- Report: #617447
Complaint Review: ITT Technical Instute Tucson - Tucson Arizona
Reported By:
DVCAZ -
Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
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Author Not Confirmed
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ITT Technical Instute Tucson
1455 West River Road Tucson, 85704 Arizona, United States of America
Phone:
520-408-7488
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ITT Technical Instute Tucson Americans With Disabilities Violations Tucson, Arizona
At both the Orientation and the first day of class we were all told to pick a computer and stay in that seat as our work would be on that computer. One day when I was three minutes late I found my seat, at the head of the class, (I always choose the front seat as I have ADD) taken. The class had to come to a halt while both the T.A. and the instructor logged the guy who had taken my seat off and me onto his computer.
I sent an email to both the instructor and the Department Chair stating,
"Sirs, A health issue that affects men of a certain age (I am in my early 50s), makes it all the more helpful that I sit in my usual seat at the front of the class as possible. Not only will this make the potential of my having to exit frequently less bothersome but it does allow me to better follow along without the putting on and taking off of my glasses.
You consideration of this accommodation will be most appreciated."
*Note: One does NOT have to share a diagnosis and when the word "accommodation" is used the matter needs to be referred to the ADA administration office. It was not, it gets much worse.
The response from the Chair of my department was: "It is my understanding that if you arrive with sufficient time before class starts there should be no problem to sit in the seat of your choice. This should accommodate the ingress/egress opportunities, as well as your vision concerns."
I next wrote to the College Director, forwarding the previously mentioned communications and I told her, "Were space (the class was one third full...) limited in the class in question I could understand how this could be a problematic accommodation but as it is not I do not feel that my request is unreasonable nor one that is either achievable or one that cannot be provided."
When that went ignored I went to my Physician to get a note from him. He was very upset that they would invade my privacy over such a small matter and while he did not provide a diagnosis he did state that I had a health issue that made my sitting next to the front of the class an accommodation that they should provide.
Next I went to my Therapist who diagnosed my ADD and he also wrote a letter explaining how sitting in the front of any class helps me keep focus so that I can be successful. I hand delivered these letters to the College Director and the Lead School Chair. They were not happy.
A few week later, after being harassed, I asked my therapist, for a second letter that would explain that I was not being treated properly and the accomodations were proving to be ineffective due to Administrations indifference. He went on to adress my PTSD and other issues and insisted that the college was bound, by law, to better enforce them.
The day before I was to deliver this second letter further explaining my ADA Accommodations the College Director decided that rather than be in receipt of the second letter I should be dismissed as a student. She, in a most transparent way tried to avoid having to further ADA compliance's. She dismissed me not because either of my instructos complained about me, my relationship with them was very special and very productive, she dismissed me saying, "You are just causing us too much inconvenience."
I have sought excellent counsel from a Disability Advocacy Group and I am taking all the copies of the emails (I forwarded my school emails to my home email) to the Arizona Attorney Generals Civil Rights Division very soon. In the mean time I have kept, much to their chagrin. ITT Corporate in Indiana in the loop by faxing parts of my proof to ITT's ADA Administrator. IF the Arizona Attorney General's Civil Rights Division provide me with "The right to file a lawsuit" they are, by state law also to file a "State Vs. ITT Technical Institute Lawsuit". Let's see if they really want this kind of bad press?
Stay Tuned.
I sent an email to both the instructor and the Department Chair stating,
"Sirs, A health issue that affects men of a certain age (I am in my early 50s), makes it all the more helpful that I sit in my usual seat at the front of the class as possible. Not only will this make the potential of my having to exit frequently less bothersome but it does allow me to better follow along without the putting on and taking off of my glasses.
You consideration of this accommodation will be most appreciated."
*Note: One does NOT have to share a diagnosis and when the word "accommodation" is used the matter needs to be referred to the ADA administration office. It was not, it gets much worse.
The response from the Chair of my department was: "It is my understanding that if you arrive with sufficient time before class starts there should be no problem to sit in the seat of your choice. This should accommodate the ingress/egress opportunities, as well as your vision concerns."
I next wrote to the College Director, forwarding the previously mentioned communications and I told her, "Were space (the class was one third full...) limited in the class in question I could understand how this could be a problematic accommodation but as it is not I do not feel that my request is unreasonable nor one that is either achievable or one that cannot be provided."
When that went ignored I went to my Physician to get a note from him. He was very upset that they would invade my privacy over such a small matter and while he did not provide a diagnosis he did state that I had a health issue that made my sitting next to the front of the class an accommodation that they should provide.
Next I went to my Therapist who diagnosed my ADD and he also wrote a letter explaining how sitting in the front of any class helps me keep focus so that I can be successful. I hand delivered these letters to the College Director and the Lead School Chair. They were not happy.
A few week later, after being harassed, I asked my therapist, for a second letter that would explain that I was not being treated properly and the accomodations were proving to be ineffective due to Administrations indifference. He went on to adress my PTSD and other issues and insisted that the college was bound, by law, to better enforce them.
The day before I was to deliver this second letter further explaining my ADA Accommodations the College Director decided that rather than be in receipt of the second letter I should be dismissed as a student. She, in a most transparent way tried to avoid having to further ADA compliance's. She dismissed me not because either of my instructos complained about me, my relationship with them was very special and very productive, she dismissed me saying, "You are just causing us too much inconvenience."
I have sought excellent counsel from a Disability Advocacy Group and I am taking all the copies of the emails (I forwarded my school emails to my home email) to the Arizona Attorney Generals Civil Rights Division very soon. In the mean time I have kept, much to their chagrin. ITT Corporate in Indiana in the loop by faxing parts of my proof to ITT's ADA Administrator. IF the Arizona Attorney General's Civil Rights Division provide me with "The right to file a lawsuit" they are, by state law also to file a "State Vs. ITT Technical Institute Lawsuit". Let's see if they really want this kind of bad press?
Stay Tuned.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Ramjet
Somewhere,Michigan,
U.S.A.
A big smoke screen
#2Consumer Comment
Sat, June 26, 2010
But all this fancy verbiage is just a smoke screen. If the person shows up on time there is no problem. Let's accept a little responsibility for causing your own trouble.
Show up on time or be willing to accept any consequences. Seems simple to me!
DVCAZ
Tucson,Arizona,
United States of America
Common Decency
#3Author of original report
Sat, June 26, 2010
""Sirs, A health issue that affects men of a certain age (I am in my early 50s), makes it all the more helpful that I sit in my usual seat at the front of the class as possible. Not only will this make the potential of my having to exit frequently less bothersome but it does allow me to better follow along without the putting on and taking off of my glasses.
You consideration of this accommodation will be most appreciated."
A simple solution was provided per ITT instructions that students stay at the same computers. Per Arizona law one is not required to provide a diagnosis and the use of the word "accommodation" should, in the smarter kind of corporations, raise a "red flag" that would cause them to not only make the easy accommodation but to, for everyone's benefit, do whatever they can do discover if there are any other reasons that someone might need additional assistance that might fall under the protections that ADA Law is intended to provide. In conclusion the fact that after the College Director, having received a Doctors request for ADA Accommodations, should under no circumstances think that telling someone under ADA protections that they are being dismissed because their ADA Accommodations are "Inconvenient". ITT: Here's your sign.
Stacey
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
I agree with Robert
#4Consumer Comment
Sat, June 26, 2010
I see no rip off here - You did not abide by the rules period. I would like to see documentation where the ADA states that ADD/ADHD is labeled a "disability" -
I myself have been hyper all my life so I probably have ADD but I do not consider it a "disability" - A REAL disability is Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebal Palsy etc etc
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Confused
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, June 25, 2010
I don't see any RipOff here. According to your report you arrived late, and because of that another student was in "your" seat. Now, could he have moved..yes. But since he didn't and the instructors didn't make him move it seems like there might be more going on here than you are saying.
It sounds like you have some "entitlement" issues where you want everyone to bow down to your "disability". You claim you have to be in the front of the class because you are in your early 50's and have ADD(Attention Deficit Disorder). Well, unless something has changed being in your early 50's is not something that is covered under the ADA. If you know of some provision that includes that please let us know. As for ADD. Just being diagnosed with ADD does not automatically clasify you as disabled and being able to be protected by the ADA.
But that not withstanding the ADA says that they need to make "accomodations", not do what ever you request. Based on the response you got, they basically said show up on time and it won't be a problem.
If I am missing something here please tell us.
