[nagdu] Making a good impression with dog at school

[Ann Edie]

Hi, Debbie,

If you have asked for, and received, an accommodation in the form of an
exemption from the "No Animals" policy of the preschool in order to be
permitted to be accompanied to work by your guide dog, then that is the end
of your boss's authority in the matter.  As long as the dog is under your
close control and is not threatening the safety or health of anyone else in
the facility, and as long as the presence of the dog is not causing an
unreasonable financial burden on the school, then I don't see any reason why
the supervisor should be interfering with your use of your guide dog.  Now,
if your dog is bounding around at the end of a 6-foot leash, tangling up and
tripping toddlers, or jumping on them and knocking them to the floor, or if
it is sniffing, licking, and stealing food from the children, then the
supervisor would surely have something legitimate to complain about.  But as
long as the dog is walking by your side, minding its own business, then it
should be none of the boss's concern whether you hold onto a harness or a
leash.

This being said, when I use my guides in the work setting--I also work in
schools and preschools--I am very careful to present the guide as a working
animal, distinct from a pet or "therapy animal" which might be there to
provide educational or emotional benefits to the children.  So I usually
would keep the harness on the guide and only take it off once outside of the
building at the "relief" spot.  When in the classroom, the guide is quiet,
non-interactive with the students, and stays in a specified place, such as
under my desk or table, alongside my chair, or in a corner of the room which
has been prearranged and explained to the children and staff.  If the
teachers or administrators  wish me to do an educational program about
service animals or how blind people perform everyday activities, I make sure
that everyone involved understands that this is a specific educational
event, and that, as part of the experience, I may let people, especially
visually impaired children who need to use their sense of touch to explore
and understand what things are like, examine both the harness and the guide
animal.  But once the program is over, the guide goes back to being in "work
mode" and there is no further interaction between persons other than myself
and the guide.

When I worked in an elementary school, I did sometimes leave my guide dog in
my home classroom while I accompanied a child or a group of children to
another part of the school building.  The other teacher in the room and I
had established procedures for how to get the guide dog out of the building
in case of a fire drill or other emergency.  The need for these procedures
only came up once that I can remember, but it didn't work out perfectly, so
I would probably not try it again.  Later, when I worked in larger
buildings, a middle school and a high school, I kept the guide with me all
the time, and found that this arrangement worked out much better.  This way,
in any emergency, the guide and I would be together and could work as a
team, which might be very important for both of us as well as for any
students whose welfare I might be responsible.

The only places of employment I would not go accompanied by my guide is to
private homes or perhaps isolation areas of hospitals or medical facilities.
In my current job I do visit children and families in their homes, and I see
some children in rehabilitation facilities.  In these cases, I might decide
not to take my guide because of conditions that I don't feel are suitable.
If I think the situation is acceptable for my guide, then I might ask the
adult family members if they would like me to bring my guide to their house.
But usually, I just wait until they find out in the course of conversation
that I use a guide animal, and then, if they urge me to bring the guide and
they genuinely seem to be okay with an animal in their home, I will bring my
guide with me.  Generally the staff of the medical facilities and rehab
centers have begged me to bring my guide to let the children and sometimes
older residents see and interact with it as a special treat.

But as far as schools are concerned, I just assume they will not deny me
access with my guide any more than they would refuse me entry if I were
using a wheelchair or tell me to leave my cane outside.  And I just go about
my business as any other teacher might in a similar situation.

Anyway, that has been my experience.  Hope it is of some help to you in your
current situation.

Best,
Ann

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Debbie Eifler
Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2012 7:05 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Making a good impression with dog

Should it make a difference weather I choose to walk down a hall to go
outside  with my dog holding her lease or holding her harness ,I am
partially sighted ,my boss is making a big deal about this she is afraid
what people might think that I am not using my dog right but I feel I am. I
have more but will save it for later.  Debbie ps I work at a pre-school for
blind and partially sighted kids and we ate the first team to no on staff
think she needs to be educated on this and maybe me too. Thanks

Sent from my iPhone
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