Re: Re: sma lifestyles

July 27, 2003

In a message dated 7/27/2003 4:38:16 PM Central Daylight Time,

kendra@... writes:

> I'm currently a senior at the College of Saint Rose in New York.

In Albany? That's 20 minutes away from me. =)

July 27, 2003

> What type of work do others here do?

>

> ~Kendra

I run my own IT consultancy firm (www.davross.org) doing 3D graphics

programming and office support for small companies - basically I'll code or

fix anything computer based for money I have one person who works for me

doing a different branch of the business - namely training. Im also

involved doing some of the training with her, particularly " Equality and

Diversity " courses for care homes.

Running your own firm is great, I can pick my hours, work from home 90% of

the time, and also can make my income disappear. This was my main reason

for setting the company up - not so long ago UK disabled ppl were in a

benefits trap and basically had their their care money discounted £ for £

against their salary... it wasnt worth going out and getting a job because

of this policy. Fortunately this has now changed, but by this time my

business was doing well and it seemed daft to go back and work for someone

else.

Kev

July 27, 2003

Ok, you're not even a full year older than me (I was 19 at the beginning of

July), so how are you already a senior and applying to law school? Oy, the

idea of being that far along and committed to anything a year from now stresses

me! I finished my first year at Brigham Young University (Utah) last April,

and am home for the summer in Washington state. I'll be going back in a month

and can't wait! My current major (check back next week) is Marriage, Family,

and Human Development, with hopes of getting into the Marriage and Family

Therapy grad program eventually.

Kind of surprises me that accessibility isn't better in New York. Utah is

so-so, but the people are so nice and willing to help whenever they can, things

always work out okay. And I suppose Washington is comparatively pretty good. NY

is high on my list of places I'd like to go, though! Too bad I hatehateHATE

flying...

Anyway, good on you for being so independent and far along, and good luck

getting on that right road!

~e

July 27, 2003

Your plans sound great. I wish you the best! The transportation thing can

really put a damper on things. Although it's not perfect, the para-transit

system in Houston is pretty good. I know in Austin, riders still have to

call 7 days in advance to get a ride and if you cancel a trip or miss a trip

for some reason, they actually get billed for it! I also understand from a

close friend that the telephone operators are very rude if you call to ask

where your late ride is.

I am a master's level social worker and work as a case manager in a large TX

Medical Center hospital. The work environment is extremely w/c accessible

and whatever small accommodations I have needed, they were happy to provide.

Lori

Re: sma lifestyles

I'm currently a senior at the College of Saint Rose in New York. I'm

not working due to transportation issues. I can't transport my

wheelchair anywhere. Public transportation is not accessible *enough*

for me to use it and ambulette service is $60/day. Luckily I have

state funding for my transportation to school. I was JUST accepted to

the public transportation for the disabled in my area (for the past

two years they have insisted I wasn't disabled and couldn't use their

services) - which is similar to a taxi fee and transportation if I

call a day in advance. This is going to help me tremendously, as I've

been dying to get back into work during my summers. Finally I can

again!

I've previously worked clerical jobs, mostly because the area I'm

originally from is very small and besides those and cashier jobs

there wasn't much of an option for young adults. I've also worked

Internet technical support, Intranet setup, database coordination,

and webpage design jobs. After I finish my BA this May (History and

Political Science) I'll be hoping for more governmental/political

associated positions - lobbyist, paralegal, journalism, politics,

etc. I'm also in the process of apply for law school. Hopefully by

March I'll know if that road is one I'll be able to travel.

What type of work do others here do?

~Kendra

> You sound very independent! What type of work do you do?

>

> Lori

>

July 28, 2003

>What type of work do others here do?

What kind of work do I do? Honestly it's not a very happy story. I went in

to a local college to become a teacher assistant to work in an elementary

school - primarily grade one and two students. I completed all but two

courses, when they all of a sudden called me to come in one day for a

meeting - after I had paid a whole bunch of money for tuition, and invested

a whole lot of time.

The guy who works at the college who is the " equity councillor " said, " I

don't think parents are going to want to see someone in a wheelchair

teaching their children. " The dean of the school said, " You look like a

smart person, why don't you go into another field? "

They said that a class that I needed to complete, required that I be able to

transfer a student from a toilet to their wheelchair - which is rediculous

because I would have been working with students who needed the educational

help, not help with transferring - they never told me anything about this

aspect of the class when I first started.

Anyway, I have strong upper body strength and said that that would not be a

problem. I knew that I'd be able to transfer a grade one student and was

willing to try my best. Then they told me that I would not have to display

this transferring with a student but with one of my class mates. They were

not willing to make an exception of any kind and were not willing to

accomodate me in any way. I wouldn't be transferring an adult any way, so

it made no sense to me at all.

They said that I could go ahead and take that class, but that they'd fail me

and would not give me my certificate. I asked if they could give me my

certificate with a modification stating that I did not complete the one

aspect of the one class - they said no. I spoke with school boards in my

area and they were willing to consider me for a job, if I could get a

modified certificate, but the college was not willing to give me one.

After writing letters to numerous individuals - over 100 letters - I got no

response from anyone. Not from the head of the school boards in my

provinces, not from the govenor. No one cared at all. Everyone said,

" Really that happened, I can't believe that " but no one did anything about

it or tried to help me.

So I ended up going to human rights. I eventually got my case to the

tribunal and it was going to go to court - after two years - when my human

rights lawyer said to me, " You know that nothing is going to happen to the

college right? We can' t make them give you your certificate. All we can

do is prove that they should have told you about the class. There is really

no point to continue. "

Needless to say, nothing did happen. They now " screen " their students

before allowing them to go into courses - so they can see how disabled they

are first. I just about have all of my classes to teach, but will never get

a certificate and will never get a job in the field that I wanted to work

in. it really is quite sad.

So right now I am currently working as an office manager - which has nothing

to do with kids. I run a DJ company out of my home and have offices in four

cities throughout western Canada. It's really a good job, good pay, but

still is not teaching. I feel like I'm settling because I'll never get to

do what I really love and that's teaching students. My husband put it this

way, he said, " Maybe you were able to take those classes and maybe all of

this crap happened for a reason. Maybe it was all in God's plan, so that

you would have the experience to one day " teach " our children. You are

going to be an awesome parent because of some of those classes, and it has

made you an all around stronger person, that's what you got out of it. "

And that's my story!

>From: " kendrascalia " <kendra@...>

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: sma lifestyles

>Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2003 21:37:22 -0000

>

>I'm currently a senior at the College of Saint Rose in New York. I'm

>not working due to transportation issues. I can't transport my

>wheelchair anywhere. Public transportation is not accessible *enough*

>for me to use it and ambulette service is $60/day. Luckily I have

>state funding for my transportation to school. I was JUST accepted to

>the public transportation for the disabled in my area (for the past

>two years they have insisted I wasn't disabled and couldn't use their

>services) - which is similar to a taxi fee and transportation if I

>call a day in advance. This is going to help me tremendously, as I've

>been dying to get back into work during my summers. Finally I can

>again!

>

>I've previously worked clerical jobs, mostly because the area I'm

>originally from is very small and besides those and cashier jobs

>there wasn't much of an option for young adults. I've also worked

>Internet technical support, Intranet setup, database coordination,

>and webpage design jobs. After I finish my BA this May (History and

>Political Science) I'll be hoping for more governmental/political

>associated positions - lobbyist, paralegal, journalism, politics,

>etc. I'm also in the process of apply for law school. Hopefully by

>March I'll know if that road is one I'll be able to travel.

>

>What type of work do others here do?

>

> ~Kendra

>

> > You sound very independent! What type of work do you do?

> >

> > Lori

> >

>

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July 28, 2003

,

I'd say poo on that. You should never be convinced to leave your calling

because of some governmental bureaucratic baloney. You deserve to be doing

exactly what you are called to do. Surely, surely there is some legal

procedure you can go through. It sounds like you faced blatant

discrimination. You need to find some way to get the rest of the classes

needed to get your certificate. At the very least, you deserve to receive

tuition refunds or damages from having to spend money on classes that are

not benefiting you. I am a teacher, but I teach at the college level. If

anything, I've seen that people are greatly encouraged to do their best when

they see other people who've had to overcome things. It's not a pity thing.

It's a respect thing. I've even had to talk with parents, and they've been

nothing but appreciative. Do NOT give up because of naysayers.

Just hoping to encourage you!

Blessings,

Holly

Re: sma lifestyles

> >Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2003 21:37:22 -0000

> >

> >I'm currently a senior at the College of Saint Rose in New York. I'm

> >not working due to transportation issues. I can't transport my

> >wheelchair anywhere. Public transportation is not accessible *enough*

> >for me to use it and ambulette service is $60/day. Luckily I have

> >state funding for my transportation to school. I was JUST accepted to

> >the public transportation for the disabled in my area (for the past

> >two years they have insisted I wasn't disabled and couldn't use their

> >services) - which is similar to a taxi fee and transportation if I

> >call a day in advance. This is going to help me tremendously, as I've

> >been dying to get back into work during my summers. Finally I can

> >again!

> >

> >I've previously worked clerical jobs, mostly because the area I'm

> >originally from is very small and besides those and cashier jobs

> >there wasn't much of an option for young adults. I've also worked

> >Internet technical support, Intranet setup, database coordination,

> >and webpage design jobs. After I finish my BA this May (History and

> >Political Science) I'll be hoping for more governmental/political

> >associated positions - lobbyist, paralegal, journalism, politics,

> >etc. I'm also in the process of apply for law school. Hopefully by

> >March I'll know if that road is one I'll be able to travel.

> >

> >What type of work do others here do?

> >

> > ~Kendra

> >

> > > You sound very independent! What type of work do you do?

> > >

> > > Lori

> > >

> >

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.

> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail

>

July 28, 2003

That is horrible! Can you transfer your credits to a public college who

can't get away with that kind of s & $#? Just finish your schooling somewhere

else? Of course, people in wheelchairs can be teachers!

Lori

P.S. Your " human rights " lawyer sucks! I think he gave up too soon. He is

no better than the jerks at that school.