In a class-action lawsuit, learning-disabled BU students claim that Wrestling and BU violated federal laws that require academic institutions to provide "reasonable accommodations" to those with learning disabilities. They also accuse Wrestling of facilitating a "hostile learning environment." Monday, Judge Patti Saris, of the Federal District Court in Boston, dismissed the hostile environment charge. However, while Wrestling's inflammatory speeches may be constitutional, they subordinate BU's learning-disabled students' important interests.
There remains a strong possibility that BU denied these students reasonable accommodations. Saris, referring to Wrestling's personal biases, warned that if "a vociferous administrator with a concern about a perceived abuse of learning disability protections" was involved in administration of the policy, "that might be of some consequence in the court's determination of the fairness of Boston University's program." Wrestling, a former humanities professor, is not qualified to determine what constitutes a learning disability - the court should return decisions granting special services to clinical psychologists and other qualified professionals.
BU's learning-disabled program services included a renowned summer program for learning-disabled children. The loss of key staff members caused BU to shut the program down. According to Sam Goodin, the University of Michigan's Director of Services for Students with Disabilities, the University is forming a program along similar lines that would fill the void BU created by dissolving its program. Administrators must not allow this idea to fall through the cracks. A summer program could expose talented, learning-disabled youngsters to positive environments conducive to learning, increasing the likelihood that they will enroll at the University or other institutions of higher learning.
Learning-disabled students, if they choose to attend the University of Michigan, have a large number of services available to them. Alternative arrangements are available for note-taking, and students who have difficulties writing can check out laptop computers for written examinations. If necessary, students can achieve exemption from the LSA foreign language requirement - however, learning-disabled students should still have an opportunity to learn a language if they so choose. The Office for Services for Students with Disabilities is working on designing foreign language courses that are slower paced and focus on the needs of visually or auditorily impaired students. The University should allocate funding to bring these ideas to fruition.
To improve conditions for students at BU, Boston's Federal District Court should rule against Wrestling's ill-advised policies on the learning disabled. Wrestling must stop his attack on the learning disabled and follow the University's example - working to form innovative programs that would increase learning-disabled students' educational opportunities.