Providence, RI (photo taken by me)

Art School Ruined My Life

A story about how RISD treats its students

A year ago today I was happy; I was starting a new life at my dream school, RISD, and more than excited to be there. I haven’t been able to say the same since.

“Harassment often goes unreported because of fear: fear of retribution, fear of losing friends, fear of professional backlash, fear that no one will believe you. When someone we know is accused, it’s far easier to defend them out of disbelief that they ‘could ever do something like that’ than to believe the claims of a stranger. Yet we say to ourselves that if we were victimized, or if we saw someone else who was, we would be the ones to speak out. We would stand up, be bold, demand respect and take down the world’s harassers one by one.

But then it happens to you. And you don’t know what to do” opens Hannah Waters’ recent article on Medium, and frankly, I think she says it better than I can.

Then

A year ago today I was starting my first year at RISD, my dream school, and I expected to work hard, make good art, get good grades, and have a life. What I didn’t expect was to have all basic human rights taken from me, be physically abused by staff, and be treated like an animal when going for help. I would think it’s safe to assume that most first-year students don’t expect any of this to happen to them either.

Long story shorter: Some creepy-as-all-hell staff members at the school physically, mentally, and emotionally abused me and blamed me for their actions. This link goes into full detail. This article, written by Kevin Heldman, also describes a portion of what my school put me through this year.

Now

Right now I’m not at RISD, and I’m not allowed back. I’m suspended. I had almost all A’s, I was never late for a class, I didn’t drink or have drugs hidden in my room.

RISD suspended me, and has otherwise withheld me from my education for most of this year because they claim I’m depressed (more accurately, because another student who had never spoken to me told them I’m depressed). What shocks me most isn’t that this is all against federal law, but that a school would go to this extent to cover their asses and treat a student this way. The claim is that I’ve “disrupted the rules of conduct” because my “enrollment has caused [me] significant stress and damage to [my] well-being.” The letter goes on to describe how because I’m “depressed” I’m not allowed to be in school because this is against RISD’s code of conduct — this is a gross exaggeration of my well-being as well as illegal. My favorite part is the last paragraph of the letter, and how it details how RISD aims to “help” me — harassment, abuse, and physical and emotional assault aren’t exactly how I’d describe help in any situation, but I digress.

I would like to now put my effort (and anyone who would help) towards seeking justice — in my situation and in others. I don’t have the money for a lawyer, but I don’t believe this kind of corruption should go unnoticed and unpunished. I know that if I don’t speak up, this kind of thing will continue to happen and hurt other students; I already know of one other who’s been hurt this way at RISD and I would hope for a school where students aren’t treated as I have been. So with the help of a friend I’ve created a petition and would appreciate support.

In no way do I wish to insult my teachers or classmates at RISD, they’ve all been amazing.

Laws RISD Has Broken (towards me) That I Know Of

1. Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — for withholding me from my education on a basis of discrimination towards mental/physical health.
2. Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 — for not being able to provide “appropriate” service.
3. Americans with Disabilities Act — because depression, suspected or real, is considered a disability.
4. Multiple state and federal laws against unlawful arrest — “Ordinary campus security personnel enjoy no such powers [to arrest a student].” When returning to school I had campus security break into my room, beat me up, and arrest me without reason. If campus security claims to be a public, not private, entity then police brutality would apply.
5. Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-4.2 Cyberstalking and cyberbullying prohibited — while in the hospital after the aforementioned incident a nurse informed me of this policy in Rhode Island, and how the staff member who put me in this situation’s excuses for putting me in this situation mostly fell into a category of cyberstalking.
6. It’s illegal in every state to call 911 for a non-emergency. Which RISD did. The doctor at the ER I was placed in did lecture the specific staff member who did this (because I heard it down the hall) since not only did this staff member’s actions affect my safety and well-being greatly, but calling 911 for a non-emergency also prevents others who actually need to be in the ER or need 911 help from getting what they need.
7. Laws vary from state to state on harassment and abuse, but every state does penalize harassment. I found multiple Rhode Island state laws that I vaguely seem to fall into as a victim, but for each the national definition of harassment applied, which my situation very easily fell into.

*I’ve cited my sources and spoken extensively with a civil rights lawyer (who no longer can take my case pro bono, unfortunately. I’ll start a fundly if I need to) to verify that these laws were broken, and that this all was, in fact, very illegal on RISD’s part.