Education Law

IBI in Ontario Schools-Crowd Funding Initiative

• April 13, 2016
• Kimberly Srivastava
• 2 Comments

Recently we have been contacted by many regarding the Ontario autism program changes. We have another case already ongoing at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Through this case, we hope to set a precedent that students should be able to get IBI/ABA provided in schools as a form of accommodation. » Read the rest

David Baker’s Comments on the Autism Programming Changes

• April 6, 2016
• David Baker
• 3 Comments

Thousands of children with autism, 5 years or age or over, who had been waitlisted for private intensive behavioural intervention (IBI) services funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) for years have been peremptorily cut off. I don’t think “crisis” is an overstatement, when describing the circumstances in which these children and their families find themselves. » Read the rest

TDSB Discriminated Against Student with Mental Health Disability

• January 22, 2016
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on TDSB Discriminated Against Student with Mental Health Disability

A while ago, bakerlaw accepted a client who had a mental health disability and had to be removed from a Toronto District School Board school because it was not providing him with the supports and accommodations he required.

In this case, the Tribunal found that the TDSB discriminated against a student by failing to provide him with the support that he needed for his anxiety and depression. » Read the rest

Discriminatory Post-Secondary Albatross Removed!

• January 21, 2016
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Discriminatory Post-Secondary Albatross Removed!

Recently, bakerlaw settled a case for its client who was unable to return to school because she had previously failed a class as a result of a lack of disability supports. At the time, the student did not realize she had a disability. » Read the rest

Getting students with disabilities back to school: challenging suspensions and expulsions

• December 16, 2015
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Getting students with disabilities back to school: challenging suspensions and expulsions

When a student with a disability has been suspended, expelled, or excluded from school the process for challenging this decision can be complicated and frustrating. Bakerlaw has been involved in getting many students back to school through both the human rights and the school board processes. » Read the rest

Accommodated Testing on the LSAT

• October 22, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Accommodated Testing on the LSAT

In May 2014, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) settled a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding accommodations on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) (link to settlement agreement).  In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs alleged that the LSAC’s accommodation policy violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as state anti-discrimination laws.  » Read the rest

Youth Mental Health in Education (YMHE) Action Group – Ensuring Accessible Education for Students with Mental Health Disabilities

• October 21, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Youth Mental Health in Education (YMHE) Action Group – Ensuring Accessible Education for Students with Mental Health Disabilities

On October 7, 2014, Toronto District School Board teacher Sheryl Boswell hosted the “Taking Action in Youth Mental Health in Education” event to raise awareness and funds for the Youth Mental Health in Education (YMHE) Action group.  The YMHE Action group is comprised of educators, parents, people with experience in mental health issues, and concerned community members, all of whom share the goals of increasing awareness of youth mental health issues in the educational system and ensuring that accessible education is a reality for all. » Read the rest

Osgoode Hall’s The Court Comments on Changes in Special Education

• September 24, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Osgoode Hall’s The Court Comments on Changes in Special Education

Osgoode Hall Law School’s The Court law blog has posted a comment on the effects of recent case law on special education services (link to comment).  For more information, please see bakerlaw‘s previous comment on the changes in special education (link to comment), as well as the 2012 Supreme Court of Canada decision, Moore v British Columbia (Ministry of Education), 2012 SCC 61 (link to decision), and the 2013 Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario decision, RB v Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, 2013 HRTO 1436 (link to decision).

Charter Challenge to Canada Student Loan Program

• July 31, 2014
• David Baker
• Comments Off on Charter Challenge to Canada Student Loan Program

This week the Toronto Star published the column “Deaf-blind woman tests Canada’s equality guarantee” (link to article). The column outlines the plight of Jasmin Simpson, who is blind and deaf and who graduated with 60% more student debt due to the increased time it took her to complete her B.S.W. » Read the rest

Student Loans a Major Source of Discrimination Against Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities

• July 16, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Student Loans a Major Source of Discrimination Against Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities

Toronto, ON, July 16, 2014 – Students with disabilities have significantly higher costs when attending post-secondary colleges and universities.  What is less well understood is that many students with disabilities are also burdened with significantly higher student debt to repay after leaving school. » Read the rest