Fairfax family fights to have epileptic son's service dog allowed at school
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Angelo and Nancy Stevens assumed that Fairfax County school officials would follow federal and state laws and allow Alaya to accompany Andrew to his sixth-grade classes at Fort Belvoir Elementary School - a role service dogs perform for many disabled children across the country.
But Fairfax officials assert that the staff members in Andrew's special education classroom are able to do everything Alaya can to respond to emergencies and ensure the boy's safety. They also say that the dog needs a handler under state guidelines and that Andrew, who functions on a kindergarten level academically, has not been certified for that role.
this just enrages me...that this school thinks they can violate the ADA and a few other federal laws because they ASSUME the boy is incapable of "handling" his dog. doesn't sound like the dog needs any "handling". she knows exactly what to do.
this is one instance where i sincerely hope that they get a lawyer and go after the school for the above if the talk with county officials doesn't pan out. this school has no right breaking the law because they think their teachers, who have to deal with 20-30 other children and their problems all at once, are better than a service dog trained SPECIFICALLY for reacting to the child's condition.
Angelo and Nancy Stevens assumed that Fairfax County school officials would follow federal and state laws and allow Alaya to accompany Andrew to his sixth-grade classes at Fort Belvoir Elementary School - a role service dogs perform for many disabled children across the country.
But Fairfax officials assert that the staff members in Andrew's special education classroom are able to do everything Alaya can to respond to emergencies and ensure the boy's safety. They also say that the dog needs a handler under state guidelines and that Andrew, who functions on a kindergarten level academically, has not been certified for that role.
this just enrages me...that this school thinks they can violate the ADA and a few other federal laws because they ASSUME the boy is incapable of "handling" his dog. doesn't sound like the dog needs any "handling". she knows exactly what to do.
this is one instance where i sincerely hope that they get a lawyer and go after the school for the above if the talk with county officials doesn't pan out. this school has no right breaking the law because they think their teachers, who have to deal with 20-30 other children and their problems all at once, are better than a service dog trained SPECIFICALLY for reacting to the child's condition.