Princeton Student Sues University For Hating On the Disabled
Princeton freshman Diane Metcalf-Leggette is suing the university for not allowing her extra time on exams. Citing a learning disability, Metcalf-Leggette claimed that without the special concessions she might not do well on her midterms.
It's called freshman year, Diane. Most people don't do well on their first midterms.
But really, there's a bigger issue at stake. The place for learning disabilities on campus is generally drowning in a vat of amphetamine-soaked distrust. Diagnoses are diagnoses, right? Metcalf-Leggette has a whole bunch of them. According to The Prince:
Metcalf-Leggette’s complaint asserted that she has four learning disabilities, which were diagnosed in 2003: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mixed-receptive-expressive language disorder, disorder of written expression and developmental coordination disorder. The conditions, according to the complaint, hinder her ability to focus, process information and communicate in writing.
So should the University trust the doctors and give this girl some help? Oh wait, they already do.
The University currently accommodates Metcalf-Leggette’s disabilities by offering her a “reduced distraction testing environment,” a limit of one exam per day and a 10-minute break each hour, the law journal reported.
Get to know the Americans with Disabilities Act and fury of testing the Tiger after the jump.
Long story short, Metcalf-Leggette made it through high school with honors and got into Princeton and everything with the help of 100 percent time extensions. Her brother, David Metcalf '08, was granted time extensions at Princeton. But in order to ace those finals, she says she'll need help. After an unsuccessful attempt to get extra time for midterms last week, her appeal will be decided. around January 11, 2010.
Who really cares? As a varsity soccer player, Metcalf-Leggette definitely has to keep a minimum GPA. And the job market will inevitably suck in 2013 as much as it has in 2009. Since the ADA say that you can't (under certain conditions) discriminate based on disability, wouldn't it be easier to just go ahead and give everyone 100 percent more time?
Nobody would argue. Metcalf-Leggette would continue to score game-winning goals. And everyone at Princeton would get sweet jobs at sweet investment banks. Go ahead and throw in some extra study drugs.
So really, Princeton University. Why do you hate America so much?
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Read more: adderall, daily princetonian, David Metcalf, Diane Metcalf-Leggette, learning disabilities, Princeton, study drugs, this is why people hate the ivy league
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November 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
This is kinda of a dumb move on Diane’s part… By getting her name out there as the kid with all the attention problems who whines about lack of special treatment she’s probably building up quite a damning google-search profile for future potential employers that’s far worse than a 3.0 GPA. She should have just sucked it up, popped some pills and settled for her B grades.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I think it’s really innappropriate/invasive to post someone’s medical diagnosis on a blog for public mockery/shaming for some perceived inequality that none of us really knows and (at least over here) cares anything about. If you want to make the larger point that you think learning disability accommodations like extra time are unreasonable or are being abused, then sack the fuck up and make that point, but don’t single out some random ass freshman girl and her family, when you have no idea how legitimate her beef is.
It may turn out that she’s actually being underserved by princeton and merits the extra time, or maybe not – who knows. But either way, thanks to ivygate (/unless she becomes a really standout athlete), as #1 said this will probably be among the first things that comes up when you google her name for a long time.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
edit: just read the other articles and see now that you guys are just regurgitating from other news outlets … I still don’t think this should be posted, mostly cuz it’s boring, but I really probably only give half a crap because I don’t wanna do the problem set on my desk right now
*sigh*
November 10th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
uhh… it’s her fault her diagnoses are public knowledge… she’s the one suing.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:29 am
`oh shut up, CC. You wrote a freaking paragraph about this; clearly you didn’t find it boring. Don’t project your shit on the website.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:01 am
IvyGate’s still publishing?
November 11th, 2009 at 10:16 am
A Columbia professor suckerpunched a woman in the face during an affirmative action argument, and I KNOW people have sent tips about it. Report.
November 11th, 2009 at 11:29 am
The problem with this is that you forgot the funny.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Exactly, by suing, she opened the door to public knowledge and in this case, scrutiny of her learning disabilities. No medical-privacy concerns apply because she’s the one who went public with her condition as a part of the lawsuit and now, the information is already out there. IvyGate isn’t revealing anything new or confidential.
For once, I agree with the IvyGate snark though. People who really need the extra help / accommodations just to function in the first place should definitely receive them. But, we’re talking about someone who made it through high school with honors and got into Princeton.
Maybe she’s just not as smart as she wishes she could be? How do you distinguish between learning disability and “just not that smart”? The answer isn’t always giving more time and more accommodations. Receiving 100% extra time on the SAT and 200% extra time on the ACT is friggin’ ridiculous. The whole point of those tests is to measure proficiency in a timed environment. And, College Board can no longer indicate that people have had extra time on the SAT (result of a previous lawsuit) so there’s no drawback whatsoever to gaming the system this way.
November 11th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
what the hell is this girl doing at Princeton if she has a learning disability?
November 12th, 2009 at 4:53 am
Would the NFL give a “right arm disabled” football QB a couple extra seconds in the pocket to line up his pass? Maybe that sounds kind of douchey, and the situations aren’t totally analogous, but it’s the first thought that came to my mind.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:53 am
I’m still just pissed at her SAT extension. The test, like the LSAT, GRE, GMAT, etc is, as anybody whose taken any of these exams knows, based probably most on your ability to answer somewhat tricky question under a strict time limit. Seriously, if I would have gotten twice the time to take the LSAT, I, and the majority of Ivy Leaguers, would have walked out with 180s. Fuck that.
Also, what dos she expect to happen when she actually leaves Princeton? Does she think BCG’s going to give her twice the time to organize her consultation? Does she think the manager at McDonald’s will allow her extra time to prepare my double quarter pounder? If she can’t succeed in strict time limits on a fucking college test than she will undoubtedly fail at life. Boooooo
November 12th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Damn, she is pretty hot, though.
http://image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com/pics/400/WW/WWDCUKAOHOLSRCL.20090902151955.jpg
November 12th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Yale Man, you’ve opened the flood gates. Now we will get the following:
“If you think that’s hot, I feel bad for Yale guys” asshole.
“Yeah, she’s pretty fugly” second asshole.
“You guys are weird, she’s hot”
“I’m her friend, and she’s amazing! You guys are jerks!”
“How dare you judge her by her looks!” high-and-mighty sandy vagina.
Or none of that will happen because no one reads or comments on IvyGate anymore.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Don’t all Princeton students have these disabilities?