Queen's Human Rights Bulletin

Students with Disabilities in the UK .

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1. School excludes a student with epilepsy   
   This case, currently funded by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC 039 274), is against a school who excluded a student from classes for almost an entire term, on the grounds that her epilepsy constituted a health and safety risk. The special interest of this case, not yet resolved, is the delicate balance between health and safety standards and basic human rights.  

    

2. University refuses to admit a student with Aspergers syndrome into professional program
   This case, currently funded by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC 038 629), is against a nursing school who refused to admit a student with Aspergers syndrome on the grounds that it would be impossible to find him a placement in a hospital. The special interest of this case, not yet resolved, is the fact that the university refused to acknowledge the medical documentation, provided by the student, that attested to his competency to take the course.

    

3. University refuses to admit a student with dyslexia into professional program   
   This case, currently funded by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC 038 637), is against a nursing school who refused to admit a student on the grounds that the student had dyslexia. The special interest of this case, not yet resolved, is the balance between general rules, made in the name of health and safety, and individualized accommodation, made in the name of human rights.   

    

4. College refuses to admit a student in a wheelchair 
   In the St Dominic's case,  a college refused to admit a student in a wheelchair because it claimed its building could not safely accommodate a wheelchair lift.   The special interest of this case, eventually settled out of court, is the test for granting temporary accommodation of students with disabilities pending trial.  

    

5. University Residence fails to accommodate a student with post traumatic stress disorder
   In this case, currently funded by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC 037 585),  a university residence failed to follow through with its agreement to provide special residential accommodation for a student with post traumatic stress disorder. The special interest of the case, eventually settled out of court, was twofold: the refusal to provide reasonable accommodation and the inappropriate pressure put on the student from administration, to withdraw his human rights claim. 

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   Queen's Human Rights Bulletin  -  January 2007- Queen's Human Rights Office