News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.7FM Alpena and WCML-TV Channel 6 Alpena are off the air. Click here to learn more.

Blind attorney-hopeful takes on Law School Admission Council

http://bit.ly/2q2bokS

A blind Michigan man wants to go to law school, but says he can’t because the admissions test is discriminatory. Now he’s asking the US Supreme Court to accept his lawsuit against the makers of the test.

The Law School Admission Council says it makes reasonable accommodations for test takers with disabilities – including visual impairment.

But plaintiff Angelo Binno and his attorney say it’s not possible for a blind person to take portions of the exam. They point to the so-called Logic Games section that often requires diagraming and mapping. 

“That’s ridiculous to ask a blind person to draw a picture or a diagram,” said Binno’s attorney, Jason Turkish.

Turkish said this is the de-facto test to get into law school. But a blind person cannot do what is required to pass it.

“The LSAC, despite having been sued multiple times by the United States Department of Justice for disability discrimination has still not resolved this issue and reached a reasonable accommodation,” he said.

David Moss is the director of the Civil Rights Legal Clinic at Wayne State. The clinic is assisting with the case. He says because the test is practically mandatory, the council is preventing lots of students from going to law school.

“This is a huge business that has the ability to influence lots and lots of lives,” Moss said.

The Law School Admission Council said it does not comment on pending litigation. But a spokesperson did add that it makes reasonable accommodations for test takes with disabilities.