Disability rights advocates are sounding the alarm about its impact bill 96 On students with language-based disabilities.
Bill 96, the province’s language law reform, would eventually require CEGEP students to complete more French courses.
One of those students is 32-year-old Leigh Smit, who is going to Dawson College to study social service.
Smit is diagnosed with ADHD and struggles with school. It is not easy for him to concentrate and learn and he needs help.
“It’s honestly been incredibly difficult,” Smit says.
Smit worries that Bill 96 will make it even more difficult for people who have learning disabilities like him to succeed in school.
The French Language Charter Reform requires English CEGEP students to add three additional classes in French to graduate.
Although Smit says he is fluent in French, he believes that taking more French courses will make it so difficult for him that it may lead him to quit.
“It would definitely lower my performance and my school is pretty important to me, so it’s really bad,” Smit said.
Disability advocates agree.
The Association for Equity and Inclusion in Post-Secondary Education (AQEIPS) fears that the law will create an even greater burden for students with disabilities and jeopardize their futures.
“If you put limits on their ability to get an education, how do you break out of the cycle of welfare or poverty or getting a better job?” asked board chairman Shimron Spence.
For its part, Vanier College maintains that colleges and the Higher Education Ministry have started working together through various committees to ensure that any student, including students with disabilities, is adversely affected by the implementation of Bill 96. will not have an effect.
“We are confident that the Ministry of Higher Education will work closely with us to ensure that we serve our students well,” said John McMahon, the college’s director general.
Meanwhile, students like Smit hope they won’t be in the middle.
“Our standard of living will drop drastically because of this law and politicians should not do this to their people,” Smit said.
Global News called and messaged the Ministry of Higher Education for comment but did not receive a response by the deadline.
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