

and the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons to adopt written policies that treat ACVREP’s Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) and the

NBPCB’s National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) as equivalent and sufficient credentials for hiring, contracting, and assignment of orientation

and mobility instructors in Michigan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge said entities to update public‑facing guidance and procurement/hiring documents to reflect this equivalency, to avoid unnecessary barriers to service delivery, and to ensure that blind students and adults receive timely O&M services from qualified professionals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Department of Education, the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons in the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the Michigan Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, relevant university O&M programs including Western Michigan University, and other interested stakeholders.

RESOLUTION 2025-03:

3. Regarding the Reductions in Force at the United States Department of Education

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education administers programs essential to promote education, independence, and economic opportunity for millions of blind Americans; and

WHEREAS, contained within the Department of Education is the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which houses the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), all of which provide essential resources to aid blind Americans in our pursuit of education and employment; and 

WHEREAS, these divisions are responsible for the enforcement and oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.), vocational rehabilitation services (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.), the Randolph-Sheppard program (20 U.S.C. § 107 et seq.), and the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program (29 U.S.C. 796j-796l), as well as enforcement of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; and

WHEREAS, at 12:00 a.m. on October 1, 2025, after the United States Congress failed to pass either a budget bill or a continuing resolution, the Federal Government was shut down due to lack of funding; and 

WHEREAS, on October 10, 2025, during the Federal Government shutdown, Reduction in Force (RIF) notices were issued to OSERS and OCR employees, which decimated both offices to the point of practically eliminating them; and 

WHEREAS, the elimination of OSERS will cause a loss of institutional knowledge, possible disruption in the distribution of federal funding that helps supplement critical state programs, and a loss of administrative support and technical assistance for IDEA programs, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 programs, and the Randolph-Sheppard Program; and

WHEREAS, the elimination of the OCR will cause a severe reduction in the capacity to investigate and enforce both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in educational institutions that are funded at the federal, state, and local levels; and 

WHEREAS, without these protection and enforcement mechanisms, blind students, employees, and entrepreneurs will be left vulnerable to discrimination: Now, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan, in convention assembled this second day of November, in the city of Auburn Hills, that this organization urge the administration to immediately rescind the Reduction in Force orders issued to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights on October 10, 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand the Department of Education ensure that there is adequate staffing to fulfill its statutory requirement to administer the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Randolph-Sheppard Program, and the Americans with Disabilities Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand the Department of Education promptly distribute all funds appropriated by Congress and associated with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.