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God forbid you send your child to a school with an actual autistic program. The mom cited her daughter couldn't cope with the change but then decided that a third elementary move, to a school without an autistic program, was just fine. Sheesh.
God forbid you send your child to a school with an actual autistic program. The mom cited her daughter couldn't cope with the change but then decided that a third elementary move, to a school without an autistic program, was just fine. Sheesh.
Unfortunately, there are not that many schools with autistic programs and many are private schools with hefty tuitions.
If the school is far away, you may be talking about having the child on a bus for an hour or more each way as well.
The mother did not follow the proper procedure to clear a service dog. Did she really think she could just show up and they'd accommodate her? What if there is a student with asthma who is allergic to dogs? There are things to check out before a service dog can be allowed on the premises.
The policy she is to notify the school in writing of the need for a service dog BEFORE you bring your child to school and give them time to make any accommodations they need to make.
They'll blow anything out of proportion and print it in the news won't they?
The 2nd story you posted confuses the heck out of me. The little girl is 4 years old and this is likely her first year of school. How was it even determined that she needed a service dog for school when she had yet to attend? Was there any evidence that her autism would negatively affect her at school and so a dog was needed? What tasks is this dog performing for her? I have a nephew with severe autism and a younger cousin w/ mild autism and in neither of their cases, I don't see how having a dog would help them at all beyond emotional support. Yes, I know autism symptoms varies among sufferers, but unless there is a physical aspect to her autism (from the article, it doesn't sound like the dog is there to help w/ her epilepsy), I'm not understanding why the dog needs to be there. Maybe the child needs to be in school a bit longer, for a year or so, to gauge her needs in a school setting and to see if a service dog is even necessary.
Really, stories like this make me wonder. How does a 4 year old get a service dog anyway when the official waiting lists are so, so long? Did her parents decide when she was 18-24 months old that a service dog was needed? Something really isn't adding up here . I DO agree that there seems to be an epidemic of fake "service" dogs out there. Too many people are abusing the rules and laws the ADA has in place. In light of all these sites out there willing to make anyone's pet a "service animal", the rules need to be changed so that they aren't abused further, or at the very least clarified, given all of these stories.
ETA: Wait, are 4 year olds REALLY being diagnosed w/ ADHD? Isn't that the normal state of most toddlers? Not to make light of the disease, but seriously, are all kids under 6 crazy hyperactive? *scratching head*
I understand that people need their service dogs, but has anyone considered the following:
People who are afraid of dogs
People who don't like dogs
People who are allergic to dogs
The distraction in the classroom
The hair that it sheds (particularly in the cafeteria)
Bathroom breaks for the dog might interfere with the school schedule
Disposal of dog poop (don't you DARE put that in a classroom garbage can)
So, I assume that you think that all of these inconveniences take precedence over, for example, a BLIND child (or adult, for that matter) that needs a service dog, because obviously if someone has an irrational fear of dogs or, for that matter, simply doesn't like them, they shouldn't have to accommodate a disabled person's need to get around, and all of those situations exist whether the dog is a seeing eye dog or another kind of service dog.
Not sure that that child belongs in that school, but this attitude had me seeing red. Serious allergies I can see being an issue that would need to be dealt with, out of all of that list.
So, I assume that you think that all of these inconveniences take precedence over, for example, a BLIND child (or adult, for that matter) that needs a service dog, because obviously if someone has an irrational fear of dogs or, for that matter, simply doesn't like them, they shouldn't have to accommodate a disabled person's need to get around, and all of those situations exist whether the dog is a seeing eye dog or another kind of service dog.
Not sure that that child belongs in that school, but this attitude had me seeing red. Serious allergies I can see being an issue that would need to be dealt with, out of all of that list.
What a coincidence. Your attitude of entitlement to impose has me seeing red.
Especially for children, there is nothing irrational about wariness around strange dogs.
So, I assume that you think that all of these inconveniences take precedence over, for example, a BLIND child (or adult, for that matter) that needs a service dog, because obviously if someone has an irrational fear of dogs or, for that matter, simply doesn't like them, they shouldn't have to accommodate a disabled person's need to get around, and all of those situations exist whether the dog is a seeing eye dog or another kind of service dog.
Not sure that that child belongs in that school, but this attitude had me seeing red. Serious allergies I can see being an issue that would need to be dealt with, out of all of that list.
How often are blind children w/ seeing eye dogs even placed in mainstream schools? I've tutored disabled students while in college, including 2 deaf students, a few physically disabled students, and about 3-5 visually impaired students, and only one guy had a dog and he was one of the physically disabled ones. Service dogs aren't that common, but it seems like there are more and more of them popping up as people find new ways to train what are basically pets, to do certain tasks.
I see this more of an issue that, once you go beyond the seeing eye dogs and dogs for the mobility disabled and start allowing diabetic alert dogs, autism support dogs, emotional support dogs, hearing aid dogs, seizure detection dogs, and so on, you've turned the classroom into a dog kennel. A line HAS to be drawn somewhere here before we end up w/ allergy detection dogs, ADHD suppression dogs, and bullying relief dogs in the classroom.
ETA: Forgot to add, what about the kids that will need emotional support dogs to counteract the intense emotional distress brought on by a phobia of dogs b/c some other kids brought in their emotional support dog?
I agree with the above posters. Fishy, fishy, fishy. Why didn't the parent notify the school when her daughter was enrolled? And why hasn't the parent filled out the written request?
It sounds a lot like the homeless man, who frequently comes to the public library where my niece is a librarian, with his "Service Parrot" on his shoulder.
My niece says that there are about twenty times the number of "likely to be fake" service animals per every legitimate service animal that comes with a patron to that large library. She is still puzzled by the woman who DROVE UP to the library, got out of her car and put a service vest on her large dog. When asked about the dog the woman said it was her "seeing eye dog" because she was blind. My niece was thinking, "If you are blind, how can you be driving a car?" but, obviously, couldn't say that.
There are very strict rules about how and when you can question someone about their service animal.
Someone also brought in their 10 foot "Service Boa Constrictor" to that library. Sheesh. All of the people who bend the rules or totally flaunt the rules makes it much harder for the people who legitimately need and use service animals.
The ADA specifies Service DOGS or in some cases Service Mini-horses (still very rare). So, no- there are no cats, monkeys, birds, snakes, rats, etc.
Also, there are some legally blind people who can drive (in some cases there is special equipment needed)- so a person who is still driving as an legally blind person may still benefit from a SD.
I know of a few blind people who can drive as long as it is light outdoors (after dawn and before sunrise).
As for this story it is usually not advisable for a child under the age of 10 to have a Service Dog that is not under the command of an adult. As was mentioned before there are commands and corrections that a SD needs in order to safely protect both the dog and human of the team.
I am blinds and in a wheelchair and have a Service Dog that is cross trained as a guide & assistance dog- so that is why I know about SDs & the ADA.
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