Dyslexic Student: Language Requirement Discriminatory

Can a language requirement be discriminatory? A dyslexic student has filed a complaint in the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario after he was denied admission to a University of Ottawa master of political science program because he couldn’t meet a requirement to take one French-language course, the CBC reported. The student, citing the barriers he faces to learning languages due to his severe dyslexia, has requested to take the course in English or with the aid of a translator. A spokesperson for the University of Ottawa said the institution “does not see this as an accommodation issue” and the student “was not admitted … because he did not meet the essential admission requirements for the program.” The program website stipulates that students must have an “active knowledge of French” at the time of admission.