Mother of Autistic Girl Wants School to Allow Service Dog
By: WROC-TV
Updated: August 18, 2012
The mother of an autistic girl is locked in a battle with the Gates
Chili School District over whether she can bring her service dog to
school. Maureen, 5-year-old Devyn Pereira's service dog Hannah assisted
her in pre-kindergarten.
When kindergarten starts in a few weeks, Hannah may not be allowed to be by Devyn's side. Devyn and her dog have been inseparable at home and at class.
However, the girl's mom, Heather, says sometime between last Spring and now the district changed Devyn's Individual Education Plan, a document that allowed the dog to go to class.
It's a claim the district denies. Despite multiple requests, Heather says she can't get a definitive answer as to why.
Heather says she did get a letter saying the district may allow the dog to attend class Monroe Boces 2. But, she adds, a critical piece of the puzzle is still missing - there would be no aide to help Devyn handle the dog.
The school says the American Disabilities Act does not require them to provide both. In a statement the school said:
"The ADA requires the service dog to be under the control of its handler (the student with disabilities)...In such cases where a student is unable to provide the dog handling required by the ADA, a school district is not responsible for acquiring a handler or its associated costs. Schools have the option to offer alternatives to using a service dog such as employing a dedicated aide, if it effectively meets the student's needs."
Heather hopes to get the situation sorted out before school starts in September so Devyn can go to school with both her dog and the aide.
When kindergarten starts in a few weeks, Hannah may not be allowed to be by Devyn's side. Devyn and her dog have been inseparable at home and at class.
However, the girl's mom, Heather, says sometime between last Spring and now the district changed Devyn's Individual Education Plan, a document that allowed the dog to go to class.
It's a claim the district denies. Despite multiple requests, Heather says she can't get a definitive answer as to why.
Heather says she did get a letter saying the district may allow the dog to attend class Monroe Boces 2. But, she adds, a critical piece of the puzzle is still missing - there would be no aide to help Devyn handle the dog.
The school says the American Disabilities Act does not require them to provide both. In a statement the school said:
"The ADA requires the service dog to be under the control of its handler (the student with disabilities)...In such cases where a student is unable to provide the dog handling required by the ADA, a school district is not responsible for acquiring a handler or its associated costs. Schools have the option to offer alternatives to using a service dog such as employing a dedicated aide, if it effectively meets the student's needs."
Heather hopes to get the situation sorted out before school starts in September so Devyn can go to school with both her dog and the aide.
