Imagine if there was a belief that every child needed to be phenomenal at soccer. It was believed that soccer was the only way kids could learn teamwork, fitness, and discipline. There was an entire organization dedicated to teaching parents about the importance of soccer. When a baby was born, a soccer professional from this organization met the new parents in the hospital and told them, “Your child will be great at soccer.”

However, when only a handful of graduating high school seniors make it in professional soccer, proponents of the soccer approach double down. “Kids who didn’t become skilled at soccer did not practice enough,” they say. “If they had gone to every single practice and did everything their coach told them to do, they would be successful soccer players.”

“But what about kids who just aren’t naturally good at soccer?” others counter. “Can’t they learn teamwork and discipline through marching band or drama club? Or other sports, like tennis or baseball?”

“No. Soccer is the gold standard for child development. It is the only way a kid will ever become successful in life,” the soccer organization insisted.

And so, every year, only a small percentage of students graduated with excellent soccer skills. The soccer organization pushed harder. “We have to train them earlier. Right now, most kids are learning to play soccer at the age of three. We must start them at the age of two. We must teach parents about the importance of bringing their child to every single soccer practice and game. They have to practice at home in addition to that. That is the only way they will become proficient soccer players.”

People started to speak up. “But not every kid needs to play soccer. Some kids will be successful in life without soccer. Other kids will play other sports or do other activities. Soccer isn’t the only way to measure success or teach life skills. Starting kids earlier and forcing them to attend every practice and game will not guarantee that they become successful soccer players.”

The soccer organization quickly silenced these people. “Stop using scare tactics and speaking for all children. Soccer is the only way to go.”

If this scenario sounds hyperbolic that’s because it is. We cannot predict a child’s success with spoken language (or soccer) from birth. We cannot blame a child’s struggles with spoken language (or soccer) on their attendance to training sessions. We cannot assert that spoken language (or soccer) is the only way for Deaf children to be successful in school or in life. We cannot state that spoken language (or soccer) will work for every single Deaf child. We cannot deny Deaf children the chance to learn and grow in other ways, via other avenues and other languages.