Deafblind girl refuses to go to school after teachers BAN guide dog from dining hall

[Banjo]

Is allergies a recognized disability? Are there protections under the ADA for people with severe allergies?

I think it varies. For instance, threatening food allergies is recognized as a disability. Serious allergies are too as well, but I'm not sure how they are dealt with.

 

[jillio]

I think it varies. For instance, threatening food allergies is recognized as a disability. Serious allergies are too as well, but I'm not sure how they are dealt with.

Accomodation. For instance, providing another area for the allergic student to eat their lunch. That does not infringe on the rights of another person under the ADA to have their service animal with them.

Many schools have a peanut free area in the cafeteria. They don't forbid all students from having peanut butter sandwiches, or to eat products containing peanuts. They provide a peanut free zone to accommodate students with peanut allergies in a way that does not infringe on the rights of the other students.

 

[Banjo]

Accomodation. For instance, providing another area for the allergic student to eat their lunch. That does not infringe on the rights of another person under the ADA to have their service animal with them.

Right, for instance... a number of schools are "peanut-free zone". However, they don't designate them as "service dog-free zone".

 

[Babyblue]

Exactly. And school is not the only place she will encounter that situation.

I know a person if she is around a dog it triggers her asthma. It is usually around a dog or cat and in a home of the pet owners. She really has no trouble in a public setting since service animals do not frequent in public buildings.

This dog frequent in this particular school setting making the allergen more potent and if the girl is truly allergic and the Deaf/Blind girl truly needs her dog. I myself have mixed feelings about this.

 

[Cheetah]

A close bond is desired for the service animal and his/her owner. They are an extension of the person. Even more important for someone who is deaf and blind. I have worked with a blind student that used a service dog. He waited years on a waiting list before ever being able to receive the service animal that made his life much simpler and more independent. I never saw him without his dog. This is a small town. I frequently saw him away from campus. Always the dog was with him. He volunteered in the local hospital gift shop. The dog was with him there, as well.

That makes a lot of sense to me. Without this bond and trust I doubt the dog would be able to do his job effectively. Back when I had a hearing dog, I would either leave the dog at home or not go somewhere. I would have been upset with leaving the dog with someone else or in another room.

 

[jillio]

I know a person if she is around a dog it triggers her asthma. It is usually around a dog or cat and in a home of the pet owners. She really has no trouble in a public setting since service animals do not frequent in public buildings.

This dog frequent in this particular school setting making the allergen more potent and if the girl is truly allergic and the Deaf/Blind girl truly needs her dog. I myself have mixed feelings about this.

I see service animals in public buildings all the time. And on public transportation.

The deaf blind girl has a right to her service animal. If the other child is truly that allergic, there are ways to accommodate her allergy that does not impinge on the deaf blind child's right to use a service animal.

 

[CSign]

You are welcome. Since you admitted it was not the greatest analogy. I found your post offensive and the :roll: warranted.

If the other student is truly allergic to the dog, then her needs comes before the DB girl with her dog.

Interpreters may be a distraction to others, but never heard of an interpreter harming or causing death to other people.

Ok. Well I'm sorry you find my post offensive. However, my post was factual. Service dogs provide a service. Interpreters provide a service. They both provide a necessary service for the individual.

My point was that the school needs to find a solution that will benefit both students.

 

[CSign]

I haven't formed an opinion about this article yet. A couple questions come to mind.

Is allergies a recognized disability? Are there protections under the ADA for people with severe allergies?

Is it healthy that a person develops such a bond with an animal that a couple hours of separation a day causes serious health or mental issues?

I think it's less about the bond she has with the dog, than it is about her feeling unsafe and insecure without her lifeline.

 

[jillio]

Ok. Well I'm sorry you find my post offensive. However, my post was factual. Service dogs provide a service. Interpreters provide a service. They both provide a necessary service for the individual.

My point was that the school needs to find a solution that will benefit both students.

I do believe you were told in another thread that comparing a dog and an interpreter was offensive. You argued it there, too. Maybe you should start paying a bit more attention to what people tell you is offensive and stop doing it.

 

[jillio]

I think it's less about the bond she has with the dog, than it is about her feeling unsafe and insecure without her lifeline.

If the presence of the dog makes her feel safe and secure, then it is about the bond. Not any dog would do.

 

[CSign]

If the presence of the dog makes her feel safe and secure, then it is about the bond. Not any dog would do.

Right. She needs her service dog.

 

[Babyblue]

I see service animals in public buildings all the time. And on public transportation.

The deaf blind girl has a right to her service animal. If the other child is truly that allergic, there are ways to accommodate her allergy that does not impinge on the deaf blind child's right to use a service animal.

I can agree on that. How would they accomodate them both in the dining hall? If the other girl is truly allergic?

Set their mealtimes at a different time or what?

 

[jillio]

I can agree on that. How would they accomodate them both in the dining hall? If the other girl is truly allergic?

Set their mealtimes at a different time or what?

That could be a possibility. As it stands, they were making the deaf/blind student eat alone in a different room. That is unnacceptable, especially given it is only one other student complaining of "allergies". The allergic student could eat at a different time, or he/she could eat in a dog free zone, much like a peanut free zone created in so many American schools. Not allowing the dog, or isolating the deaf/blind student just is not acceptable, though.

 

[Babyblue]

That could be a possibility. As it stands, they were making the deaf/blind student eat alone in a different room. That is unnacceptable, especially given it is only one other student complaining of "allergies". The allergic student could eat at a different time, or he/she could eat in a dog free zone, much like a peanut free zone created in so many American schools. Not allowing the dog, or isolating the deaf/blind student just is not acceptable, though.

I am beginning to wonder if the girl made a simple complaint and the school just ran with it since they do not want the dog there.

The school purposely trying to make her get rid of the dog. I wonder if there are other students with dogs there or if it is just her.

 

[jillio]

I am beginning to wonder if the girl made a simple complaint and the school just ran with it since they do not want the dog there.

The school purposely trying to make her get rid of the dog. I wonder if there are other students with dogs there or if it is just her.

Those are all good questions, and things that were not addressed in the article. AJWSmith says that there is some reports that the child claimed to be allergic to play out a personal grudge against the student with the dog. He lives in the UK and probably has better access to what is really going on in this situation.

 

[CSign]

I do believe you were told in another thread that comparing a dog and an interpreter was offensive. You argued it there, too. Maybe you should start paying a bit more attention to what people tell you is offensive and stop doing it.

I'm stating the facts. Both provide a necessary service.

 

[shel90]

I dont think the girl should have been forced in a separate room and eat alone. Why not have some of her friends go in that other room and eat with her if the other student's allergies are so severe?

 

[deafdyke]

What some are failing to acknowledge is that this is a service dog. I am not familiar with the laws in the UK, but this student clearly has a need for it given that she's deaf and blind. It's quite self righteous of some to say she needs to, "get over it" and "grow up". What if the tables were turned and someone told a person who is deaf that they can't use an interpreter because it's a distraction, and that individual needs to just "get over it" and use CART. Because afterall, CART wouldn't be a distraction.

A service dog provides a service that this girl clearly needs. No, we don't have all the info- but we know enough to know that she needs her service dog. There is a solution to every problem- the school just needs to find it.

CSign, we're not anti her using a service dog. We're simply pointing out she could use a cane or a friend in the dining room! She doesn't have to be dependent on the dog 24/7. It's good that she can use it....but there might be times when it's not appropreate!

 

[CSign]

CSign, we're not anti her using a service dog. We're simply pointing out she could use a cane or a friend in the dining room! She doesn't have to be dependent on the dog 24/7. It's good that she can use it....but there might be times when it's not appropreate!

Who is we?

The school needs to find a way to accommodate this students needs allowing her to feel secure. They need to find a solution that serves both the students. That's all I'm saying. This student is deaf and blind- I understand her hesitancy.

 

[jillio]

I'm stating the facts. Both provide a necessary service.

So, you have no interest in learning to see things from a deaf perspective. Continue on with your audism. Just don't act all offended when you get called on it. It is your choice to continue.