Professor Christian Robert Parker, 35, teaches a variety of history at Bakersfield College and enjoys his career even though he’s blind.
“I’ve always loved history,” said Parker, who teaches US history at BC. Parker has been working for BC for about two years as a part time professor. “I enjoy the office hours, the faculty and the students,” said Parker.
Though he teaches five classes, he does not get any help from anybody. “Everything is done electronically these days,” said Parker. Parker has all his books on compact disks and is able to memorize all his notes for lectures in class. Scantrons are used to correct his tests and he also has a talking computer, which allows Parker to know what he types. “I never learned to use a Braille,” says Parker.
During lectures, Parker uses only his mind and students have to independently look for examples or visuals from their textbooks.
Parker lives in Tehachapi and takes the Regional Transit bus in order to get to school for class. “I don’t wake up that early, just at 5 a.m. to catch the 6 a.m. bus.”
Being blind does not boost up any of his other senses, according to Parker. “I heard about that, and my guess is that we depend on our other senses that it does make it seem we have high senses.” Parker uses sound waves to figure out if there’s a person around him. Sounds also bounce off walls that allow him to picture where he is. Outside he follows the different air that moves around him.
As a child, Parker was able to see, but a genetic mutation eventually caused him to lose his sight. “I could see very little,” said Parker looking around. “I could see the light in this room, but it’s very blurry.”
Though Parker has this disadvantage, he does not let this condition get the best of him. “I don’t think about it because if I do, then it makes things harder for me,” said Parker. “At this point, the doctors have not found a cure, but that is not going to stop me and my wife from having kids.”
Parker has been married for seven years to his wife Jenny, and they have a 19-month-old baby Jillian. “I do not wish my condition upon them,” said Christian, “but I’m not that concerned about it.”
Christian has three bachelors degrees in English, Social Science and Biblical Studies. During his lectures, he concentrates and enjoys teaching the American Revolution, the Civil War, western expansion and California history.
Christian enjoys acoustic music, Scooby-Doo cartoons, football games and loves Christmas music. “I expand my own knowledge,” said Christian. “I try to get as much reading as I can. my wife usually helps me read some books.”