[nagdu] Check Out This School District Policy- Your Thoughts? Your Suggested Plan of Action?

Sun Apr 6 22:08:42 UTC 2014

Again, parents cannot be responsible for a guide dog.  This is not true of
all companion/service dogs.  Autistic children often need special aids which
is part of a reasonable accommodation covered under the ADA.  The school
district really shouldn't have a say in the matter except for agreeing with
the IEP which the parents, children when possible, and the district develop
together.  IEPs are not relevant concerning guide dogs, nor is any school
policy which defies the ADA.

Children who have guide dogs are the ones who assume FULL responsibility for
their guides.  This is a part of training, and the students aren't even
admitted into a school, (at least at the good schools), until the staff is
satisfied that the child can handle the guide and can assume responsibility
for the dog. 

Best,

Michael Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Star Gazer
Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2014 01:49 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Check Out This School District Policy- Your Thoughts?
Your Suggested Plan of Action?

The problem with making the parent hire someone to be responsible for the
dog is that it gives the school an incentive to find things wrong with a lot
of kids so that the school can get more adults in the classroom not at
school expense. School systems would love this as they would have free
labor. Also would this lead to a blind student needing to buy his own books
when other students get their books free of charge? I don't know.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 6, 2014, at 1:37 PM, Alyssa <alyssahenson95 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Take the example of someone like Brandi. She got a guide at 13. It's safe
to assume she controlled the dog. Also, in Thunder Dog, Mike says he got his
dog at 14. So in that case yes, these kids should be able to handle their
dogs. Even if not in other cases, I hope this policy gets shut down! Even if
it means a parent or someone hired by the family handles the pooch.
> Alyssa
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Apr 6, 2014, at 10:00 AM, "Darla Rogers" <djrogers0628 at gmail.com>
wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Michael,
>> 
>>   Most children have para-pros; are you suggesting they learn 
>> dog-handling?
>> Darla & Huggable Huck
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael 
>> Hingson
>> Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014 7:19 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
>> Users'; 'Star Gazer'
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Check Out This School District Policy- Your 
>> Thoughts?Your Suggested Plan of Action?
>> 
>> Agreed depending on the service the dog is performing.  For example, 
>> autistic children may not maintain full control over the dog and thus 
>> must have an aid, possibly a parent, to be responsible for the dog.  
>> In the case of a guide dog and many other dogs providing services the 
>> handler maintains full control and responsibility for the dog.
>> 
>> No matter what, policies that do not conform with the ADA must be 
>> struck down.
>> 
>> 
>> Best,
>> 
>> 
>> Michael Hingson
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nicole 
>> Torcolini at Home
>> Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014 04:36 PM
>> To: Star Gazer; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide 
>> Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Check Out This School District Policy- Your 
>> Thoughts?Your Suggested Plan of Action?
>> 
>> In most cases, why wouldn't the student be fully responsible for the dog?
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> On Apr 5, 2014, at 10:18 AM, "Star Gazer" <pickrellrebecca at gmail.com>
wrote:
>> 
>> WTF! Good for you Julie for going to bat for this boy. 
>> As for a service dog, didn't Ann say there was a difference between 
>> an adult in the school using a dog and a student? I can't find her 
>> post, but it seemed to be that adults can use a dog no questions 
>> asked, but children since they are not taking full responsibility for the
dog cannot?
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
>> Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2014 7:16 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Check Out This School District Policy- Your 
>> Thoughts?Your Suggested Plan of Action?
>> 
>> Actually yes.  I've been to an IEP meeting where the debate was 
>> whether or not to let the little boy use a cane.  By letting him have 
>> his cane at school, the school was also acknowledging that they would 
>> have to provide O&M instruction.  That cost money they didn't want to 
>> spend, so no cane at school.
>> 
>> I do truly believe that in the classroom and other places where the 
>> public is not invited do not fall under the ADA, but rather the I.D.E.A.
>> 
>> Julie
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Nicole Torcolini
>> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2014 10:04 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Check Out This School District Policy- Your 
>> Thoughts?Your Suggested Plan of Action?
>> 
>> Um, I'm sorry, but no. A service dog is not an accommodation. Do you 
>> write in an IEP that a student needs a cane or a wheelchair? I don't
think so.
>> Service dogs need to be treated the same that a cane or wheelchair 
>> would be treated in regards to being allowed and the student needing 
>> the dog. If there are issues with the dog him/herself or the student 
>> not being able to care for, handle, or control the dog, those issues 
>> need to be handled on a case by case basis .
>> 
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