[Ohio-Talk] FW: NEWS: Blind students win lawsuit--Jury finds schools discriminated

Fri Jun 2 14:29:16 UTC 2023

From: National Federation of the Blind <webmaster at nfb.org> 
Sent: Friday, June 2, 2023 10:01 AM
To: Richard Payne <rchpay7 at gmail.com>
Subject: NEWS: Blind students win lawsuit--Jury finds schools discriminated

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Blind Students Win Lawsuit Against Los Angeles Community College District

Jury Finds Schools Discriminated and Failed to Make Reasonable
Accommodations

Los Angeles (May 31, 2023): After a court battle that has lasted nearly
seven years, a federal court jury last week found that the Los Angeles
Community College District discriminated against two blind students, Roy
Payan and Portia Mason, by failing to ensure them an equal educational
opportunity as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The jury
ruled that the schools discriminated in fourteen distinct ways, including by
maintaining inaccessible websites, library resources, and educational
software, as well as by failing to provide timely accessible course
materials. It further found that in most instances, the District had
discriminated intentionally through its deliberate indifference to its legal
obligations. The jury awarded Mr. Payan and Ms. Mason a total of $242,500 in
damages. The plaintiffs were supported in the litigation by the National
Federation of the Blind, the transformative advocacy organization of blind
Americans.

Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"The National Federation of the Blind is committed to working
collaboratively with educational institutions to help them create an
accessible and inclusive environment. At the same time, we will fight for as
long as it takes to vindicate the rights of blind students in court when
institutions are unwilling to take advantage of available resources and the
lived experience of blind people to guide them in meeting their legal and
moral obligations. We thank the jurors in this case for recognizing the harm
that was done to these students, and we are proud to have supported their
fight for justice. It is long past time for institutions of higher education
to lead the way in collaboration with the disability community rather than
to perpetuate the history of low expectations that hold blind students
back."

"This moment has been a long time in coming, and I am so grateful to the
supporters and to the legal team that have brought us here," said Portia
Mason. "I know that this team will continue to put its best efforts behind
our cause in any further proceedings."

"My grateful thanks for an amazing legal team from Brown Goldstein & Levy
and Patricia Barbosa from the Barbosa Group," said Roy Payan. "This win is
not so much a win just for Portia and me, but for all those students who
will continue to come after us who may be too afraid, timid, or intimidated
by threats from the institutions to advocate for themselves. We follow in
the footsteps of Robert F. Kennedy when he said, 'There are those who look
at things the way they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were,
and ask why not?' I see a world where I won't have to beg for the
accommodations I deserve, where I am provided the freedom of independence
all others enjoy."

###

About the National Federation of the Blind 

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore,
defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and
support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing
vision, and more. Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership
and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and
divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe in
the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them
into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at
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CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

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Richard Payne,  President

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

937/829/3368

 <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> Rchpay7 at gmail.com

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

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