Tourette's sufferer out

Stacy Shaw is 30 years old and working toward a degree in psychology. For many students, obtaining a college diploma can be difficult enough, but for Shaw it may be nearly impossible. She is facing possible suspension from school for causing "disruption of the educational process" -- for barking and hooting in class.

Shaw has been a student at CSUS since the fall 1997. Since that time Shaw has only been able to complete about two classes each semester because of Tourette's Syndrome, a disease that causes her to bark and hoot uncontrollably and occasionally to bang her head when distressed.

Shaw said that she has been asked to leave several classes because of complaints from students and teachers about her outbursts.

Shaw says her condition qualifies as a disability and that the university has not given her the proper accommodations that would enable her to complete her classes and prevent her from disrupting lectures.

"The administration isn't helping," said Shaw. "Any help I get is from other students who volunteer to take notes for me or videotape classes."

Shaw said when she first started attending classes at CSUS, Patricia Sonntag, Director of Services to Students with Disabilities, arranged for her to use a phonic ear and a reader. With the phonic ear, a pager-like device with ear phones hooked up to a microphone that the professor wears, she was able to hear the lecture even when she was asked to leave.

After about a year, Shaw said Sonntag decided that the phonic ear was not effective and took it away. Now Shaw said all she has is a reader and Sebastian, a rabbit that helps keep her calm, to help her in her classes. Shaw said her tics have become worse because of her frustration due to the lack of support from the administration.

Sonntag refused to answer any questions regarding this matter.

Shaw said that she is also being denied access to the library, computer labs, and the student union, due to complaints about her barking.

"I was told by Sonntag that I could not use the computers that are designated for disabled students because they are all in one room and I would bother the other students," said Shaw. "I can't do research on the Internet and I can't turn in assignment that instructors want turned in by email."

Instead of addressing the issues of accommodations, Shaw said the administration has adopted a policy of calling campus security whenever her tics get out of control and she starts head banging. She said that the campus police have been instructed to take her for a psychiatric evaluation.

"I don't need to be committed," said Shaw.

In September, Shaw said she was contacted by David Braverman, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, who notified her that there had been several complaints about her disrupting classes.

Shaw said that Braverman suggested that she "agree to the sanction of probation contingent upon maintenance of behavior that will not disrupt the campus educational process" or face suspension for the remainder of the 1998-1999 academic year.

Braverman declined to comment on this matter.

Shaw said Braverman's request angered her because there is little she can do about the tics.

"It's not like my tics are done on purpose or to get even. My throat and chest actually hurt from the hooting," said Shaw.

After seeking some legal advice, Shaw responded to Braverman in a letter dated Oct. 11, 1998. In the letter Shaw accepted the condition of probation, but only if she were allowed the following accommodations: a phonic ear, video taping of lecture classes, in-class aid, an in-class note taker, Sebastian, a tutor, and access to the library, computer labs, and the student union.

Shaw said that she is still waiting to hear from Braverman as to whether or not the school will agree to her conditions of accepting probation.

Some faculty and students are also concerned with the lack of accommodation being given to Shaw.

Marda West, a biology professor at CSUS, said that Shaw is not getting the accommodations she needs to adequately complete her courses. West, who has known Shaw for several years, said she would come to her when she needed help.

West said that she has been providing rooms to Shaw in the biology building for Shaw to take her exams because the psychology department was having trouble find a room where she would not disturb others in nearby offices.

"I arrange the time, test materials and make sure that the completed exams get back to the professors," said West. "Why can't the psychology department do that?"

When asked what the psychology department's policy is for dealing with disabled students in the classroom, Tammy Bourg, the acting chair person of the psychology department, refused to comment.

During her first year at CSUS, West said that Shaw was given some accommodations through the office of Students with Disabilities -- a phonic ear, readers, video taped classes, and note takers -- but almost all of them were taken away.

"Somewhere along the line Sonntag decided that the accommodations Shaw was receiving were not being effectively used and they withdrew virtually everything," said West.

West said that Shaw had received a C in one of her classes, and shortly after that Sonntag withdrew the use of the phonic ear.

"Shaw received the highest grades in four of her classes. She's extremely capable of doing good quality work," said West.

Georgie Tolle, a student who has had about three psychology classes with Shaw, said that Shaw's outbursts were disruptive, but mainly because many of the professors were unprepared with how to deal with her.

"On one occasion Shaw started banging her head against a wall and a student ended up calling 911 because the professor did not know what to do," said Tolle.

Tolle said that it was frustrating because some of the professors would allow Shaw to remain in class even though many of the students had to continuously ask the teacher to repeat things.

"We were not mad at her, we were mad at the professor for not taking control of the classroom," said Tolle.

Tourette's Syndrome, a hereditary neurological disorder, is characterized by multiple motor and one or more vocal tics. Onset of tics can occur anywhere between the ages of two and 15 and typically involve the head, torso and upper body. The vocal tics include various sounds such as clucks, grunting, yelps, barks, sniffs, and coughs, or words.

Shaw said her tics first appeared at age six and primarily consisted of excessive blinking and throat-clearing. She said her parents were not aware that she had Tourette's until the tics became more severe as she got older.

"My parents just thought I was nervous when I was younger," said Shaw.

As is common with tics, there were a couple of years that Shaw said her tics seemed to go away, but they eventually returned and became more severe about three years ago when she was attending American River College. She said that she did not start barking until right before she started her first semester at CSUS.

Because she cannot go into certain buildings, Shaw said she is worried about where she is going to be able to go when it starts getting colder.

"I can't just stay outside," said Shaw.