96firephoenix
Master
So I have this allergy to shellfish, right? well Its technically a disability under the ADA, and the school is required to provide reasonable accommodations for it. Up until now, I haven't had an issue because hey, its a school cafeteria, when do they serve shrimp, crab and lobster? My freshman year, that number was literally 4 times, twice was the same meal. this semester, that number is about once a week on average.
So I'm in a meeting trying to persuade the director of student accommodations that I shouldn't be living somewhere where I'm gonna be on a meal plan (read: not in the dorms - I would rather live off-campus, but the apartments are ok) . She assured me that she had already spoken to the cafeteria people and they had told her they would be more careful. Within two hours, I had a tray of plates covered in empty crab legs literally carried right past my face (within 10 inches)(I have witnesses to the incident and to my phone call to alert the DSA). There was no way to avoid it, as I was in a corridor and I was in the middle of the length when someone carrying a tray says "excuse me" and carries it past...guess who's throat feels really weird right now? (yes I realize that was over 12 hours ago, but my first reaction had a 6PM - 1030 AM elapse and thats not uncommon according to my allergist)
I need some help because the school is currently denying my right to live in an environment free of the meal plan and the cafeteria because the allergists report contains a diagnosis of "probable allergy to crab" and not a definitive allergy to shellfish. Because of this, the school is saying that they do not see a reason to grant accommodations. The DSA has made it apparent that they are lawyer-proof, but I think thats a posturing technique to try to scare me off. They are expecting me to simply trust the food service to do its job and only call them out on mistakes. Mistakes in this venue could literally cost me my life.
So I'm in a meeting trying to persuade the director of student accommodations that I shouldn't be living somewhere where I'm gonna be on a meal plan (read: not in the dorms - I would rather live off-campus, but the apartments are ok) . She assured me that she had already spoken to the cafeteria people and they had told her they would be more careful. Within two hours, I had a tray of plates covered in empty crab legs literally carried right past my face (within 10 inches)(I have witnesses to the incident and to my phone call to alert the DSA). There was no way to avoid it, as I was in a corridor and I was in the middle of the length when someone carrying a tray says "excuse me" and carries it past...guess who's throat feels really weird right now? (yes I realize that was over 12 hours ago, but my first reaction had a 6PM - 1030 AM elapse and thats not uncommon according to my allergist)
I need some help because the school is currently denying my right to live in an environment free of the meal plan and the cafeteria because the allergists report contains a diagnosis of "probable allergy to crab" and not a definitive allergy to shellfish. Because of this, the school is saying that they do not see a reason to grant accommodations. The DSA has made it apparent that they are lawyer-proof, but I think thats a posturing technique to try to scare me off. They are expecting me to simply trust the food service to do its job and only call them out on mistakes. Mistakes in this venue could literally cost me my life.