Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: Good day,

I am submitting this appeal to drop classes past the drop date deadline as my mental health has really plummeted this semester and I can no longer commit to studies while trying to care for myself.

I was medically released from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2016 for many service related injuries, mostly mental health related. Unfortunately, I have a list of extenuating circumstances from this term that have led to my decision. They are as follows:

End Aug - Great Aunt died unexpectedly
End Aug - Cousin died unexpectedly
Sep 20 - traumatic personal experience at home causing depressive episode
Oct 21 - falling out of long-term support system (Business Coaching Community)
Oct 31 - moved out to preserve mental health and get away from family
Oct 29 - best friends' father dies
Nov 18 - basement (where I live) floods and forced to move out
Nov 25 - depressive episode due to PTSD and military trauma
Nov 30 - basement floods again
Dec 9 - admitted to hospital from gastroenteritis

In addition to all of these issues, I am running my own business to teach people how to love themselves and I feel as though I don't have the ability to do this for myself. I meet weekly with a psychologist to discuss my mental health issues. At the end of November, it felt as though all of those things came into perspective and I was faced with the reality of the facts of the incidents that I was victim to as part of my experience in the military. There is a massive class action law suit going on right now for sexual harassment and misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. I am one of the 1900 people (claimants/plaintiffs/victims) who have submitted a claim, reporting multiple traumatizing experiences. I am just now realizing that their behaviour was not acceptable and those 12.5 years of service brought with them many awful experiences and memories.

I am a good student. You can see that from the grades on the assignments that I was able to submit. Right now I need to take a step back from studies and focus on really caring for myself. My tank is on empty. I don't have the focus or mental capacity to keep up with deadlines and assignments. I do enjoy learning and will perhaps find something slower paced in the future.

At this moment, especially with everything happening in the media around this class action lawsuit, I really need to remove myself from school and allow myself the time and space that I require to heal.

Thank you for your consideration of my academic appeal to be removed from school without academic penalty.

Regretfully,

Jennifer Hernandez