Accessibility is a Necessity, Not a Luxury
Many people still don’t have the most basic access
A recent news story
This week is National Accessibility Week, and yet another story has come out about a disabled person being denied the most basic accessibility and inclusion.
A graduate from the law school of the University of New Brunswick named Blair Curtis was unable to fully participate in his own commencement ceremony.
His school had arranged for a ramp to make the stage accessible, but it was too steep for wheelchair users to navigate safely. Curtis told CBC news he had contacted his school five months in advance of the ceremony to ensure appropriate accommodations would be put in place.
He requested an opportunity to trial the ramp in advance of the ceremony to ensure everything was set up properly. The earliest the school would grant him access to do this was only two days before the ceremony, at which time Blair discovered the ramp was much too steep.
Instead of hurrying to make adjustments prior to the ceremony, the school told Blair he should have someone push him up the ramp. A law school graduate, an adult, a person who is entirely capable of pushing his own wheelchair and who values his independence, was told he should accommodate the school instead of them accommodating him – because of their poor planning.
He ended up receiving his diploma at floor level, in front of the stage, while the rest of his classmates walked across the stage to receive theirs.
Instead of apologize to Blair, the school disputed his claim that he began communication in December. They claimed he hadn’t reached out to them until March, which would still have given them two months to ensure their set-up would work for all students.
What does that matter?
Whether the timeframe was five months or two months, this is absolutely inexcusable and indefensible.
The University may have had time, two days prior to the ceremony, to adjust the stage and ramp to ensure it was accessible. If two days weren’t enough to make those changes, they should have ensured Blair was able to test out the ramp long before that. It was the responsibility of the University to ensure there would be enough time for any necessary adjustments to be made.
Using a wheelchair should not have prevented Blair, or anyone else, from crossing that stage with his classmates at his own graduation.
The complete refusal of the school to even acknowledge and apologize for their significant mistakes just adds insult to proverbial injury. In other words, they handled this terribly, then made things much worse by being complete assholes about it.
Using a wheelchair should not have prevented Blair, or anyone else, from crossing that stage with his classmates at his own graduation.
Accessibility articles
I’ve compiled a collection of my articles relating to accessibility from over the past two years for your reading convenience, starting with a personal story of my own. I hope you enjoy.
© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB
Barriers to Appropriate Support for Autistics
Barriers to Appropriate Support for Autistics
Part one: This Is What Ableism Looks Like
This Is What Ableism Looks Like
Part two: Ableism and Invisible Disabilities
Ableism And Invisible Disabilities
Expelling Ableism from Public Education
Expelling Ableism from Public Education
Have Hearing Aid, Will Travel (But Would Prefer Not)
Have Hearing Aid, Will Travel (But Would Prefer Not)
Accessibility Versus Accommodation
Accessibility Versus Accommodation
Accessible Communication Benefits Everyone
Accessible Communication Benefits Everyone
Half-Assed Accessibility is Insulting
Half-Assed Accessibility is Insulting
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