[nfbmi-talk] district mars differences week

[joe harcz Comcast]

District mars Differences Week, apologizes to disabled resident

 

By

Reece Alvarez

on November 27, 2014 in

Thomas Panek

 

South Salem’s Thomas Panek, CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and his guide dog, Gus, were effectively denied access to John Jay Middle School last week

on account of his service dog. Mr. Panek reproached the school board at its Nov. 20 meeting to request an apology.

 

In dark irony the Katonah-Lewisboro school board publicly apologized to South Salem resident Thomas Panek, who, along with his seeing eye dog, was in effect

denied access to John Jay Middle School during Differences Week — a week dedicated to appreciation of those with disabilities — on account of what board

president Marjorie Schiff called a “breakdown of communication.”

 

“Prior to his anticipated visit, the district became aware of a concern from a parent at John Jay whose child has allergies and sensitivities to animal

dander,” interim Superintendent of Schools John Goetz said in a press release. “Upon learning of this concern, the district indicated to Mr. Panek that

they might have to postpone this visit until the district could look further into the concern about the child’s medical condition. At some point, it was

miscommunicated to Mr. Panek, or misunderstood, that the district was denying his visit, which was most certainly not the case. There was never any ill-intent

or questioning of his rights to be in our building, but as the district’s primary concern is for the safety and welfare of all students and staff we just

needed some time to investigate.”

 

Mr. Panek, president and CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, is blind, having lost his sight due to a degenerative eye disease. He addressed the board during

its Nov. 20 meeting, asking for an apology and chastising the board members for their lapse in judgment.

 

“You should know that you have to balance the needs of the child with the needs of access for individuals with disabilities,” he said, “and in this day

and age you should be beyond the teachable moment. I am very disappointed with you as a board of directors. To send such a message through your administrators

and that you are not stronger in knowing that this was wrong and I offer you an opportunity to issue me an apology and I will wait for that apology to

come from you and until that time I will remain disappointed in each and every one of you.”

 

According to Panek

 

According to Mr. Panek he was invited to speak to his daughter’s middle school team of roughly 100 students in honor of Differences Week and Mr. Panek’s

recent achievement of running the New York City Marathon.

 

On the day of his presentation Mr. Panek said he received a phone call from JJMS Principal Richard Leprine, who told Mr. Panek on behalf of the board that

because of concerns raised by a parent regarding a child’s allergies to pet dander, the presentation would be postponed until a policy on the matter could

be established.

 

“You can’t make a policy on the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act],” Mr. Panek told The Ledger. “It is a federal law. One of my kids has a peanut allergy;

we understand how important it is to make an accommodation for that, but I haven’t asked the district to ban peanuts, and they can’t ban my dog.”

 

Apology

 

In her public apology on behalf of the board, Ms. Schiff emphasized that with no district policy to refer to, the relatively inexperienced board had a breakdown

in communication while weighing competing “acute” interests.

 

“This is an acute growing pain of being a relatively inexperienced board working with a very experienced administrator who I have to say knew in his gut

what the right thing to do here was,” she said. “I sincerely regret that having been made aware of the absence of any policy and that we have students

whose health might be jeopardized by the presence of animals in buildings and having that information brought to our attention at the same time we were

made aware there would be a presentation where a service animal would be in the building and could potentially pose a risk to a student’s health — I think

it obviously led to very poor communication on our part and I do sincerely regret that.”

 

Mr. Panek accepted Ms. Schiff’s apology at the meeting, but speaking with The Ledger he said it was clear the board did not fully understand his rights

under the ADA to access the school with his guide dog. He said that he was disappointed that neither Mr. Leprine nor Mr. Goetz stood up to the board members

to tell them the decision to postpone the event was wrong, despite both administrators clearly indicating to him that they knew better.

 

As of Monday, Nov. 24, Mr. Panek was rescheduled to give his presentation on Tuesday and the district had said it would make special accommodations for

students with medical sensitivities.

 

Source:

http://www.lewisboroledger.com/15752/school-district-mars-differences-week-apologizes-to-disabled-resident/