The emphasis on potentiality needs to be understood in relation to the evolution of deaf education and the place of sign language in deaf education. We can look upon this evolution from a rational perspective. However, this can only be understood and adequately addressed while also taking into account the emotional chord that is struck in deaf people and deaf communities around the world, and in their partners, when it comes to the impact of educational practices of excluding accounts of deaf people's lives. Deaf studies has had a significant role in bringing the diverse experiences and lives of deaf people to the forefront, and the relationship of this movement with the field of deaf education has always been complex. Sustainable development of both fields will require further dialogue and reflexivity.