Yale Discriminates Against Students With Mental Illness, Lawsuit Claims

NEW HAVEN, CT — A group of current and former students has filed a lawsuit against Yale University, claiming the college discriminates against students with mental illness and pressures them to drop out, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut is seeking class-action status and accuses the university of systemically discriminating against students with mental health problems, the Post reported.

The lawsuit includes several accounts written by current and former students, many of which accuse the university of insisting students with mental health problems voluntarily withdraw from the school or be kicked out, according to the Post.

The lawsuit follows an earlier report by the Post detailing the stories of several students who said they were "abandoned" by the university after officials learned of their illnesses. Many were forced to withdraw from Yale and then apply for reinstatement.

The Post's previous report triggered alarm from alumni, faculty and students over the university's mental health policies.

Since the story was published, alumni, faculty and students have expressed alarm and concern to Yale administrators over the university's mental health policies. The response prompted Yale President Peter Salovey to defend the university's services and how it treats suicidal students.

"To be clear, the health and well-being of Yale students are primary university priorities," Salovey wrote. "The Washington Post article does not reflect Yale's efforts to foster student wellness. The article fails to acknowledge the support, processes, and policies in place or the positive outcomes associated with our work."

Despite his defense, Savoy said the university would take steps to improve mental health services on campus in the coming months.