[nfbwatlk] FW: National Federation of the Blind Applauds Historic Iowa Supreme Court Decision

[Mike Freeman]

From: Freeh, Jessica [mailto:JFreeh at nfb.org] 
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 11:39 AM
Subject: National Federation of the Blind Applauds Historic Iowa Supreme
Court Decision

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

 <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> cdanielsen at nfb.org

 

 

National Federation of the Blind Applauds 
Historic Iowa Supreme Court Decision

 

Decision Affirms Right of Blind People to Enter Chiropractic Medicine Field

 

Des Moines, Iowa (June 27, 2014): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
<http://www.nfb.org/>  today applauded the Iowa Supreme Court for its
decision in the landmark case of Aaron Cannon and Davenport Civil Rights
Commission v. Palmer College of Chiropractic. In a five to two ruling, the
Iowa Supreme Court reinstituted the decision of the Davenport Civil Rights
Commission, which found that Palmer College of Chiropractic violated Aaron
Cannon's rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Iowa law by
requiring that chiropractic students possess sight and by not providing
Cannon the reasonable accommodation of a sighted reader. The commission also
ordered that Palmer reinstate Cannon and pay economic damages.

 

"We know that blind men and women have successfully obtained chiropractic
degrees and practiced chiropractic medicine for decades," said Marc Maurer,
President of the National Federation of the Blind. "Today's ruling affirms
the right of all blind people to an equal education, specifically regarding
the ability of the blind to pursue medical careers."

 

"For a long time, courts have given academic institutions almost absolute
deference in determining whether to provide accommodations to students with
disabilities. Today's decision makes a critically important statement that
even though educational institutions have the right to determine their
curricula, they still must provide equal opportunity and accommodations,"
said Scott LaBarre, the attorney for Aaron Cannon who argued the case before
the Iowa Supreme Court.  

 

Aaron Cannon was represented by attorneys Scott LaBarre and Susan Rockwood
Gashel of the Denver firm LaBarre Law Offices and by Alan Olson of Olson Law
Offices from Des Moines. Mehgan Sidhu, general counsel for the Federation,
filed an amicus brief on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind.

 

 

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About the National Federation of the Blind

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.