annmargueritew
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NC
I recently returned to college this past semester after three years of inactivity due to fibromyalgia. I had one professor who taught three of my courses who refused to acknowledge my need for other disabilty accomodations. I'm attaching a letter than I sent to all the heads at the school. What can I do? I'm supposed to go up there tomorrow or the next day to appeal, and I'm terrified I'm going to lose. Here's the email I sent them. It should shed some light. Please help. I've got no one in my corner.
Hi Ali, (and everyone CC'd)
I hope you're doing well. I'm considering a decision, but I wanted to check in with you to see what you think. Because I was absent so much from illness, I had a really hard time getting caught up in skills and had too many hiccups trying to arrange my service project to be able to complete the course successfully with the accommodations which were afforded me. I would like to repeat intro/skills next semester for a better grade, but I just read the policies on repeating courses in the student handbook, and I'm unclear on whether i can still repeat a course with a grade of c-. The first section doesn't specify what I can repeat, but the second section about academic probation, which i wouldn't be surprised to find myself on, (even though my performance in my class with Jessica Mayock, who was very understanding and worked with me to get things turned in) was very strong and my grade in her class will undoubtedly demonstrate that fact and my competence. It would be a real shame to be excluded from the institutional assessment committee in the spring for this reason, since it has been acknowledged that people with disabilities are underrepresented on assessment committees.
Now that I've had Laura Zeisler for a full semester, I can see what it is about her that you may see in her. Her experience in the field is priceless, and she is a strong and bright lady. However, she and I had some difficulty communicating this semester which has negatively affected my coursework and my wellbeing. I had turned a number of assignments in late and received almost no credit (if not none outright) for any of my work. I understand her policies, but it seemed unfair so I went to talk to Deb Braden about it. I told her what had been going on, showed her the quality of my work, and tried to find a deeper understanding about my situation. I told her how insulted I was by the fact that Laura explicitly told me that she would give me the same accommodation as she does for her students with ADD- one week. I explained to Deb that I have an unusual perspective because I have a stigmatized illness, and I have repeatedly dealt with the attitude that fibromyalgia is a psychosomatic condition, despite empirical data to the contrary. I am very sensitive to any implication that what I deal with is purely psychological, although I acknowledge its causal relationship with trauma and it's secondary relationship with depression.
I have a friend in both classes (Art Therapy&Intro/Skills) who has ADD and receives the same week extension I do. She is afforded an accommodation that is helpful to her according to her needs, and she is successful. I want that chance. ADD and Fibromyalgia function wildly differently. It's not that I have trouble focusing. I don't have trouble organizing my work, or get distracted and forget to go to class. Fibromyalgia is a parasite that leeches all of my energy and replaces it with burning, swelling, stabbing or bone-shattering all-over pain combined with IBS and emotional and cognitive symptoms. Stress compounds this, and my weak immune system doesn't make it any better. When I moved in I had pneumonia, and I have dealt with every virus this campus has to offer and a staph infection in my face (And that's beyond the flares that occur regularly and randomly- ) but that's my battle to deal with. I'm not asking anyone to let me "get away with anything" because they feel sorry for me. I just feel like I'm being treated unfairly.
During my meeting with Deb, I asked her if she would email Laura and find out what on earth I could possibly do to save my grade, since she wasn't giving me any credit for the work that I was so desperately trying to make up. She did, but I didn't hear from Deb or Laura until Laura pulled me into a empty hallway and said, "So I got an email from Deb Braden saying I'm not honoring accommodations. What's that all about?" I was shell-shocked. Her tone seemed to me confrontational and accusatory. I didn't know what to say. Then she started asking me if I was somehow confused about her expectations or the course requirements, if I needed them to be explained. I told her calmly, no, I understood (which I did) even though I was enraged because I felt like she had just insulted my intelligence on top of everything else. I really couldn't say much at that point. I had asked Deb to ask Laura to review the grades she had for me to evaluate whether I could pass or was going to fail, and Laura told me (2 days later) that she had no way of doing that and that I needed to assess for myself whether it was worth it to continue going to Art Therapy. She said I had a very slim chance of passing even if I turned my work in (and received half or less credit like the rest of it) due to the number of points that had been taken off my grade for my absences. I became quite hopeless about either course I had with Laura, and could no longer see the point in trying if it didn't matter. When Laura Zeisler and I spoke earlier in the semester, there was a strong tone of steering me away from the profession of Social Work (which I feel "called" to, by the way), not by direct language, but by suggesting I consider whether or not my health issues would affect my performance in the field. The ADA states, "In enacting the ADA, Congress recognized that physical and mental disabilities in no way diminish a person’s right to fully participate in all aspects of society, but that people with physical or mental disabilities are frequently precluded from doing so because of prejudice, antiquated attitudes, or the failure to remove societal and institutional barriers;"
I understand that Laura has the power to make decisions regarding my accommodations in the courses she teaches, and I also understand that the purpose of the attendance policy is to illuminate the importance of keeping obligations and deadlines in the field of Social Work, but I also understand from the same section of the ADA that "(7) A public entity shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the public entity can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity." I cannot see how Laura allowing me to get caught up and not penalizing me 2 points for each absence due to illness off my final grade in an elective class would have fundamentally altered the nature of the program. She had it in her power to help me.
Since both of Laura's classes did not have any exams at all during the semester, it stands to reason that the paper assignments she did assign should take their place and be considered equal under this statute. I did not ask for different assignments from the rest of the class, but I genuinely believed that Warren Wilson was the kind of place where my professors (and a social work professor at that) would make a compassionate effort that would help me grow and develop my life skills as I'm learning to live with and suffering from a chronic illness. Instead, I have felt defeated at every pass. The stress from the past few weeks ordeal has induced a flare that left me unable to get out of bed for a week and a half, except to drag myself to class. I was unable to work, and got further behind on hours. I accept that I will take a financial penalty for being under-time b/c I had already been paid for my work in advance in the form of financial aid/work-study. I chose Warren Wilson because I believed that there were supportive, bright, compassionate faculty and staff here, and for the most part, I have been proven right. I love Warren Wilson. I want to resolve this as best we can without my filing a formal grievance. I am confident that we can find a solution that meets the requirements of the college, of the department, of the ADA, and also of my physical and emotional well-being.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter which is so important to me. I know I have been long winded, but you have to understand, I'm my own and only advocate and I am an extremely willful one, a skill which I hope will help me in the field of Social Work when I graduate from Warren Wilson.
AnnieWhat is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
I recently returned to college this past semester after three years of inactivity due to fibromyalgia. I had one professor who taught three of my courses who refused to acknowledge my need for other disabilty accomodations. I'm attaching a letter than I sent to all the heads at the school. What can I do? I'm supposed to go up there tomorrow or the next day to appeal, and I'm terrified I'm going to lose. Here's the email I sent them. It should shed some light. Please help. I've got no one in my corner.
Hi Ali, (and everyone CC'd)
I hope you're doing well. I'm considering a decision, but I wanted to check in with you to see what you think. Because I was absent so much from illness, I had a really hard time getting caught up in skills and had too many hiccups trying to arrange my service project to be able to complete the course successfully with the accommodations which were afforded me. I would like to repeat intro/skills next semester for a better grade, but I just read the policies on repeating courses in the student handbook, and I'm unclear on whether i can still repeat a course with a grade of c-. The first section doesn't specify what I can repeat, but the second section about academic probation, which i wouldn't be surprised to find myself on, (even though my performance in my class with Jessica Mayock, who was very understanding and worked with me to get things turned in) was very strong and my grade in her class will undoubtedly demonstrate that fact and my competence. It would be a real shame to be excluded from the institutional assessment committee in the spring for this reason, since it has been acknowledged that people with disabilities are underrepresented on assessment committees.
Now that I've had Laura Zeisler for a full semester, I can see what it is about her that you may see in her. Her experience in the field is priceless, and she is a strong and bright lady. However, she and I had some difficulty communicating this semester which has negatively affected my coursework and my wellbeing. I had turned a number of assignments in late and received almost no credit (if not none outright) for any of my work. I understand her policies, but it seemed unfair so I went to talk to Deb Braden about it. I told her what had been going on, showed her the quality of my work, and tried to find a deeper understanding about my situation. I told her how insulted I was by the fact that Laura explicitly told me that she would give me the same accommodation as she does for her students with ADD- one week. I explained to Deb that I have an unusual perspective because I have a stigmatized illness, and I have repeatedly dealt with the attitude that fibromyalgia is a psychosomatic condition, despite empirical data to the contrary. I am very sensitive to any implication that what I deal with is purely psychological, although I acknowledge its causal relationship with trauma and it's secondary relationship with depression.
I have a friend in both classes (Art Therapy&Intro/Skills) who has ADD and receives the same week extension I do. She is afforded an accommodation that is helpful to her according to her needs, and she is successful. I want that chance. ADD and Fibromyalgia function wildly differently. It's not that I have trouble focusing. I don't have trouble organizing my work, or get distracted and forget to go to class. Fibromyalgia is a parasite that leeches all of my energy and replaces it with burning, swelling, stabbing or bone-shattering all-over pain combined with IBS and emotional and cognitive symptoms. Stress compounds this, and my weak immune system doesn't make it any better. When I moved in I had pneumonia, and I have dealt with every virus this campus has to offer and a staph infection in my face (And that's beyond the flares that occur regularly and randomly- ) but that's my battle to deal with. I'm not asking anyone to let me "get away with anything" because they feel sorry for me. I just feel like I'm being treated unfairly.
During my meeting with Deb, I asked her if she would email Laura and find out what on earth I could possibly do to save my grade, since she wasn't giving me any credit for the work that I was so desperately trying to make up. She did, but I didn't hear from Deb or Laura until Laura pulled me into a empty hallway and said, "So I got an email from Deb Braden saying I'm not honoring accommodations. What's that all about?" I was shell-shocked. Her tone seemed to me confrontational and accusatory. I didn't know what to say. Then she started asking me if I was somehow confused about her expectations or the course requirements, if I needed them to be explained. I told her calmly, no, I understood (which I did) even though I was enraged because I felt like she had just insulted my intelligence on top of everything else. I really couldn't say much at that point. I had asked Deb to ask Laura to review the grades she had for me to evaluate whether I could pass or was going to fail, and Laura told me (2 days later) that she had no way of doing that and that I needed to assess for myself whether it was worth it to continue going to Art Therapy. She said I had a very slim chance of passing even if I turned my work in (and received half or less credit like the rest of it) due to the number of points that had been taken off my grade for my absences. I became quite hopeless about either course I had with Laura, and could no longer see the point in trying if it didn't matter. When Laura Zeisler and I spoke earlier in the semester, there was a strong tone of steering me away from the profession of Social Work (which I feel "called" to, by the way), not by direct language, but by suggesting I consider whether or not my health issues would affect my performance in the field. The ADA states, "In enacting the ADA, Congress recognized that physical and mental disabilities in no way diminish a person’s right to fully participate in all aspects of society, but that people with physical or mental disabilities are frequently precluded from doing so because of prejudice, antiquated attitudes, or the failure to remove societal and institutional barriers;"
I understand that Laura has the power to make decisions regarding my accommodations in the courses she teaches, and I also understand that the purpose of the attendance policy is to illuminate the importance of keeping obligations and deadlines in the field of Social Work, but I also understand from the same section of the ADA that "(7) A public entity shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the public entity can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity." I cannot see how Laura allowing me to get caught up and not penalizing me 2 points for each absence due to illness off my final grade in an elective class would have fundamentally altered the nature of the program. She had it in her power to help me.
Since both of Laura's classes did not have any exams at all during the semester, it stands to reason that the paper assignments she did assign should take their place and be considered equal under this statute. I did not ask for different assignments from the rest of the class, but I genuinely believed that Warren Wilson was the kind of place where my professors (and a social work professor at that) would make a compassionate effort that would help me grow and develop my life skills as I'm learning to live with and suffering from a chronic illness. Instead, I have felt defeated at every pass. The stress from the past few weeks ordeal has induced a flare that left me unable to get out of bed for a week and a half, except to drag myself to class. I was unable to work, and got further behind on hours. I accept that I will take a financial penalty for being under-time b/c I had already been paid for my work in advance in the form of financial aid/work-study. I chose Warren Wilson because I believed that there were supportive, bright, compassionate faculty and staff here, and for the most part, I have been proven right. I love Warren Wilson. I want to resolve this as best we can without my filing a formal grievance. I am confident that we can find a solution that meets the requirements of the college, of the department, of the ADA, and also of my physical and emotional well-being.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter which is so important to me. I know I have been long winded, but you have to understand, I'm my own and only advocate and I am an extremely willful one, a skill which I hope will help me in the field of Social Work when I graduate from Warren Wilson.
AnnieWhat is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
