[nagdu] schools sharing info was Let me make it clear

S L Johnson SLJohnson25 at comcast.net
Mon Jul 20 17:04:25 UTC 2015


Hi Tracy:

The trainer who told me this said they all share a lot during conventions 
when they spend a lot of social times together.  Obviously we're right there 
so if they see something, they are likely to discuss it with other trainers. 
I do know admissions offices share information.  I guess we wish it wouldn't 
happen but, I guess it is there is a natural inclination to gossip.  I was 
also told that all the schools get together to share training and breeding 
information.  They also take that opportunity to share informationabout 
graduates.  It is good in the case of someone who has abused or neglected 
their dog or someone who just isn't safe with a guide dog.  However, I do 
worry about them sharing if for some reason they just don't like a person 
for some reason.  I thought this last year when I was applying for another 
dog.  After GDF said they wouldn't replace my golden Tara, whom I'd worked 
for six years.  Tara was being retired due to hip dysplasia she'd had since 
age two and cataracts she'd had since age six.  She was eight when she 
retired.  I had worked her successfully and even pulled her through a very 
serious lack of confidence that almost caused her retirement at age four. 
Obviously I'd shown my total dedication to her and had spent a fortune on 
medications and therapeutic laser treatments on her hips.  I felt betrayed 
when they refused to replace her.   I felt a negative attitude from several 
of the other guide dog schools.  Yes, I do have MS and can't walk for long 
distances or go very fast and need a dog with a very light pull but, being 
matched by Pilot with Eva proves that even with my current limitations, I 
can be successful with a dog.  Thank God, Pilot didn't listen to any of the 
negative gossip from the other schools who thought I could not be successful 
with another dog.  It would have been horrible to be forced back to a cane 
after forty wonderful years with a guide dog.  I think the schools need to 
be much more open about their confidentiality policies and what they share 
with other schools.  A lot of stuff happens with board members, alumni 
council members, administrative and admissions staff and trainers at some of 
the schools.  I don't think the grad council members should have any 
personal information about any of us and they have no right to gossip about 
us with guide dog school staff.  There is an awful lot the schools are doing 
wrong and we definitely need to enforce a bill of rights that we be treated 
with dignity and respect.  We are consumers and without us, they wouldn't 
have jobs.

Sandra and Eva

-----Original Message----- 
From: Tracy Carcione via nagdu
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 11:17 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Tracy Carcione
Subject: Re: [nagdu] schools sharing info was Let me make it clear

I agree, there should be a box to check.  And there may be on the TSE
application--I forget.
But there's all kinds of sharing.  There's one admission office calling
another school's admission office and asking for someone's records.
And then there's 2 people meeting at the bar during a conference and
gossipping.  Some people gossip, and some don't.  An institution can have
a policy of protecting student confidentiality, and discipline or fire
people who don't adhere to it, if they find out, but do they?  I don't
know. I do know TSE is insistent on confidentiality.  And I also know some
trainers gossip.  Does it affect who gets admitted or not?  I don't know.
Tracy

> Seems like it would be a breech of confidentiality, unless of course it's
> somewhere in the application that you agree to and sign.
>
> Perhaps I view it like for a job application.  Usually there is a box to
> check if you give permission for them to contact a previous employer.
> Maybe
> if you don't give permission it counts against you, I don't know, but I
> appreciate the opportunity to make that decision and to explain why I
> don't
> want that employer to be contacted.
>
> Julie
> Sport style guide harnesses available. contact julielj at neb.rr.com with
> questions or to order
> Courage to Dare: A Blind Woman's Quest to Train her Own Guide Dog is now
> available! Get the book here:
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXZSMOC
> -----Original Message-----
> From: S L Johnson via nagdu
> Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 9:28 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: S L Johnson
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] schools sharing info was Let me make it clear
>
> I've been told by many trainers over the years that the schools do share
> information.  Anyone who thinks they don't, think again.  They all know
> each
> other and do not hesitate to share information.
>
> Sandra and Eva
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Julie J. via nagdu
> Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2015 7:14 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Julie J.
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] schools sharing info was Let me make it clear
>
>     I think mostly I'm opposed to school's sharing info.  I think it would
> be difficult to separate out the gossip and dislike of someone from actual
> histories of abuse.  If someone switches schools, it is most often done
> because there was an issue with the last program, they weren't satisfied
> with the quality of the dogs, they didn't get along with staff, the dog's
> weren't healthy etc.  Sure sometimes people change schools due to
> location,
> a change in program policies or curiosity.  If someone wasn't satisfied
> with
> the quality of training and asked for a lot of follow up, which the school
> was resistant to provide, wouldn't it be easy for the next school to hear
> about how this blind person constantly complains and can never be
> satisfied?
>
> Julie
> Sport guide harnesses available. send inquiries to: julielj at neb.rr.com
> Courage to Dare: A Blind Woman's Quest to Train her Own Guide Dog is now
> available! Get the book here:
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXZSMOC
> -----Original Message-----
> From: larry d keeler via nagdu
> Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2015 9:17 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Cc: larry d keeler
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Let me make it clear
>
> Debby, I wonder how that sort of thing can be addressed without infringing
> on our rights! I personally would love to see schools being able to share
> sertain things like abuse history or misuse of they're dogs. I've seen
> many
> examples where no one such as animal control is willing to step in and
> stop
> the abuse of a service animal!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Debby Phillips
> via nagdu
> Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2015 8:14 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users;
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Debby Phillips
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Let me make it clear
>
> Marianne, I truly do not believe that ownership or not makes much
> difference
> in whether someone is going to abuse a dog or not.
> What does concern me is this.  I knew of someone who got two dogs from a
> school (where ownership was not offered).  Both dogs were not treated
> well.
> Then he got two dogs from Seeing Eye.  I was appalled, and told people at
> TSE that I was.  My opinion didn't matter, of course.  Even though I lived
> in the same town and saw the dogs.  I saw a beautiful German Shepherd
> (ears
> perked, tail wagging).  Within two months that dog lay growling when you
> came near it.  I believe it did go to court, and the judge did not allow
> the
> dog to be taken.  Then this person went to Pilot.  At this point, I was
> not
> in much contact with that dog, but was told by reliable people that that
> dog
> didn't fare well, either.  The last time I knew of him having a dog, he
> got
> one privately trained.  I can't figure out why he got a second chance EVER
> at having a second dog.  If the schools have confidentiality rules, they
> should at least be able to share with each other.  If a school knows that
> a
> dog was abused, shouldn't there be some kind of policy that they would let
> the second school know? I don't know, maybe that's asking way too much.  I
> just know that I
> really really hate the thought of what happened to those dogs.
> Debby and Nova
>
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