N.B. law student speaks out about lack of accessibility at graduation

When I started law school, I said it myself. When I crossed this age, I know I've made it, but I didn't get across the stage. Blair Curtis, who graduated with a law degree, has a wheelchair. He says despite starting conversations about the ceremony months in advance, he wasn't able to test the school's accessible ramp until two days before graduation. That's when he found out it was too steep to wheel up on his own, which was my fear right back in December when I submitted. The request was that I wouldn't be able to get on it. And it was kind of a rising in front of Maine, which was terrifying. He says the university gave him three options. He could receive the degree from the floor, stay at the back of the stage during the ceremony and not watch his friends graduate or have someone push him. So being able to maintain my independence for as long as possible is really important for me. So he chose to cross the floor. When Blair crossed on the carpet in front of the stage, those of us sitting really couldn't see him cross. We had to watch on the monitors. In a statement, the university said the accommodation plan was developed in consultation with Curtis before graduation. I was given three options and told that I had to pick one. For me, that's not consultation. The university says concerns about the plan weren't brought forward until the story aired on CBC on Friday. Curtis disputes that. He says he vocalized concerns 3 times before and after the ceremony to members of the UNB grad committee and the Student Accessibility Center. He's concerned about the wider impact. I feel bad for The ceremony happened that way for me, but also other disabled students watching. He wanted to be able to see a disabled student make it. Anna Mandan, Global News, Fredericton.