[nabs-l] I believe I have been discriminated against, where to turn for help?

Thu Feb 14 20:25:38 UTC 2013

I agree. Documentation is the key. If you don't have it, start
documenting everything. Ask classmates for their copy of the exam if
the teacher won't give it to you. And the disabilities office should
have a copy of yours if they converted it for you. If the university
is not putting things in writing, then start sending letters that
request a response. You  can show proof that you asked for a response
in writing but were not granted that. Sometimes putting a timeline
such as "I request a response within 2 weeks of the date of receipt,"
can further help.

Cindy

On 2/14/13, Loren Wakefield <theweird1 at centurylink.net> wrote:
> The problem here also is that if the prof is chair of the department, then
> she is probably tenured.  This makes it harder to bring complaints against
> and have any sort of meaningful action taken.  But you should follow the
> chain of command first.
>
> Loren
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti Shelton
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 1:03 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] I believe I have been discriminated against, where to
> turn for help?
>
> Josh,
>
> The ADA is great, but you can't just automatically slap everyone who
> descriminates against someone with a disability with a lawsuit.  If it
> comes
> down to it and that's what must be done then that's one thing, but there
> are
> certain steps which should be taken before putting the time, effort, and
> money into suing a person.  Plus, I'm assuming that this is not Laurel's
> last semester in school, so it wouldn't be wise to just hire a lawyer and
> make a bunch of legal fuss without going through the chain of command
> first.
> I feel that would just create more enemies than this one professor, not to
> mention make Laurel look bad for not trying to resolve the issue in a more
> dignified and civilized way before going to court.  A sensible dean will
> not
> stand for descrimination from a faculty member, especially if they see
> Laurel in an appointment.  College administrators are mindful of things
> which could causse lawsuits and will do what they can to avoid them, and if
> this French professor really did descriminate and Laurel can prove it in a
> calm, civilized way by presenting the facts I bet her prof will have some
> form of consequences from the university.
>
> On 2/14/13, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Laurel,
>>
>> If Scott Labarre were to even represent you, you wouldn't get the case
>> up and running till after this semester was over and your grade would
>> surely be final.  Talk to your disabilities councelor and see if they
>> can help; part of their job is to advocate for you in situations like
>> these.  Make an appointment with the dean of the language department
>> first.  Make sure it's face-to-face.  If you have a copy of your exam
>> instructions or the disabilities office has them on file bring them so
>> that you can show the dean.  It would also be helpful if you could get
>> a sighted student to describe either verbally in the meeting or in
>> writing which they can give to you what their exam procedures were so
>> the dean could compare.  If the dean refuses to do nothing go to his
>> boss, and if that doesn't work then I'd look into legal action against
>> the university, but follow the chain of command first.  You don't want
>> to overstep people who could help you without making a bigger deal out
>> of the situation.
>>
>> On 2/14/13, Joshua Lester <JLester8462 at pccua.edu> wrote:
>>> I'll write you offlist, because I need to ask you something anyway.
>>> Thanks, Joshua
>>> ________________________________________
>>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Laurel
>>> [laurel.stockard at gmail.com]
>>> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 12:43 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] I believe I have been discriminated against,
>>> where to turn for help?
>>>
>>> What's his email? Sorry, I'm in school and can't answer the phone,
>>> but I can get away with email. :-)
>>>
>>> On 2/14/13, Joshua Lester <JLester8462 at pccua.edu> wrote:
>>>> Good grief!
>>>> You better sue them!
>>>> Contact Scott LaBarre, and he'll help you!
>>>> That's terrible!
>>>> Blessings, Joshua
>>>> ________________________________________
>>>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Laurel
>>>> [laurel.stockard at gmail.com]
>>>> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 12:32 PM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] I believe I have been discriminated against,
>>>> where to turn for help?
>>>>
>>>> As my subject says, I believe that I have been discriminated against
>>>> by a professor at my university. I am wondering if one of you fellow
>>>> listers can tell me where to get help. I had a French professor last
>>>> semester. With out making this too long of a story, basically, I
>>>> have just found out that she gave me different exams and quizzes
>>>> than she gave everybody in the class. She made me do a different and
>>>> much harder final exam for example. On the final, I had to go to my
>>>> Disability Servic Testing office and answer 4 or 5 questions, in
>>>> French of course, one page responses single spaced without use of a
>>>> dictionary. I did not know then what everybody else did, I assumed
>>>> they did the same as me. I found out yesterday, accidentally, that
>>>> what she did was have everybody else come to class and get in groups.
>>>> She then gave each group a dictionary, and assigned the groups 1
>>>> question each. They then had to answer it and write their answers on
>>>> the board. The whole class then discussed each question. All 20
>>>> students made 100s on the exam. I made a 74. Had I made an "A" I
>>>> would have made an "a" in the class. This is the most major thing
>>>> she did, there's a lot of smaller things, but I think I can pin her
>>>> down on this one. Where/what NFB resource/resources should I turn to
>>>> for
> help?
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Laurel
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Kaiti
>>
>
>
> --
> Kaiti
>
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-- 
Cindy Bennett
Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
Legislative Coordinator: National Federation of the Blind of Washington

B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
clb5590 at gmail.com