"She didn't learn sign language or become part of the deaf culture and the deaf world until she was 23 years old," Carol Ann Moxley, an activist for the deaf, told CBS 2 News. "And so she, they feel, doesn't have a complete understanding of their needs."

Saturday these deaf Idahoans in meridian protested her selection as a sign of solidarity for Gallaudet. But there is a wide range of problems in Idaho's deaf community right now, and these people want their voice heard.

A major issue here today is of cochlear implants, a revolutionary technology that would allow the deaf to actually hear. But many in the deaf community aren't in favor of the idea.

"It's not about how much hearing a person has; you should look at the person as a whole," Richie Moses told CBS 2 News.

Moses is an American Sign Language teacher and activist in the deaf community. He believes implants in young deaf children that might allow full hearing in the future would destroy the current culture.

"They think that if a deaf student learns to speak, the better that the student will be," Moses said. "Which is of course not true."

Moses sees an effort by the state of Idaho to force deaf children to learn lip reading or to have these hearing implants. He's also annoyed that the deaf and blind campus in Gooding might be converted to a rehab center for meth users.

"To take away that, it will take away access to their language, to their culture," Moses added.

The faculty and the students may be against Gallaudet's president, but here in Idaho, protesters hope this will bring reform for the deaf community.

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