UC Berkeley Ignored My Disability and Destroyed My Future

Hi everyone,

My name is Scripture Brandenburg, and I’m reaching out to ask for your support at the most critical point in my life. I am sincerely and genuinely requesting help. I am a fifth-year senior at UC Berkeley, just months away from finishing my degree in Data Science — a dream I have worked toward for years with everything I had.

But despite all my dedication, my education — and my future — have been thrown into crisis by a devastatingly unfair and discriminatory process.

In 2023, I was named a Respondent in a deeply flawed disciplinary process.

As someone diagnosed with autism, I experience the world — especially social interactions — differently. UC Berkeley knew this. They knew I had a legally documented disability. Yet throughout the investigation, the university completely failed to consider how my autism impacted my behavior and communication, in direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and federal civil rights law.

Instead of being met with understanding, I was treated as a threat.

Instead of being given the accommodations I was legally entitled to, I was subjected to procedures that ignored my disability completely.

In 2024, things got even worse: I was wrongfully placed on an eight-month interim suspension — despite the fact that the allegations behind that suspension were later found unsubstantiated by the UC Office of the President which oversees all 10 UC campuses.

Because of that wrongful suspension:

I was banned from campus and blocked from working at my campus job — the only source of income I had.

UC Berkeley knew my Expected Family Contribution (EFC) was $0 and that my Student Aid Index was negative — meaning I had no financial backup. They also knew I was registered with the Disabled Students Program.

As a result, I lost access to FAFSA financial aid, making it impossible to afford basic necessities.

I fell into homelessness, hunger, and devastating financial instability — all while still trying to fight for my degree.

The university knew my situation — and left me with nothing.

Now, even though I’ve done nothing wrong, UC Berkeley is moving to impose sanctions that could permanently block me from graduating, crushing five years of hard work and resilience.

I Refuse to Give Up Without a Fight.

I have retained legal counsel to stand up for my rights and hold the university accountable.

I plan on holding UC Berkeley accountable for:

Disability discrimination,

Violation of due process,

Wrongful interim suspension,

Financial devastation,

Retaliation, and

Violation of my First Amendment rights.

But fighting a massive institution is expensive, and I urgently need to raise $10,000 to cover legal fees, document preparation, evidence gathering, and to keep pushing forward.

How You Can Help:

Donate whatever you can — even $5, $10, or $20 makes a real difference.

Share this campaign widely with friends, family, students, alumni, and advocates for disability and civil rights.

Stand with me in this fight for dignity, education, and justice.

Why This Matters:

This fight is bigger than just me.

It’s about every student who has been misunderstood because of a disability.

It’s about every person who deserves a fair chance to complete their education without being crushed by bureaucracy and discrimination.

I am still fighting — but I cannot do this alone.

Your support is not just an investment in my future — it’s a statement that fairness, justice, and human dignity still matter.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in me, standing with me, and helping me fight to finish what I started.

With gratitude and hope,

Scripture Ezekiel Brandenburg