Disabled speaker barred from university debate on assisted suicide

[Mij]

A disabled academic and campaigner has been barred from participating in a debate on assisted suicide at a Scottish university due to a lack of wheelchair access.

Dr Miro Griffiths accepted an offer to take part in an event at The University of Edinburgh but was later told that he could no longer be accommodated as a lift at the venue wouldn’t cope with his power wheelchair.

 

[bobbler]

I just looked this up and see that the article is written on 6th Oct and the even happened on 6th Oct.

I do not understand how it is that someone in an electric wheelchair is only finding out that there isn't access on the day of the event.

It might be the Edibrugh UNion (the debate society) organising but that doesn't mean that, being based at a University, the issue wouldn't have been solveable as there would have to be accessible venues of equivalent sizes on the campus. The only issue that would prevent this being solved would have been enough time and/or someone not thinking to check.

I see it is the lift that is the issue, and might have been organised by eg a society who might have less experience than eg if it was going through processes that involved staff who were used to organising events and checking these things but I'm surprised given the profile of it that someone more senior didn't step in to 'help' and avoid this sort of problem.

Surely it isn't ideal either if there is a lift somewhere that can't take the chair and hopefully it is noted down - although I don't know if it is the weight (which seems unlikely) or the size/shape and so there isn't any kind of sign because people who don't have to manouvre similar chairs just hadn't noticed and/or assumed that it wasn't an issue because before getting in there the person with the wheelchair could see they wouldn't fit.

It just goes to show though what those with disabilities actually contend with, if an event where they are an invited speaker at a big university has these issues spotted at the last minute then it gives insight into what it must be like everywhere else/navigating daily life?

 

[MrMagoo]

I can imagine a lot of Edinburgh Uni is inaccessible to be honest.

 

[Sasha]

A disabled academic and campaigner has been barred from participating in a debate on assisted suicide at a Scottish university due to a lack of wheelchair access.

Dr Miro Griffiths accepted an offer to take part in an event at The University of Edinburgh but was later told that he could no longer be accommodated as a lift at the venue wouldn’t cope with his power wheelchair.

I can understand antiquated university buildings not being geared up for a type of wheelchair that hadn't been invented when they were built but I'd like to think that they could at least have enabled him to take part via some kind of streaming, or have switched to a ground-floor venue.

 

[MrMagoo]

I can understand antiquated university buildings not being geared up for a type of wheelchair that hadn't been invented when they were built but I'd like to think that they could at least have enabled him to take part via some kind of streaming, or have switched to a ground-floor venue.

Yes the exploration of alternatives seems lacking. I’d guess they were just in some student Union room and they have the tiny lifts in the old building. Just shows that the organisers who invited him are in need of some serious training, they should be ashamed.

 

[Sasha]

Yes the exploration of alternatives seems lacking. I’d guess they were just in some student Union room and they have the tiny lifts in the old building. Just shows that the organisers who invited him are in need of some serious training, they should be ashamed.

I've just read that it was students who invited him, and I don't think they should be ashamed. They're just young and inexperienced.

 

[MrMagoo]

I've just read that it was students who invited him, and I don't think they should be ashamed. They're just young and inexperienced.

Oh in that case they’ve learned a useful lesson. Not one that the good Dr needed to learn again, though.

 

[Sean]

I can understand antiquated university buildings not being geared up for a type of wheelchair that hadn't been invented when they were built but I'd like to think that they could at least have enabled him to take part via some kind of streaming, or have switched to a ground-floor venue.

Or just carried them and their wheelchair up the stairs.

 

[MrMagoo]

Or just carried them and their wheelchair up the stairs.

Erm - no. I’ve seen a stressed facilities manager offer to do that and they got a serious dressing down from the power chair user.

 

[Sasha]

Or just carried them and their wheelchair up the stairs.

Power chairs look massively heavy and I wouldn't feel very safe having a couple of struggling guys try to hoick me up the stairs on top of one! Good chance of them dropping it.

 

[MrMagoo]

Power chairs look massively heavy and I wouldn't feel very safe having a couple of struggling guys try to hoick me up the stairs on top of one! Good chance of them dropping it.

Oh no, the person has to go up in an evac chair.

 

[Sasha]

Oh no, the person has to go up in an evac chair.

That's a relief!

 

[Mij]

I can understand antiquated university buildings not being geared up for a type of wheelchair that hadn't been invented when they were built but I'd like to think that they could at least have enabled him to take part via some kind of streaming, or have switched to a ground-floor venue.

The Canadian government always boosts about providing accessibility and accommodations for persons with disabilities, but it's usually quite the opposite.