Re: Food issues and service dogs at school

[Sam Paior]

The service dog logic that the school presents is illegal - the ADA
specifically states that allergies (and being afraid of dogs) are not a
disabilities and can not be used as a reason to prevent service dogs access.
Besides, with certain kinds of regular dog washes, the dander issue can be
98% mitigated. A reasonable solution is that any child with a severe allergy
be moved to a classroom that does not have a dog.
Think of a service dog as a wheelchair - that's how the ADA views it - the
dog is a piece of durable medical equipment.
Ben has a service dog, but we are not yet a good enough team for her to be
useful for her mobility tasks, and her search and rescue skills (I hope)
should not be required at school. Ben is also way too young to handle her on
his own - I am the certified handler, so LIly only goes to school woith him
once a week when I bring her and help out in the class. Ben also does not
have an aide, and until Ben is old enough to handle Lily, he would need an
aide to handle her, potty her, etc etc, and that would require some
training - service dogs need consistency in the way they are handled.
Don't get me wrong, I don't consider celiac disease an allergy - it's very
different, and I am appaled that her school won't accomodate. Have you
considered purchasing gluten free flour for her class to use during these
programs? My sister has many allergies and my step-mum confers with the
teacher and provides substitutes for her, or for the whole class on
occasion.
It needs to be written into her IEP - it is a health accomodation.
I know classrooms where kids have severe peanut allergies and thus peanut
butter is banned from the whole classes' lunches (assuming parents comply,
of course).
I completely agree also about the food choices in this country. Actually I
think it's disgusting what schools serve, and it's even worse that it's the
kids from socioeconomically disadvantaged families that get free school
lunches disproportionately suffer through such poor poor nutrition.
I am following this whole story very closely, and have been for a few weeks.
Of course we don; know the full story, but I wish the parents would make a
stink and advocate for their daughter. BUt, like I said, we don't know the
full story, and this may well be a battle they don't want to fight - there
may be a war they want to win that's more important.
cheers,
--Sam

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol in IL" <doiha...@COMCAST.NET>
To: <DOWN...@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 6:15 AM
Subject: Food issues at school

> As I was reading the service dog issue regarding school needing to be safe
> for ALL students and the dog not being allowed due to allergies etc... I
> couldn't help but draw a parallel to my Christine.
>
> She is on a very strict diet and is gluten free, [snip]