Human Rights at UPEI

American Civil Rights leaders: (top left) W.E.B. DuBois, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King

Summary

Discrimination against people with disabilities at the University of PEI is similar to the exclusion of blacks at US colleges prior to the Civil Rights Act. The discrimination is physical exclusion by the removal of a necessary physical accommodation, despite common practice. Statistics show a demand of 150 parking places whereas the University is removing the last 3. The exclusion is contrary to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. UPEI risks public exposure as Jim Crow university.

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The removal of disabled parking at the University of PEI is more onerous that it appears. In many ways it resembles the attempts of universities to exclude black people from getting an education prior to the US Civil Rights Act of 1964.

State governments and universities throughout the south had created a series of rules and regulations that excluded blacks from enrolling for over 100 years. They defended these barriers with lots of high sounding words and logical arguments. Only President Kennedy’s resolve to break down discrimination with the Act and enforce it with the National Guard opened the doors of university to blacks.

The Human Rights concepts of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are a logical progression in law from that era. The Charter of Rights and freedoms identifies people with physical and mental disabilities as protected from discrimination along with women, gays, people of another race, etc. We can’t even comprehend a policy at UPEI that discriminated against women yet the discrimination against the disabled is seen as logical and fair by management.

Crisis at UPEI

We are at a crisis on PEI because students with disabilities are being blocked from entering or staying at UPEI. Employees who cannot cope physically with the new rules will lose their jobs.

The University is in denial over the magnitude, presenting this as nothing but three people. Statistics Canada says that up to 150 employees at UPEI have disabilities and 160 students. In Main Building alone 7 staff persons need disabled parking, while the only 3 spots are being removed.

When I was a part time student at UPEI, maintenance gave me a pass and said park anywhere. They admitted more parking was needed. They also said it was being added.

Why accommodation for the disabled

Focusing on physical disabilities, people who have a walking disability or are blind need to park close to the building. Without belabouring the point, accommodation means putting them close to the building. Every step counts when you are disabled and trying to avoid an injury from falling. That is an accepted concept we see with disabled parking  everywhere. For example at Wal-Mart or at the new Jean Canfield Building on University Avenue. No one is putting disabled parking 70 to 100 meters away from entrances. That would create a barrier for the disabled person.

If someone who is blind or cannot walk is pushed away, they simple cannot get to the destination. If you want to discriminate against the disabled, put the disabled parking far enough away. That sounds perverse and no right thinking person would do that.

UPEI’s position

The administration uses words and logic to imply it’s simply an effort to be fair. All students and employees will have equal access to disabled parking.

That is true, all disabled parking is now equally far away from the buildings the disabled need to enter.

The purpose of disabled parking is to put people near where they need to go. The concept is accommodation. People with disabilities need accommodation to give them access to the university and society. We should expect the well-educated people at UPEI to understand the words and concepts of accommodation towards minority groups.

Discrimination at UPEI

The disabled parking policies at UPEI are clearly meant to exclude the disabled from the campus. I’m not a psychologist so won’t speculate why. It is illegal and immoral. It’s been going on at UPEI for decades.

When I was going there, some buildings were accessible and some weren’t. Most washrooms weren’t. While I was on campus with CTV we met Rebecca Wilchynski who tried to enroll last year. Confined to a wheelchair, she encountered locked doors at the top of wheelchair ramps, locked accessible washrooms and a host of other problems.

Two brothers with vision problems are finding attending UPEI very difficult to impossible.

A musical prodigy with a learning disability cannot graduate after five years of emotional abuse about his disability and no help. He went to Ontario and quickly get his degree.

These anecdotal stories are backed by statistics. We have been told repeatedly by management and the Access-Ability Committee that these problems don’t exist. They are in denial.

UPEI management aren’t concerned enough to do what it takes to make the campus accessible. This move is part of their 5 year plan according to Greg Clayton, Facilities Manager. What will the next year bring?

UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan is a well educated person, with three degrees. He is highly respected in the community have recently received the Order of Canada.  As a lawyer and the former Dean of Law at University of New Brunswick he should understand the law. However, sometimes lawyers learn too much about manipulation through power. I am hoping he we see this issue in context and turn UPEI against discrimination.

Postcript – In the early 60’s, my social conscience was awakened by the plight of the American blacks. I became a civil rights activist and that experience has taught me two major lessons: God wants us to help our fellow man without reward or compensation and little people can win big battles against authority when the cause is right. We shall overcome at UPEI. MacLauchlan won’t want to be portrayed as Bull Connor the man who used dogs and hoses on children going to school.

Folk songwriter Woody Guthrie said “Some will rob you with a six gun, some with a fountain pen”