~Discrimination~

Last month a disability services provider called Pace Solano violated federal law when it withdrew a job offer made to Katrina Holly solely because of her disability. Holly was offered a job to teach developmentally disabled adults. After completing the pre-employment physical exam, Holly told the examiner that she had partial paralysis in one of her hands.Even though it had received written verification that cleared Holly for this job, Pace Solano withdrew its job offer because of Holly's hand. This shocked Holly and when she confronted the company it only said, "Your injury makes you a liability; you don't want to get hurt any more than you already are, do you?" Pace Solano's actions were in direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under ADA law qualified applicants and employees are protected from discrimination from their employers.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a suit against Pace Solano on behalf of Holly. They sought back pay, lost wages, and compensatory and punitive damages. As a student with a disability attending the University of Southern Mississippi, I very often face this notion of my disability being a liability. I am denied help from various staff members that I really need because the school is more concerned with being sued for whatever reason. When did life become some cold? When did it become one man for himself? Could it ever become one group of people working and growing together? We all strive for a better life. Is that luxury only meant for the physically-able? Only we hold the answers.