myusername1234
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas
I am a doctoral student. I have completed all the coursework required, with a GPA in excess of 3.9. I have passed my doctoral examinations, and have been planning to graduate this semester, as I am nearly finished with my dissertation.
I feel that I am being discriminated against on the basis of my depression. The university is taking punitive action against me, because an anonymous third-party has apparently stated that I am severely depressed. I have thus been informed that even though I should be able to graduate this semester, that I will not be allowed to do so unless I 'prove' to the university that I am not severely depressed, on their terms, according to whatever arbitrary definition they have. Obviously, this depresses me. I know it sounds absurd, and one would think that there is more to the story, but the only reason given to me is that I show symptoms of depression. I have asked for an explanation in writing, and the university has not given me anything, although they are not allowing me to register for my final semester.
I understand that the school is concerned about school shootings, but I have made no threats. I feel that my alleged depression is a personal medical matter, and their actions are a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. My depression and mental-health should have no bearing whatsoever upon my academic standing. Rather than making reasonable accommodations, not that I'm asking for any, they are instead creating an unreasonable hurdle. I talked to the Dean of Students office, and they said it is my responsibility to convince them that I should be allowed to register. I do not want to argue with them, I want to take this to court. I do not feel that they have an ethical right to ask me to 'prove' my sanity or emotional stability, certainly not without a court order or allegation of wrong-doing. If they were genuinely concerned about my well-being, they would have had me talk to the police, or a doctor, but they did none of these things and merely chose to take punitive actions against me.
I feel that they have clearly crossed a civil-rights line here, as there has been a pattern of such discriminatory actions, against me and others. I know of three other individuals, one blind, one with cerebral palsy, and one with dyslexia, all of whom felt they were discriminated against during their time at the school. There have also been problems with professors demanding that students perform personal favors, such as housesitting, and then retaliating after this was brought to the attention of the university administration.
Please advise me as to how to proceed.
I do not have much money, but I want to find a competent lawyer, who understands this situation. It seems to me that this is a fairly obvious ADA violation, as I am not being allowed to complete my studies because I have an alleged mental illness, despite the fact that I have threatened nobody, and I have had no encounters with the police, or allegations of wrong-doing made against me. I feel that my future career prospects have been significantly damaged by this incident, and my already depressed sense of well-being has been adversely and unnecessarily affected.
I am a doctoral student. I have completed all the coursework required, with a GPA in excess of 3.9. I have passed my doctoral examinations, and have been planning to graduate this semester, as I am nearly finished with my dissertation.
I feel that I am being discriminated against on the basis of my depression. The university is taking punitive action against me, because an anonymous third-party has apparently stated that I am severely depressed. I have thus been informed that even though I should be able to graduate this semester, that I will not be allowed to do so unless I 'prove' to the university that I am not severely depressed, on their terms, according to whatever arbitrary definition they have. Obviously, this depresses me. I know it sounds absurd, and one would think that there is more to the story, but the only reason given to me is that I show symptoms of depression. I have asked for an explanation in writing, and the university has not given me anything, although they are not allowing me to register for my final semester.
I understand that the school is concerned about school shootings, but I have made no threats. I feel that my alleged depression is a personal medical matter, and their actions are a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. My depression and mental-health should have no bearing whatsoever upon my academic standing. Rather than making reasonable accommodations, not that I'm asking for any, they are instead creating an unreasonable hurdle. I talked to the Dean of Students office, and they said it is my responsibility to convince them that I should be allowed to register. I do not want to argue with them, I want to take this to court. I do not feel that they have an ethical right to ask me to 'prove' my sanity or emotional stability, certainly not without a court order or allegation of wrong-doing. If they were genuinely concerned about my well-being, they would have had me talk to the police, or a doctor, but they did none of these things and merely chose to take punitive actions against me.
I feel that they have clearly crossed a civil-rights line here, as there has been a pattern of such discriminatory actions, against me and others. I know of three other individuals, one blind, one with cerebral palsy, and one with dyslexia, all of whom felt they were discriminated against during their time at the school. There have also been problems with professors demanding that students perform personal favors, such as housesitting, and then retaliating after this was brought to the attention of the university administration.
Please advise me as to how to proceed.
I do not have much money, but I want to find a competent lawyer, who understands this situation. It seems to me that this is a fairly obvious ADA violation, as I am not being allowed to complete my studies because I have an alleged mental illness, despite the fact that I have threatened nobody, and I have had no encounters with the police, or allegations of wrong-doing made against me. I feel that my future career prospects have been significantly damaged by this incident, and my already depressed sense of well-being has been adversely and unnecessarily affected.
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