College – A Psychological Strain

Today’s college students face increased pressure from parents, professors, and corporate recruiters to stay ahead of the curve. Parents constantly ask for a graduation date, and just when you think you understand what your professor wants to see in your work, he or she is on to another topic. Pile on the added stress of maintaining a high grade point average, working to pay for ever-increasing tuition, and scrounging for a good internship to build a resume, and it is no wonder that college students are suffering from depression and mental illness at unprecedented rates.

Being concerned over campus safety, due to the recent uprising in violence at college campuses across the nation, only adds to this anxiety.

As a form of violence prevention and outreach, many universities have increased the staff and support resources available to students who suffer from mental illness. Others have taken a turn towards persecution, and have begun preemptive dismals of students who they believe could pose a threat to themselves or others based on their mental illness. These expulsions infringe upon civil liberties and may even be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects people with physical and mental disabilities from discrimination.

Students have a right to seek compensation for damages they may have suffered due to being dismissed from a school based on their mental health without probable evidence that they were a threat to themselves or others. Mental health professionals have no way of predicting the future behavior of a patient. If no threat has been made, the condition of a student as suffering from anxiety, depression, or other mental illness is not grounds for dismissal.

If you or a loved one has been dismissed from school by being labeled a threat because of your mental health issues, contact the Appleton personal injury attorneys of Habush, Habush & Rottier at 1-800-472-9334 to discuss your case and to determine your legal options.