<p>Well what about a medically excused absence?? My school says that you cannot, under any circumstances, make up a lab. Well I have a medically documented neurological disability that interferes with my ability to move my arms, and right now, I can't even so much as grasp a pen (I'm using voice recognition software to type this right now), let alone try conducting an experiment. It is also very painful for me to stand. I don't see how it is legally possible for them to give me a zero (which, even if I got 100's on the rest of my labs would give me a maximum of an 88 average).</p>
<p>Is there anything I can do? Have you ever heard of something like this?</p>
<p>Sounds like you need a lawyer. I think they are required to provide some sort of accomodation, but I may be thinking of the workplace, not a school. Check with an attorney.</p>
<p>How often are you not able to even grab a pen?</p>
<p>Have you at least talked to your professor/lab instructor/dean if necessary? They might work something out for you without the threat of lawyers.</p>
<p>Isn't this an issue that should have been raised with the college when you first looked into attending the school? Did you have mandated support services while in high school? Did you discuss your health issues with admissions and student academic services before deciding to attend this school?</p>
<p>You need to just show up for the lab and let the prof or TA handle however they wish - helping you, assigning someone to help you or sending you home. That makes it much harder for them not to give you credit.</p>
<p>Well the issue is that I want to go to this school, and that's why I did. I was told that they will offer the same disability accommodations as any other school (legally), and I had no reason to believe that the labs would be any different.</p>
<p>I spoke with the disability services coordinator at my college at the beginning of the year when I supplied all of my medical documentation of my disability (before anything actually came up that would prevent me from attending/participating in the lab), and he basically said that their policy is their policy. </p>
<p>I think I am going to speak to the Dean, and if that doesn't work, I might have to get lawyers involved though because it is simply unacceptable to think that missing a lab because 1) I can't actually move, and 2) I am in severe pain, would result in me getting a 0, as if I was just skipping it for the hell of it.</p>
<p>"Well the issue is that I want to go to this school, and that's why I did."</p>
<p>In other words, you discussed this issue with them previously. They explained to you the help that they would provide. They explained to you that they will provide the amount of help that is legally required. Knowing this information you still decided to attend this school because-</p>
<p>"Well the issue is that I want to go to this school, and that's why I did."</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it sounds as though they gave you clear info on what accommodations they were required and willing to offer you as assistance. I don't know how much good a lawyer is going to do for you because as you mentioned, this matter was discussed previously and you were informed of the services that would be provided. Do you think you'll be missing more labs in the future?</p>
<p>Best of luck, I really hope you can pull this one through.</p>
<p>If you don't mind me asking, is this disability permanent or temporary? What do you plan on doing for a career? If you are pre-med, I would be worried because that is a field where they can not be so egalitarian in who they admit. They would love to accommodate people from all walks of life, but unfortunately, that cannot always be possible when lives are at stake. Same with the military; I am sure they would love to allow gays in the military, but the effect on troop morale can put soldiers' lives at risk.</p>
<p>Talk to disability services and your TA/Prof. They should legally have to accomodate you, though I know from personal experience that it isn't always that simple in practice. Does your documentation/accomodations letter say anything about this?</p>
<p>Based on the info presented, this poster had all ready discussed the matter with the appropriate depts. and was given info as to what accomodations/services were to be provided. Legally, isn't that all that the school is required to offer?</p>
<p>You need to drop the class (if it's not necessary for a major or something). The professor sounds like a hardass anyway. Or you need to be prepared to sue.</p>
<p>The school has to provide reasonable accommodations. It doesn't matter if you discussed certain things and not others, ADA is clear that as things arise they must be addressed. Someone in the disability office knows this. They are the ones who should be advocating for/with you.</p>
<p>I don't think you should have to hire a lawyer and I don't think you should have to drop the class. I think the issue is that anyone who misses a lab for any reason doesn't get to make it up and accommodating you there would give you an unfair advantage (in the prof's eyes, anyway). They may have a point on that. Are they willing to let everyone drop their lowest lab grade? Usually when they have policies like that there is a way out somewhere. If an able bodied student was deathly ill, with medical documentation, and was not allowed to make up the lab I'm not sure any amount of legal help will let you either.</p>
<p>Have you considered going to /attending the lab and bringing someone with you to assist in performing the physical aspects of the lab? Is the policy truly as draconian as it sounds? Do you or can you have a lab partner? It seems there should be a middle ground between not attending the lab at all</p>
<p>
[quote]
Based on the info presented, this poster had all ready discussed the matter with the appropriate depts. and was given info as to what accomodations/services were to be provided. Legally, isn't that all that the school is required to offer?
[/quote]
Uh, no. Schools can't pick and choose what parts of the law they want to comply with. I'm not an ADA expert or a lawyer, but if what the school is willing to do does not meet the legal requirements, then the school is violating the law. On the other hand, it may be that what the school is providing satisfies the law.</p>