Dumb, but not as dumb as some of you...

So much here to entertain.... A student at SIU's law school claims that it was unfair that she was dropped from law school due to her 1.495 GPA. There were others who had lower GPA's who were readmitted, but she was the only one who wasn't Causcasian:

A former law student has sued Southern Illinois University Carbondale, claiming the school discriminated against her by re- enrolling others with worse grades, but not her.

Lisa D. Rittenhouse was one of six law students dropped last year for poor academic performance, she claims in her federal suit.

After her first year in law school, Rittenhouse posted a grade point average of 1.948, just shy of the school's required 1.95 GPA but better than the other students' GPAs, she alleges.

The students later applied for readmission, but only Rittenhouse was denied, she says in her suit, filed in East St. Louis, Ill.

Rittenhouse claims the law school discriminated against her because she has learning disabilities, including attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and dyslexia, and is bipolar. She also claims reverse discrimination because four of the readmitted students are minorities and she is white.

The law school's attorney, Ian P. Cooper of Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt in Clayton, said Rittenhouse didn't allege a pattern, practice or policy that would support discrimination claims.

Rittenhouse has a "heavy burden" to show there was discriminatory intent on the part of those reviewing her application for readmission, Cooper said, and "we haven't seen any support at all for any such claim."

The Academic Standards Committee, which considered Rittenhouse's request for readmission, followed the law school's policies and procedures, he said. The school has filed a motion to dismiss the suit on the bases of immunity and insufficient pleadings.

God, I love lawyers!

First, who here would like to hire an attorney who may be debilitated by her low GPA?

How about her claims of ADHD? Would you like to hire an attorney who is dyslexic? Bipolar? Does that make one an effective attorney? But of course, we are putting the cart before the horse, here, because let me point out that this lady has not even made it out of law school, much less past the bar exam.

Is there such a thing as being too disabled for a certain job? Is this person suited for the profession of attorney? What are the requirements of an attorney? Is the ability to read and digest a large amount of written information a prerequisite for the profession?

Meanwhile,is she being discriminated against due to her racial background, and if so, what does this indicate about fairness in current American society?

Lots of questions. Not a lot of answers.

Are you prepared for an emergency?

I have a medically fragile student this year-- a great kid who tries so hard to overcome insurmountable odds-- but I got him at the last minute, so have been kind of playing catch up (studying up on his illness, reading his very very long IEP, making adaptations since the IEP hasn't kept up with his condition, etc.). The other day he suddenly started bleeding from his nose while I was working with another student. And very quickly we had several problems.

It all ended okay-- one kid let me know what was happening, the kids all stayed calm, he stayed calm, I stayed calm, we all tried to distract him as another kid found paper towels. I called the nurse (thank GOD for nurses!) who came very quickly.

But I just want to say to you, Edusphere friends, it reminded me of a few things.

Please make sure you have the following items in your classroom, even if you DON'T have medically fragile students:
1. Non-latex gloves, several pair
2. Spare trashcan liners in which to dispose of biohazard waste
3. Gauze pads
4. Bleach wipes

Then, here's the first aid for a nosebleed (advice directed to the person who is bleeding):

1. Tilt your head downward toward your chest, NOT back (tilting your head back causes blood to flow down your throat where it could make you throw up or possibly aspirate it into your lungs). Place something beneath your nostrils to absorb the blood-- gauze, but at least a paper towel or a clean cloth if you can get it.

2. Place pressure with the last joint of your thumb and forefinger on both sides of your nose below the bridge-- think of it as a pincer movement rather than a pinch.

3. Breathe through your mouth calmly.

4. Maintain pressure for several minutes. If you feel faint, try to lower your head toward or below your knees and call for help.

You never know when you might need to know this stuff.

Protecting the helpless

Remember hearing about the school that encouraged disabled students to fight each other in Texas? Here's another piece of the puzzle:

Nearly 270 employees were fired or suspended for abusing or neglecting residents of large, state-run institutions for the mentally disabled in Texas during the last fiscal year, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. The revelations Friday come a day after Gov. Rick Perry signed legislation aimed at improving security and oversight at the 13 institutions, known as state schools. They are home to about 4,600 residents and more than 12,000 full-time employees.

Documents obtained by the AP through an open records request show that 11 of the 268 firings or suspensions were considered serious because they involved physical or sexual abuse that caused or may have caused serious physical injury. Employees may also be fired for a violation as mild as neglecting to protect a resident with mobility problems from stumbling into a wall. "I think what the number of firings and suspensions say is we do not tolerate abuse or neglect in our state schools," said Cecilia Fedorov, a spokeswoman with the Department of Aging and Disability Services, which oversees the schools.
It was not clear Friday whether any of those fired were prosecuted. The Department of Family and Protective Services, which investigates allegations of abuse, notifies law enforcement officials about any deaths, alleged sexual assaults, serious physical injuries or incidents involving children. But the agency does not track what happens once police or sheriff's deputies get involved, spokesman Patrick Crimmins said. The Coalition of Texans with Disabilities said Perry's legislation doesn't go far enough to protect state school residents. "Why is it that residents in state schools are somehow valued less than other citizens?" asked Dennis Borel, the coalition's executive director. "This speaks to me of a widespread, systemic problem, and personally I don't believe this can be fixed."

Defenders of the state schools include the Parent Association for the Retarded of Texas. Susan Payne, the organization's vice president, said her 47-year-old sister, Dianne, has been well served in the 37 years she has lived in state schools. "The medical care is unbelievable. She is alive because of the schools," Payne said. "These numbers and these reports make the places sound like hellholes, and that is just not what we see."

Perry declared state school reform a legislative emergency during the most recent session. State lawmakers reached a five-year, $112 million settlement with the Justice Department that documented widespread mistreatment of residents and alleged their civil rights were violated. The state will spend $24 million in each of the next two fiscal years to meet the terms of the settlement, which call for each school to have an independent monitor. Lawmakers also have provided funding for hiring nearly 3,000 additional employees.

The agreement resulted from a series of federal investigations that found that at least 53 deaths from September 2007 to September 2008 were from conditions the Department of Justice considered preventable, such as pneumonia, bowel obstructions or sepsis, indicating lapses in proper care. Nearly 1,100 employees have been suspended or fired in the last five fiscal years for mistreating, neglecting or abusing residents, according to state records. The fiscal 2008 figures are the most in any of those five years.

I'm sure this problem is not just limited to Texas. But what a tragedy!