British University accused of ableist descrimination

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university has been accused of discrimination after it removed an autistic student from her course on health grounds.

Emma Burton, 19, who has Asperger's Syndrome, was awarded a scholarship at Swansea University to study modern languages after performing well in her A levels.

Her family claim the university failed to put in place two key support workers it knew she needed for the start of the Autumn term, which contributed to her suffering stress-related fits in October.

The first-year student suffered several seizures before the right workers were found to help her.

In December, the university's health committee wrote to Emma to say she had been suspended from her course on health grounds, claiming she was not well enough to continue.

Ms Burton is appealing against her suspension and her father is taking legal advice in attempt to challenge the decision.

The university has said an appeal will be heard in February.

A spokesman for the National Autistic Society said: "It is very rare for a university to use the Fitness to Study Policy - with our student lead only having ever seen this policy be used twice in her whole career, with universities usually trying by and large avoid using them."

A statement by Swansea University said: "We offered a range of support to this student to help her study with her complex needs, however ultimately we felt she was too unwell to continue her studies at the present time.

"This decision was taken solely with her wellbeing in mind.

"We have offered her family an extended period to appeal the decision and talked to them about what medical evidence we would need which might allow us to overturn the decision."