Petition Letter
Dear Dean Woodin,
My name is Amanda Fernandes. I am completing my third year in the Concurrent Education primary/junior program. I am aiming to complete my teachable in English and French. This year has been a very difficult one for me, filled with many trials that have affected my physical and mental health and has taken a great toll on my ability to perform academically. As a result, my grades have suffered. I am reaching out to you with the great hope that you will permit me to withdraw from two courses (ENGL245 and ENGL340) that I am currently enrolled in. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to explain my circumstances in a safe way.
Though it is not my intention to make excuses for myself, I do hope to provide insight into my situation. During September 2020, I was a victim of non-consensual sex. I kept this private. The trauma stayed with me and manifested into my inability to fall asleep at night and being incapable of sitting to do work for a long period of time due to the post traumatic flash backs that I experienced. I felt dirty, I never told anyone. It was difficult to sit in quarantine alone in my room with these thoughts consuming my mind. I was so traumatized after this experience that I didn¿¿t want to interact with anyone. Sitting through Zoom classes I felt ashamed to show myself to my peers and I was scared that if I did show myself someone would hurt me again. It took me weeks to finally leave my house. The first time I did was when I went to church, and at the end of mass, I fainted while standing in the church pew. I was rushed to the hospital where I found out that I had become pregnant after this experience. After finding this out I grew depressed. I felt like my life was over and I was horrified of sharing the news with anyone out of fear of losing my family and friends. I never told anyone about my pregnancy and dealt with it alone. As a result of stress, acute panic attacks and being unable to eat due to having to save money for the baby, I would faint and had to be sent to the hospital. During this period, I was forced to miss some of my lectures and did not have sufficient time to complete my assignments.
I applied for an academic appeal for extensions on assignments towards the end of the 2020 Fall semester and explained my situation in an email to ARTSCI accommodations. I was very vulnerable about my circumstances in the email believing it would remain confidential. I was embarrassed and felt anxiety and panic when I came to know that my professors were made aware of my pregnancy.
At five months I learned that my baby was sick and might be born with a developmental condition. This brought financial stresses and all hope of continuing my education ceased. Between this feeling of hopelessness, doctor appointments for the baby and for my health, I had no time to complete my assignments. The assignments that I did complete were not done to my full potential due to lack of time and mental presence. At six months, my baby passed away. I missed more lectures, and it became more difficult to catch up on assignments. I had no one to talk to as I had detached myself from others. I tried attending all my lectures trying to move forward, but I struggled immensely through dark thoughts and flash backs, while I tried my best to catch up on my assignments. I did okay for a month, until I left my house for the first time in weeks to meet with my friend. I had a severe panic attack and paramedics had to bring me to the hospital as my blood pressure dropped significantly and I was unable to walk. I was diagnosed with depersonalization, derealization, PTSD and severe anxiety. I tried to focus on school, but most days I was just stuck on my bed trying to cling onto reality and focusing on breathing properly so that I didn¿¿t faint. It has been a very difficult year for me and these mental health and physical challenges have affected my academics. Despite my stress I have been trying to do what I can in my classes. However, I now realize that I have to drop these classes as my average is too low. Please help me. I apologize for not writing a letter sooner, as a lot of trauma has come from this academic year and it is difficult to share.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my appeal. I really hope that you can help me.
Sincerely,
Amanda Fernandes
My name is Amanda Fernandes. I am completing my third year in the Concurrent Education primary/junior program. I am aiming to complete my teachable in English and French. This year has been a very difficult one for me, filled with many trials that have affected my physical and mental health and has taken a great toll on my ability to perform academically. As a result, my grades have suffered. I am reaching out to you with the great hope that you will permit me to withdraw from two courses (ENGL245 and ENGL340) that I am currently enrolled in. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to explain my circumstances in a safe way.
Though it is not my intention to make excuses for myself, I do hope to provide insight into my situation. During September 2020, I was a victim of non-consensual sex. I kept this private. The trauma stayed with me and manifested into my inability to fall asleep at night and being incapable of sitting to do work for a long period of time due to the post traumatic flash backs that I experienced. I felt dirty, I never told anyone. It was difficult to sit in quarantine alone in my room with these thoughts consuming my mind. I was so traumatized after this experience that I didn¿¿t want to interact with anyone. Sitting through Zoom classes I felt ashamed to show myself to my peers and I was scared that if I did show myself someone would hurt me again. It took me weeks to finally leave my house. The first time I did was when I went to church, and at the end of mass, I fainted while standing in the church pew. I was rushed to the hospital where I found out that I had become pregnant after this experience. After finding this out I grew depressed. I felt like my life was over and I was horrified of sharing the news with anyone out of fear of losing my family and friends. I never told anyone about my pregnancy and dealt with it alone. As a result of stress, acute panic attacks and being unable to eat due to having to save money for the baby, I would faint and had to be sent to the hospital. During this period, I was forced to miss some of my lectures and did not have sufficient time to complete my assignments.
I applied for an academic appeal for extensions on assignments towards the end of the 2020 Fall semester and explained my situation in an email to ARTSCI accommodations. I was very vulnerable about my circumstances in the email believing it would remain confidential. I was embarrassed and felt anxiety and panic when I came to know that my professors were made aware of my pregnancy.
At five months I learned that my baby was sick and might be born with a developmental condition. This brought financial stresses and all hope of continuing my education ceased. Between this feeling of hopelessness, doctor appointments for the baby and for my health, I had no time to complete my assignments. The assignments that I did complete were not done to my full potential due to lack of time and mental presence. At six months, my baby passed away. I missed more lectures, and it became more difficult to catch up on assignments. I had no one to talk to as I had detached myself from others. I tried attending all my lectures trying to move forward, but I struggled immensely through dark thoughts and flash backs, while I tried my best to catch up on my assignments. I did okay for a month, until I left my house for the first time in weeks to meet with my friend. I had a severe panic attack and paramedics had to bring me to the hospital as my blood pressure dropped significantly and I was unable to walk. I was diagnosed with depersonalization, derealization, PTSD and severe anxiety. I tried to focus on school, but most days I was just stuck on my bed trying to cling onto reality and focusing on breathing properly so that I didn¿¿t faint. It has been a very difficult year for me and these mental health and physical challenges have affected my academics. Despite my stress I have been trying to do what I can in my classes. However, I now realize that I have to drop these classes as my average is too low. Please help me. I apologize for not writing a letter sooner, as a lot of trauma has come from this academic year and it is difficult to share.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my appeal. I really hope that you can help me.
Sincerely,
Amanda Fernandes