[nagdu] Update on Jail situation

[Margo and Arrow]

Hey, way to go, marsha!  Keep us posted.

margo and Arrow
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Update on Jail situation


> Marsha,
>
> Good job!  And good luck!
>
> That's an awful lot of effort to have to go through just to convince law
> enforcement to follow the law.  Ugh!
>
> Kudos on your determination and effort.
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Marsha Drenth
> Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 8:54 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: [nagdu] Update on Jail situation
>
> Hi List,
>
>
>
> I have a update on my field trip to the jail tomorrow. My originally email
> to the list is below, if anyone missed it. As you will see, I asked if my
> SED would be of any danger in the prison. I wanted to take my guide. The
> official word last Friday, was it would be a problem. But the prison 
> wanted
> to know if indeed, I could go on the trip without my guide. This was NOT 
> the
> point. My Father in Law spoke to both my senator and house representative 
> on
> my behalf. On Monday the state department of corrections had agreed to 
> also
> not let me into the prison. Yesterday, my professor heard from the prison
> itself, and they were not going to let me in. In my political science 
> class,
> we discussed the issue. All of my classmates, agreed I should stand up for
> myself. I put it to them, would they rather they be guided by someone, or 
> be
> independent. All of them wanted to be independent. The college was 
> standing
> behind me in every way possible. So as of yesterday I came home, took into
> consideration all my options, and I decided to go on the trip knowing what
> potentially could happen. I was ready to be denied. If I had indeed been
> denied access, I planned on filing a complaint against the prison with the
> DOJ.  Also knowing that, the prison might cancel the trip. After calls to
> the Attorney Generals, governors, Department of Corrections, and Senator. 
> We
> received word, a little while ago, that the Department of Corrections, had
> changed its mind, and would allow me to enter the prison with my guide. I 
> am
> thinking that the prison thought, that I would eventually just go away, if
> they said no. But some how they saw the wrong of their ways.
>
>
>
> I will let you all know what happens tomorrow. But for now I have won!
>
>
>
> If anyone has any questions, please let me know, don't know if I covered
> everything here.
>
>
>
> Marsha
>
>
>
> Previous email: I am not going to jail really, but will be visiting a 
> prison
> next week for a school field trip. Now typically I would take Emma on a
> field trip, but we are entering a high security prison. I have asked my
> professor to check it out, the first reaction from the prison officials 
> was,
> it would not be allowed for me to go into the prison with my SED. Are 
> there
> any laws or requirements for such a thing. We will have to go through
> security and searches upon arrival at the jail. Now maybe it does not make
> much sense, but don't you think, if that anything would happen, I would be
> in greater danger with my cane, then with my dog. Like for example if the
> prisoners, were to do something, they could use my cane as a weapon. 
> Anyone
> have any experience with prisons and guide dogs?
>
>
>
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