Colleges expel disabled just because

This story is a couple weeks old, but I just now found it: All over America, institutions of higher book-learnin' - both public and private - are making more and more efforts to punish students because they're disabled by conditions like PTSD or eating disorders.

One thing is for certain: When it happens in a public college or university, these penalties violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. Period. End of discussion. Of course, it happens anyway, because it ain't like BushAmerica is a nation of laws or anything. I don't know about private schools, but with public schools, there's no question it's illegal.

In fact, the ADA requires public educational institutions to not only avoid discriminating outright but also to make accommodations for disabled students. However, the Chicago Tribune reports that Eastern Illinois University - a public school - inexplicably told a student with PTSD she had to either take medical leave or be expelled. This despite the fact that coping with her condition posed no danger or distraction to other folks or to herself, and at least one of her professors stuck up for her.

Tens of millions of Americans have PTSD. You meet people daily who have it. PTSD is far from rare, so how is it something so taboo that schools feel they can expel students for it without even giving a reason why?

Schools' apparent excuse goes something like this: Courts have ruled that if a student is harmed by a disorder they have, the schools can be held liable. So - instead of making accommodations to prevent such an injury - the schools just wash their hands altogether of these so-called "problem" students. That's the lazy way the schools deal with things. Further proof of this is that students who do face dismissal are barred from the campus even if it is a public facility that's otherwise open to the community.

The practice of expelling students for these medical conditions actually discourages students from seeking help, because they're afraid their school will find out they have a condition.

The problem isn't entirely new, but it's getting worse. An organization representing students who were victims of this discrimination used to get about one call a month - but now, following the fascism wave earlier this decade, it's one a week.

Another EIU student was forced out of school because she had bulimia - and not allowed to return until she signed a contract with the university.

If there aren't some ADA lawsuits over this, I'll just bip. Since when have colleges been allowed to go around punishing people solely because they have disability?

Also, if a student has PTSD, I don't think it's unreasonable to allow them to be excused from class before an attack. The Americans with Disabilities Act is a clarion call for such an accommodation, and if a school won't comply, that's pretty sad.

(Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-kickedout_27dec27,0,242698.story)