Michelle
01-06-2007, 11:25 PM
Deaf boy's dog barred from LI school; NYS to investigate
January 5, 2007, 8:14 PM EST
NEW YORK (AP) _ An ongoing debate over whether a 14-year-old student who is hearing impaired can take his assistance dog to school in Long Island has caught the attention of the New York State Division of Human Rights, which announced Friday that it is investigating the matter.
John Cave, a ninth-grader at W. Tresper Clarke High School in Westbury, has been barred from taking his dog to the school by the East Meadow School District.
His parents have been fighting the district for more than a year on the topic, saying their son and the dog, Simba, need to be together as much as possible to form proper bonds that allow the dog to effectively do his job. School officials have argued that the family must get proper approvals.
State officials say anti-discrimination laws protecting the disabled could be at issue.
"I can think of no more important duty than to ensure the rights of New Yorkers with disabilities," said Kumiki Gibson, the Human Rights Division's commissioner-designate. "We do not know whether the school's decision violated the law, but we are certainly committed to investigating the matter and to taking the appropriate action."
On Thursday, for the second day in a row, school officials barred John from bringing the animal inside.
"I feel like they aren't being fair," John, who uses cochlear implants and has limited hearing, told Newsday for Friday editions. "They act like they're against me because of my dog."
School officials have told the family in the past that the student doesn't need the dog to attend classes. On Wednesday, Superintendent Robert Dillon said the parents must first get permission from the district's committee on special education.
"There is a process, and there are protocols and we just wish that they would be followed," Dillon told Newsday.
January 5, 2007, 8:14 PM EST
NEW YORK (AP) _ An ongoing debate over whether a 14-year-old student who is hearing impaired can take his assistance dog to school in Long Island has caught the attention of the New York State Division of Human Rights, which announced Friday that it is investigating the matter.
John Cave, a ninth-grader at W. Tresper Clarke High School in Westbury, has been barred from taking his dog to the school by the East Meadow School District.
His parents have been fighting the district for more than a year on the topic, saying their son and the dog, Simba, need to be together as much as possible to form proper bonds that allow the dog to effectively do his job. School officials have argued that the family must get proper approvals.
State officials say anti-discrimination laws protecting the disabled could be at issue.
"I can think of no more important duty than to ensure the rights of New Yorkers with disabilities," said Kumiki Gibson, the Human Rights Division's commissioner-designate. "We do not know whether the school's decision violated the law, but we are certainly committed to investigating the matter and to taking the appropriate action."
On Thursday, for the second day in a row, school officials barred John from bringing the animal inside.
"I feel like they aren't being fair," John, who uses cochlear implants and has limited hearing, told Newsday for Friday editions. "They act like they're against me because of my dog."
School officials have told the family in the past that the student doesn't need the dog to attend classes. On Wednesday, Superintendent Robert Dillon said the parents must first get permission from the district's committee on special education.
"There is a process, and there are protocols and we just wish that they would be followed," Dillon told Newsday.