[nabs-l] did anyone hear about the FSU lawsuit?

[Beth]

Hi, guys.  I thought I might ask you Florida students or any 
students out there if you've heard that two of my friends are 
suing FSU, my old university.  They're suing because of the math 
department and the way the faculty has been treating them.  For 
more, here's a clip of the article.

Blind Students Sue Florida State University for Discrimination
6/29/2011


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org

Blind Students Sue Florida State University for Discrimination
National Federation of the Blind Outraged at University's Actions
Baltimore, Maryland (June 29, 2011): With the assistance of the 
National
Federation of the Blind, two blind students-Christopher Shane 
Toth and Jamie
Ann Principato-filed suit today against Florida State University 
(FSU) and
its board of trustees.  The suit alleges that FSU's Department of
Mathematics discriminated against Mr. Toth and Ms. Principato by 
failing to
provide them with proper accommodations so that they could 
successfully
complete required math courses for their respective degree 
programs.  The
violations include requiring the students to use an inaccessible 
Web-based
application to complete homework assignments, tests, and quizzes; 
requiring
the use of clickers that cannot be used by a blind person to 
respond to
in-class questions and obtain bonus credit; failing to provide 
Braille
versions of the required textbooks in violation of agreed-upon 
accommodation
plans; and engaging in retaliatory actions when the students 
complained of
these violations.  In all cases, faculty members in the 
Department of
Mathematics were generally uncooperative, unhelpful, and even 
hostile, and
did not provide meaningful alternative methods for Mr. Toth and 
Ms.
Principato to successfully complete the required courses.  As a 
result, both
students are currently unable to continue their degree programs 
and find
their careers indefinitely on hold.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the 
Blind, said:
"Discrimination against blind students is all too common, but it 
rarely
stems from actual animus towards the students.  This case, 
however, involves
the repeated, deliberate, and intentional disregard of the rights 
of these
two students, whose academic records have now suffered 
irreparable damage
and who have suffered lost opportunities, emotional distress, 
embarrassment,
humiliation, and retaliation by university officials.  The 
National
Federation of the Blind will not stand for this outrageous 
treatment of
blind students and we will continue to support this lawsuit as 
fully as
necessary in order to ensure that these young people are 
compensated for the
egregious conduct of faculty and staff in FSU's Department of 
Mathematics."

The plaintiffs are represented in this matter by Daniel F. 
Goldstein, Sharon
Krevor-Weisbaum, and Brooke E. Lierman of the Baltimore firm 
Brown,
Goldstein, and Levy; and Matthew Dietz of the Miami firm Law 
Offices of
Matthew W. Dietz, P.L.

Beth Taurasi
Sent from my BrailleNote Apex