Petition Letter
1. Statement of Request:
I want to receive credit for standing in HEBR 393 (Winter 2024).
2. General Description of Circumstances:
The events of October 7th, the subsequent spread of Antisemitism across Canada, and incidents of Antisemitism at Queen’s impacted my mental health and ability to perform academically. Because of this, I devoted a significant amount of time to studying, preparing, and practising for my Hebrew 393 mid-term. Three weeks before the midterm, I began to study for an average of 16 hours per week. I emailed Na’ama Levy, the Instructor on March 6 asking to set up a Zoom call for any advice on how I could study. I pushed aside other school work and assignments, using extensions so I could devote the majority of my time to studying for this exam. I learned all the terms through flashcard quizzes and wrote them into sentences. I read numerous Hebrew books and did reading comprehension tests for Israeli children in Grades 3-8. In preparation for the exam, I communicated my accommodations in x email to ensure that I would have suitable accommodations set up for taking my exam.
3. Impact on Exam Performance:
Before the exam, I spent 10 minutes meditating to stay calm. Unfortunately, upon entering the exam room, there was a delay of over 20 minutes due to the proctor’s unfamiliarity with setting up the computer and Hebrew keyboard. The proctor kept saying, “I don’t think you will be able to use the keyboard.” This disrupted the mental state I had prepared for, leaving me overwhelmed and unable to perform at my best. While I later learned in the weeks following that calling security was because the security team knew how to handle panic attacks, the proctor conveyed calling security as “if you don't be quiet, you will be taken by security, forced to leave and be given a 0.” This made me even more distraught.
I experienced anxiety and a panic attack during the test. When I began to cry, the proctor threatened to call security. I asked the proctor if I could please retake the exam, which I later learned was my right. The proctor told me I had no choice but to take it or receive a zero. Whether this proctor conveyed this information purposely or simply forgot that I had the right to take the exam at a later time is not essential; what is important is that my accommodations and rights as a student were miscommunicated to me, which led to me not having access to the accommodations listed in my accommodations that I need to do well on an exam.
I was not able to self-soothe myself. When I began to talk out my questions and answers, which is essential for me as someone with a non-verbal learning disability, the proctor again told me to be quiet. The whole point of me having a separate room is so that I can talk out questions, which is part of the accommodation I need for my nonverbal learning disability. In these circumstances, my accommodations were not just denied, but my ability to self-soothe was taken from me.
4. Personal Impact Beyond Exam:
During the exam, I spoke on the phone with my professor and was notably distressed. The experience not only made me more anxious but put me into a state of distress as the events reminded me of the time when I was the victim of malpractice by teachers at a special needs school, where I was forced into a small room and told to be quiet while having panic attacks. My experience in the exam brought back these memories, not just limiting my ability to do the exam, but putting me into a severe state of mental distress that required me to increase my prescription anti-psychotic medication to be able to get out of bed. For the next few days, I could barely eat or sleep. I was unwell. I could not function. My experience in this exam was more than about a grade, but completely led me to rebound into psychiatric symptoms that I had not faced for years.
5. Additional Circumstances:
To add to the circumstances related to the exam, other events further impacted my ability to complete it. I have a history of facing sexual harassment. I am very nervous about people touching me in any way, especially people who I do not know. During Israel Apartheid Week, I was physically shoved by a student. That student has a history of advocating for explicit violence. This incident, which I reported to campus security, compromised my mental capacity. I have also been open about how other events in relation to the October 7th terrorist attacks and antisemitism at Queen’s have affected my well-being. I have spoken at the House of Commons Justice Committee, where I gave binding testimony about how my mental health has been affected and how I do not feel safe at Queen’s. Given that Queen’s has said they prioritize the mental well-being of those affected by the conflict, I expected this to transfer to faculty and proctors, who should have been made aware that students taking a Hebrew test, which is the language of the state of Israel, are more likely to face mental difficulties.
6. Academic Background:
As a committed student, particularly in Hebrew, I’ve worked hard to compensate for not taking Hebrew 200. Last year, I received a Jewish studies scholarship that significantly helped me financially. I received the same scholarship this year, the Naim S. Mahlab Scholarship in addition to the Alfred Bader Prize in Jewish Studies. While I am overjoyed that I was able to receive these, my Hebrew grade from that year has brought down my overall average and GPA, which will affect me as I apply to law school.
I want to receive credit for standing in HEBR 393 (Winter 2024).
2. General Description of Circumstances:
The events of October 7th, the subsequent spread of Antisemitism across Canada, and incidents of Antisemitism at Queen’s impacted my mental health and ability to perform academically. Because of this, I devoted a significant amount of time to studying, preparing, and practising for my Hebrew 393 mid-term. Three weeks before the midterm, I began to study for an average of 16 hours per week. I emailed Na’ama Levy, the Instructor on March 6 asking to set up a Zoom call for any advice on how I could study. I pushed aside other school work and assignments, using extensions so I could devote the majority of my time to studying for this exam. I learned all the terms through flashcard quizzes and wrote them into sentences. I read numerous Hebrew books and did reading comprehension tests for Israeli children in Grades 3-8. In preparation for the exam, I communicated my accommodations in x email to ensure that I would have suitable accommodations set up for taking my exam.
3. Impact on Exam Performance:
Before the exam, I spent 10 minutes meditating to stay calm. Unfortunately, upon entering the exam room, there was a delay of over 20 minutes due to the proctor’s unfamiliarity with setting up the computer and Hebrew keyboard. The proctor kept saying, “I don’t think you will be able to use the keyboard.” This disrupted the mental state I had prepared for, leaving me overwhelmed and unable to perform at my best. While I later learned in the weeks following that calling security was because the security team knew how to handle panic attacks, the proctor conveyed calling security as “if you don't be quiet, you will be taken by security, forced to leave and be given a 0.” This made me even more distraught.
I experienced anxiety and a panic attack during the test. When I began to cry, the proctor threatened to call security. I asked the proctor if I could please retake the exam, which I later learned was my right. The proctor told me I had no choice but to take it or receive a zero. Whether this proctor conveyed this information purposely or simply forgot that I had the right to take the exam at a later time is not essential; what is important is that my accommodations and rights as a student were miscommunicated to me, which led to me not having access to the accommodations listed in my accommodations that I need to do well on an exam.
I was not able to self-soothe myself. When I began to talk out my questions and answers, which is essential for me as someone with a non-verbal learning disability, the proctor again told me to be quiet. The whole point of me having a separate room is so that I can talk out questions, which is part of the accommodation I need for my nonverbal learning disability. In these circumstances, my accommodations were not just denied, but my ability to self-soothe was taken from me.
4. Personal Impact Beyond Exam:
During the exam, I spoke on the phone with my professor and was notably distressed. The experience not only made me more anxious but put me into a state of distress as the events reminded me of the time when I was the victim of malpractice by teachers at a special needs school, where I was forced into a small room and told to be quiet while having panic attacks. My experience in the exam brought back these memories, not just limiting my ability to do the exam, but putting me into a severe state of mental distress that required me to increase my prescription anti-psychotic medication to be able to get out of bed. For the next few days, I could barely eat or sleep. I was unwell. I could not function. My experience in this exam was more than about a grade, but completely led me to rebound into psychiatric symptoms that I had not faced for years.
5. Additional Circumstances:
To add to the circumstances related to the exam, other events further impacted my ability to complete it. I have a history of facing sexual harassment. I am very nervous about people touching me in any way, especially people who I do not know. During Israel Apartheid Week, I was physically shoved by a student. That student has a history of advocating for explicit violence. This incident, which I reported to campus security, compromised my mental capacity. I have also been open about how other events in relation to the October 7th terrorist attacks and antisemitism at Queen’s have affected my well-being. I have spoken at the House of Commons Justice Committee, where I gave binding testimony about how my mental health has been affected and how I do not feel safe at Queen’s. Given that Queen’s has said they prioritize the mental well-being of those affected by the conflict, I expected this to transfer to faculty and proctors, who should have been made aware that students taking a Hebrew test, which is the language of the state of Israel, are more likely to face mental difficulties.
6. Academic Background:
As a committed student, particularly in Hebrew, I’ve worked hard to compensate for not taking Hebrew 200. Last year, I received a Jewish studies scholarship that significantly helped me financially. I received the same scholarship this year, the Naim S. Mahlab Scholarship in addition to the Alfred Bader Prize in Jewish Studies. While I am overjoyed that I was able to receive these, my Hebrew grade from that year has brought down my overall average and GPA, which will affect me as I apply to law school.