As I mentioned in another thread, I sometimes score those No Child Left Behind tests for students with special needs. The last time I did it, the protocols required that any time I saw (all the "test answers" were videos of kids demonstrating different skills) what looked like some kind of ASL, I'd have to inform my group leader, who would then request that the ASL interpreter take a look and translate if necessary.

I got to talking to both of the ASL interpreters, as I ended up with a lot of answers with signing and apparently there is a shortage of ASL interpreters and it can pay fairly well.

That said, I have no idea what the deal was with this dude. It seems like they've established that he wasn't signing ASL or any other deaf language. I'd imagine that he must have come recommended by somebody, even though the article says that people "expressed reservations" about him, as something had happened in the past.

Or is it malicious and he has some deep seeded hatred towards the deaf from an unfortunate childhood experience?

I love that as a backstory for a villain.