Academic Ableism: HuffPost article

[polly_mer]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-ive-learned-academic-ableism_n_5f05f3a8c5b67a80bc01b533

Is there any discussion regarding fall for accessibility newer than https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/04/06/remote-learning-shift-leaves-students-disabilities-behind

[marshwiggle]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-ive-learned-academic-ableism_n_5f05f3a8c5b67a80bc01b533

At the risk of sounding ableist, does anyone know if a routine part of advice to students with disabilities involves taking a lighter courseload? Reading that article, seeing the struggles with flare-ups and so on, and hearing a bout "ableist expectations", it seems to me that a fundamental consideration with any challenge would be what workload would be possible given the likelihood of flare-ups and so on during the semester. The article doesn't specifically address this, but if a student is taking on too much, then it's not entirely fair to blame instructors' expectations.

(My personal experience is that about 80% of my students with accomodations seem to do just fine; but there are probably about 10% that seem routinely overwhelmed, regardless of their accomodations.)

[namazu]

At the risk of sounding ableist, does anyone know if a routine part of advice to students with disabilities involves taking a lighter courseload?

For some students, yes. However, the ability to take a reduced courseload can be complicated by financial aid/scholarship requirements and tuition structures, which don't often take into account disability status.  And for students whose disabilities involve unpredictable flare-ups, a reduced courseload doesn't always address the students' needs well, as it's a waste of time if they are able to work at full capacity, and may not be all that much help when they are out of commission.

[smallcleanrat]

Selections from the comments of the Huffington Post article:

"...to call back pain and headaches a disability is to elevate the infirmities of everyday life to a consideration they don't warrant.  It reminds me of what has happened with the definition of "trauma" and PTSD.  Today, you can get prescribed powerful mood-altering drugs and excused from your job for the PTSD you suffer from breaking up with someone.  That's not hyperbole or an exaggeration.  It's happening."

"The author has back pain, sleep problems, and headaches. Are these really disabilities? Like half of America has all three of these issues."

"The author sees a *chiropractor* for these problems, so she obviously doesn't care to actually get better with evidence-based treatments. If it's not serious enough to follow the medical evidence rigorously, then it ain't a disability imho"

"Victim Olympics on display. Soon, the woke left will consider bed head a disability"

[financeguy]

My anecdotal experience is that many of these are as abusive as the claim to need a "therapy dog" as an excuse to take your pet where you'd like/ruin the experience of others rather than an actual need for a service animal.

[smallcleanrat]

My anecdotal experience is that many of these are as abusive as the claim to need a "therapy dog" as an excuse to take your pet where you'd like/ruin the experience of others rather than an actual need for a service animal.

"Many of these" what?

[TreadingLife]

I don't believe in "test anxiety" for 99% of students. You know what it really is? It is the feeling one gets when they realize, "OH SNIT, I totally understudied for this and I'm in over my head."  That sinking, stressful feeling is the feeling you get when life lets you know that you've F'd up. Forget to unplug the iron and you are at work....sinking feeling. Forget an important someone's birthday...sinking feeling. Forget to pick someone up at the airport...sinking feeling. Forget to study for the test...sinking feeling. Of course your heart rate will increase and your mind goes blank. You are in a stressful fight or flight situation based on your poor choices, and now your body is making you feel the consequences of those actions. Welcome to being alive and being human. You don't have a disability. You need to learn how to navigate life and your like the rest of us. 

Executive function and self-regulation are skills that all humans need to thrive. I don't know where one learns such skills (elementary, high school, college, home, etc), but instead of addressing the skill deficit, we pop a pill for it and we embrace the easy explanation of a 'disability'.  There are people with true disabilities out there, and it is a disservice to lump people who just need better coping skills in with them. Welcome to adulting. It is not fun. It is work. It is also essential to survive.

[mamselle]

My anecdotal experience is that many of these are as abusive as the claim to need a "therapy dog" as an excuse to take your pet where you'd like/ruin the experience of others rather than an actual need for a service animal.

"Many of these" what?

Some people here might in fact have therapy animals. And you can't always tell who it is, or why, or how severe their need may be.

Perhaps it's possible to be a bit less cynical about the need for them, or the too-broad assumption that everyone is gaming that system?

M.

[TreadingLife]

My anecdotal experience is that many of these are as abusive as the claim to need a "therapy dog" as an excuse to take your pet where you'd like/ruin the experience of others rather than an actual need for a service animal.

"Many of these" what?

Perhaps it's possible to be a bit less cynical about the need for them, or the too-broad assumption that everyone is gaming that system?

M.

I agree with avoiding broad brush strokes, but resources are limited, so those cases have consequences. We can't hire enough mental health professionals to keep up with the demand at my institution, and we have a pretty comprehensive office as is. We only have one "accessibility" officer to help guide students to the service offices they need (physical, mental, learning). Inundating that office with some borderline cases, or those gaming the system does have real consequences on the services available to those that "really" need them. Some students have to wait a week or more for an appointment with a learning or mental health specialist. In a perfect world, we'd just hire more staff support and serve everyone, but we can't, at least not without giving up something else that is also valuable to students.

You almost wish you could level with students and hold up an example of someone who really needs support services to say, "hey, are you really in that same boat?  Because otherwise, you are effectively delaying their care because you're trying to use the system to suit your needs." There is no way to do this with FERPA and HIPAA, but still.  It is frustrating to see students suffer while waiting. But they don't pay me to be judge and jury on this, so I support all my students equally assuming all the cases are legit. I guess this was a long-winded way of saying that abuse of the system has real consequences, even if there is nothing we can do about it from where we sit.

[mamselle]

If there were a true shortage of kitties and puppies in need of a home, that might be a consideration.

If it were so difficult for people to figure out what they need and apply for a care animal, that might also make for a scarcity.

But which is the greater danger: to deny someone something they might truly need because they "might" be misrepresenting the severity of their issues?

Or to let one slip by because someone's figured out they're not omniscient, might be too ungenerous, or don't want to play God?

Above all else, do no harm.

M.

[writingprof]

Oh, god, another "ism." That world of perfect justice never quite arrives, does it?

[dismalist]

Oh, god, another "ism." That world of perfect justice never quite arrives, does it?

Perfect equality of outcomes, Writingprof, perfect equality of outcomes!

[smallcleanrat]

My anecdotal experience is that many of these are as abusive as the claim to need a "therapy dog" as an excuse to take your pet where you'd like/ruin the experience of others rather than an actual need for a service animal.

"Many of these" what?

Perhaps it's possible to be a bit less cynical about the need for them, or the too-broad assumption that everyone is gaming that system?

M.

I agree with avoiding broad brush strokes, but resources are limited, so those cases have consequences. We can't hire enough mental health professionals to keep up with the demand at my institution, and we have a pretty comprehensive office as is. We only have one "accessibility" officer to help guide students to the service offices they need (physical, mental, learning). Inundating that office with some borderline cases, or those gaming the system does have real consequences on the services available to those that "really" need them. Some students have to wait a week or more for an appointment with a learning or mental health specialist. In a perfect world, we'd just hire more staff support and serve everyone, but we can't, at least not without giving up something else that is also valuable to students.

You almost wish you could level with students and hold up an example of someone who really needs support services to say, "hey, are you really in that same boat?  Because otherwise, you are effectively delaying their care because you're trying to use the system to suit your needs." There is no way to do this with FERPA and HIPAA, but still.  It is frustrating to see students suffer while waiting. But they don't pay me to be judge and jury on this, so I support all my students equally assuming all the cases are legit. I guess this was a long-winded way of saying that abuse of the system has real consequences, even if there is nothing we can do about it from where we sit.

This type of thinking once landed me in the hospital, because I delayed getting help until my situation was dire. Practically anyone, including those who I think you might acknowledge have a "real" need of access to services, can think of someone whose situation is worse. And have you not heard of people who attempt suicide or have to take time off for a worsening long-term illness only for the people who knew them to say they had no idea anything was wrong?

But I do agree with your overall point about the need to screen out malingerers and prioritize people who may need the help more urgently than others. I don't know what the best practical solution would be. As mamselle points out, stricter gate-keeping may reduce the number of people able to get away with gaming the system but at the cost of some people with genuine need being denied access to services.

I've wondered, for what you describe as "borderline" cases, whether there could be options that could help without overtaxing the system. If it is a matter of students struggling to cope with some of the more "universal" student issues (i.e. time management, anxiety over grades, family conflict, etc...), instead of going directly to scheduling 1-on-1 time with a counselor, perhaps they could benefit from a reading list or video series or other set of resources they can consume on their own time which can educate them about coping strategies. Perhaps an online forum for students to share with each other their experiences managing various issues.

Again, I don't know what a really effective system would look like. But it's a topic that interests me and that I think merits attention and study.

[mahagonny]

What is/are 'folx'? Have I been away that long? When you're writing English, write English, please. Your'e not special that way.

[mamselle]

What is/are 'folx'? Have I been away that long? When you're writing English, write English, please. Your'e not special that way.

??

That spelling does not appear anyplace on this page according to the search engine...except in your post.

Sorry.

You'll need to look for something else to be outraged about today.

M.