In a dramatic legal confrontation, a student has taken legal action against a prominent New York educational institution, alleging discrimination based on disability. On February 17, 2026, Faith Garigliano filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the City University of New York (CUNY). The lawsuit accuses CUNY of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 by discriminating against her due to her disabilities.
Faith Garigliano, a dedicated student at Brooklyn College enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting program, claims that she was unjustly removed from her acting cohort. This decision came without any written explanation or information regarding her rights to appeal. According to Garigliano, this removal threatens her ability to graduate on time despite maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA throughout most of her studies. Her lawsuit highlights that she suffers from several disabilities including PTSD, anxiety, depression, vascular malformation, and chronic leg pain which require reasonable accommodations that were not provided by CUNY.
Garigliano’s engagement with Brooklyn College’s Office of Accessibility Services was aimed at obtaining necessary accommodations such as course substitutions and support for mobility limitations and trauma-related symptoms. However, she alleges that instead of receiving these accommodations, she faced isolation from her cohort and was forced into alternative classes against her will. The lawsuit states that faculty leadership warned Garigliano about potential penalties for taking breaks due to physical pain—a necessity given her conditions—and emphasized non-negotiable schedule changes removing her from core coursework.
The plaintiff argues that these actions amount to disability discrimination and retaliation under federal law. She asserts that CUNY failed to engage in an interactive process for reasonable accommodations and violated principles of fairness and equal access. Furthermore, Garigliano contends that CUNY’s lack of written decisions and failure to inform her about appeal rights constitute violations of due process.
Garigliano seeks multiple forms of relief through this lawsuit. She demands reentry into the BFA Acting program along with compensatory damages for pain and suffering as well as damage to her reputation. Additionally, she requests attorney fees and any other equitable relief deemed necessary by the court.
Representing Faith Garigliano is Stewart Lee Karlin Law Group P.C., with Stewart Lee Karlin himself acting as attorney for the plaintiff. The case is presided over by judges within the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under Case ID 1:26-cv-01413.
Source: 126cv01413_Faith_Garigliano_v_City_University_of_New_York_Complaint_Southern_District_of_New_York.pdf
