Can a college turn me away from the nursing program because of a disability?

I have to sign a waiver to start the nursing program saying I have no issue bending, stooping, grabbing things, etc. I have a bad knee so this could be a problem until I can get surgery. Now if someone with a wheelchair was turned away the ada would be all over it. Can they really turn me away over this if something were to happen to my knee?

they make accomodations for people who are deaf or have learning disabilities - how is that any different? A deaf person isn't gonna hear them call a code in a hospital. I keep my knee in a brace right now and I am willing to get surgery while classes are out to correct it but I'm gonna have to wait until I have more time to take off of work. Am I going to be expected to throw away everything I worked so hard for because I had an unfortunate knee injury? I was even told it's genetic-it's just the way my knees track out. It also says I shouldn't begin the program if I'm allergic to latex. They make accomodations for patients allergic to latex and they give me special gloves at the hospital where I work now-what is the big deal? I see nurses mistreat patients all the time and I want to make a difference and now I'm gonna get pushed away over something so insignificant? People who weigh 300 lbs work in hospitals? you think they can run to a code or pick up a patient off the floor?

They can't keep you from enrolling. However, there are labs which require you to do certain tasks. If you cannot perform them, you will fail the courses. There are aspects of the job that are physical.

I would let them know so they couldn't accuse me of withholding information that may influence me performing certain jobs.

Actually; no, a person in a wheelchair might just be turned away and it not be an ADA situation. Diabetics on insulin aren't allowed to drive big trucks or school buses - that's not discrimination, that's a valid job issue.

Here's how it works in the real world - if you are disabled then an employer or school has to make reasonable accommodations. That doesn't mean though that if you are physically unable to do the job without reasonable accommodations that they still have to hire you.

So, if "bending, stooping, and grabbing things..." is required of the job, and you aren't able to do these without reasonable accommodation (which doesn't mean that your coworkers pick up the slack), then there is no discrimination; you would simply be unqualified.

I use this example: Let's say you hire lifeguards at the beach. Lifeguards are required often to run down and into the surf and then swim out and rescue drowning people. When they fail - someone dies. Now, let's say an applicant comes along who has no legs and can't swim. Think the ADA intended that we should hire him anyway? Afterall, he's disabled.

Let's say you now come up with a bunch of "but what if he...." which makes it possible for him to do the job as well as anyone else. As long as your "what ifs" are reasonable - we have to hire him.

So, let me ask you, if you can't bend or stoop, how do you propose that you get that 80 year old patient off of the floor? If you have some reasonable solutions, you're in -- if not, you can't do this job.