[nagdu] Jury finds IA Dept. for Blind's guide dogpolicydoes not discriminate

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Dave,

I hadn't really thought of it that way.  Hmm....  I had plenty of
forewarning, so even newly blind those things weren't big issues for me as
they surely would have been otherwise.

My dog is a deity, too, and believes she should spend her days basking in
the adulation of her many worshippers.  Perhaps we should put a chapl in the
NAGDU dog-oriented training center you proposed?  /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of David Andrews
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2009 2:57 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Jury finds IA Dept. for Blind's guide dogpolicydoes not
discriminate

Angie:

I think that you are just seeing this as a "skills training" kind of 
thing, and I think it is more than that.  NFB-type centers are 
teaching specific skills, but much more than that.  The skills are 
part of the way they get at it.  They are teaching people how to be 
blind persons in a sighted world, how to handle your blindness, 
confidence, self reliance, independence, and a belief in alternative 
techniques and the power of blind persons.
You learn to believe in yourself.

With a dog you talk about the partnership, and while the person is in 
charge and makes decisions, I think there are things you hand over to 
the dog, so to speak.  So, it is possible that some people would not 
develop as much confidence in their own skills if they used a god, 
because of what they believed they were doing, and what the dog was doing.

I have said, on this list, in the past, that I think it would be 
possible for a nfb-type center that used dogs to be designed.  I 
think it would need to be done from the ground up though, and the 
people involved would really have to understand what and how NFB 
centers were doing with the cane.  They could then find ways to 
impart the same lessons and confidence using other things.  People 
would need to get past just viewing as straight skills though, and 
past being mad and feeling left out.  If the guide dog community 
wants this then they should find a way and come forward and do it.

Dave


At 03:02 PM 2/20/2009, you wrote:
>We don't know all the facts behind the verdict. If, for example, she 
>was denied the opportunity to use her dog at all during her program, 
>I would say that the jury made a bad decision, and I would hope the 
>verdict would be reversed on appeal. If, on
>the other hand, she was denied the opportunity to use her dog during 
>cane-travel courses, I can be a bit more sympathetic to the Iowa 
>Department's position. Still, I really don't see why guide dog use 
>during mobility training at centers must be an all
>or nothing deal. I think the NFB really should consider ways to 
>incorporate *some* guide-dog use into O&A training, and that would 
>include *some* guide-dog use during travel courses. The current 
>system does not accurately reflect the reality of the
>lives of many potential center students.
>
>Best,
>
>Angie
>
>On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:52:25 -0500, Marion & Martin wrote:
>
> >Well, this woman did sue....and lost!
>
>
>
>
>
>
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