kicked out of school because of history with depression

Hi. This is my first time doing a forum so I'm new. I was hoping maybe you guys could help since I've exhausted a bunch of other resources. I was going to school at a christian university when they kicked me out, discovering I had a history with depression. My roomates had found some stuff in my journal and took it to a bunch of people. That was in August of 2002 and I am still not back in school. They started charging me for some of that semester and say I have to pay the full bill before they will release my transcript. They still have what they took from my journal also. I had just gotten out of the hospital a few months before and was doing great. I was making friends, had a great support system, and I was very excited about the coming semester, plus I was doing great in school. I had taken 16 hours in the summer and made 3 a's and 12 b. I did drop a class though. After that. I e=went back home where I have no friends and I can;t get out and do anything. I start getting really depressed and have already been hopsitalized once. I learned yesterday that they still won't release my transcripts, so I can't even get into community college. I have contacted ACLU, NMHA< and doctors at hospitals said they would get in contact with student advisors but no one has helped me. Any ideas?

What did the school claim was their grounds for kicking you out? They can't do that on the basis of any disability, including depression. If that is true, then you need to get a lawyer and fight them.

<font color=green>"Loneliness does not come from having no people about one, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to oneself, or from holding certain views which others find inadmissible" Carl Jung</font color=green>

Bery,

I'm interested to know why your roommate took your journal and showed it to people. Was she worried about you and trying to get you some help? I'd like to think so, even though you said you were doing so much better! I would ask the school to tell you exactly why you were expelled. If it was because you have a history of depression, then I would suggest getting thee to a lawyer, post-haste!

(((((((Bery))))))))

Good luck!

Anna

some of it's magic
some of it's tragic
but i had a good life all the way......
~jimmy buffett

bery,

Welcome to the forums. Provided you can get the proof you need that the college dismissed you based on your history with depression, you have a solid case based on the Americans with Disabilities Act. I would make an appt with an attorney, maybe one of those free consultations, and find out what your rights actually are. I wouldn't be surprised in you didn't have a lawyer chomping at the bit to get their hands on this case.

I hope you'll check this out and let us know what you find out? And again, I'm glad you found us! There are great people here and we're glad to have you.

bptoo

"When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance."

I'm thinking there has to be more to this story. My boyfriend dropped out of college last year because of his depression, wrote a letter to the school notifying them of the reason for dropping out, and they refunded 100% of his money despite the fact that he was well past the drop/add period.

We are ALL going to be a-ok!

I agree with Rapunzel 100%. I never heard of anyone getting kicked out of school because of depression, even people in treatment for various other mental disorders, unless there was some major disruption made by the student and then even that can be remediated. You definately need to get some legal advice.

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

Can I say it too? Find out EXACTLY why they dismissed you and get a lawyer if necessary.

I can imagine some grey area if you did something disruptive on campus to have you kicked out. If the behavior was due to depression it would be worth a fight.

But to expel strictly because of a history of depression? That doesn't sound right at all, and if that is their reason I would find a lawyer.

Also to make you pay tuition when they kicked you out and you didn't do something disruptive to get yourself kicked out is entirely wrong. Seems to me if leaving school because they kicked you out then they also owe you your money back.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
-- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.idexter.com>http://www.idexter.com</A>

What a shame. It is said Christians are the only army that shoot their fellow soldiers in the back! Since you probably had to have a sponsor, perhaps a minister, write something supporting you for you to be accepted, why not go back to that person and ask for help?

Christian Universities respond to remorse, repentance, acceptance of deed done, etc. Hiring a lawyer should be last resort. There should be a mediation counsel with the University, made up of mature Christian adults. Appeal to someone other than the office workers, if you haven't already. The staff rarely have enough power to override their "standard rules."

Even if what you wrote in your journal, there is some expectation of privacy, especially in a Christian school, and perhaps there was an agreement you and your sister roomies signed regarding their actions.

And, you can ask your local church to pray about this for you, without telling them all the details. God knows your heart. He knows exactly where you are... and also what we don't know: why. Hang in there.


Please research anything I suggest before believing...

Believe in Him or not --- GOD LOVES YOU!

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From what you have said, it seems to me you have a problem that needs the help of an attorney to intervene.

Regarding your transcript, is the school accredited? Fighting for your transcript may be futile. The reason I ask is my daughter in law went to about 3 years of a Bible college then transfered to a state university. The bible college was not accredited by whoever does that and none of her credits transferred. She basically was screwed out of 3 years work and money.

<font color=blue>[b] Wherever you go, there you are[b]<font color=blue>

CALL AN ATTORNEY.

-Ariel

Whatever you can do,
Or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic, in it.
-Goethe

Many wars are fought in the name of Christianity. Now I know why they do not have a place to post spirituality topics, although I belong to a nondenominational church that teaches God is love. It has been a source of inspiration for me. How well I remember the churches of my childhood. "you are a sinner the minute you are born, God will punish you.....??????????????

Anyway, I find what happened to be totally unbelievable. I'm right on about a lawyer. Assuming you have done nothing disruptive. Let us know what steps you are taking.

Skybark, your post is very well written and has a lot of good points.