School Allows Autistic Boy, But Bans His Helper Dog

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Hi WP. I've been lurking around for some time now, reading the occasional thread that looks interesting, but I just signed up for my account today. I did so because I wanted spread news of another injustice against an autistic. I apologize in advance if this isn't the correct forum section for this, and if it isn't the mods can feel free to move it, or even delete it and point me to the right section to remake it. Anyway, here's a summary of what happened from Change dot org:

This being my first post, on the very day I created my account, I can't post any URLs at all. So, please head over to Change dot org, and look for the article titled "School Allows Autistic Boy, But Bans His Helper Dog". Right now it's featured on the front page of the site, but if it gets moved off by more recent articles then you can find it easily enough by inputting the article's name in the search box at the top-right of the page. The article will have a link to the petition you can sign to ask the school to allow J.C. his helper dog.

Thanks for reading, and hopefully signing.

Unsurprising. A lot of schools claim to be inclusive, but only on their own terms. Only real option is to make as much fuss as possible until they are forced to change their policy.. then go to a different school.

I fail to see the problem. Animals shouldn't be allowed in school for various reasons including disruption and allergies.

i have to agree. i have allergies and if i was a kid in school being subjected to dogs all day i would have to leave school or take allergy medication that would effect my ability to keep up. animals don't belong in schools. unless they are being dissected. perhaps his parents need to search for a school that will allow it or find some other way to get him an education. i understand that the dog is great for him but it's not so great for everyone else and it would be wrong to put the needs of one ahead of the needs of all.

Actually, in this case the boy's rights to have his service dog overrides the inconveinence of people's allergies. The school is in violation of ADA on this one. While they can generally ban pets from being allowed in school, they are not allowed to ban service animals, whether they be horse, goat, dog, cat, pig, or chimpanzee.


If this dog was not a service animal you would have a point, however since it is a service animal your inconveinence does not trump the boy's physical safety. Dogs are one of the animals that can detect changes in a person's body odor that occurs before a seizure occurs. You want to increase the chance of the kid hitting his head in the case of a seizure because the dog isn't there to react to the signs that it can detect but a human can't.

I'm sorry, but allergies to animal dander doesn't fly in this case. The only thing you can demand is the dog have regular baths.

From a legal standpoint, this school is in deep s***.

I don't think this is straight forward. I think the needs of others do need to be taken into account. Allergies aren't always as simple as a few sniffles and a bit of discomfort. For example, my husband is severely asthmatic and his allergies trigger it. 2 minutes in a room with a dog and he can't breath. What if the school know they already have a child like that? Or another autistic child with a terror of dogs who will be in perpetual meltdown if there is a dog in his class?

Yes, that is my situation. I'm terrified of dogs. There was a handicapped girl with a service dog in my elementary school. Luckily this person was in another grade level so I hardly had to encounter the dog, but when I seen it in the hall I was scared. There were also parents who would bring in small dogs and cats when picking up their children and it very much angered me because I was sure they were breaking rules, but nobody cared.

So who's education is more important, the boy with a service dog or a kid who can't be around dogs and thus won't learn anything in a classroom with one? It's not fair either way but ultimately I think it makes more sense to not have service animals in general classrooms.

Anti-histamines are good for dog allergy. Otherwise, best to take the guide dogs off the blind as well eh? Just in case someone gets a does of sneezles. Because clearly a treatable allergy to an incredibly common household animal is way more important than something that someone relies on to live. What are the odds that this autistic child with his valuable support animal will run into someone with a devastating terror of dogs/powerful allergy to hair? Seems a little harsh to deprive him on the off chance.

Also.. in a school its unlikely that a child will be in very close proximity to this (working) animal that they will have a severe reaction. Nobody hugs guide-dogs. If this hypothetical kid comes home in hives or streaming from the eyes then odds are that he's been closer to the creature than common sense suggests, and even money says that its not because the autistic kid jammed the dog up his nose.

I have to agree with the other posters here. The school is making the correct decision. I know many people with phobias of dogs or very, very severe allergies to them.

This is not an injustice so much as it is a reasonable request. It is unfortunate but a reality. You cannot turn the whole world just to accomodate one person. Others needs are just as valid as this autistic boy's needs.

A full on asthmatic attack is a bit more serious than a dose of sneezles.

Well let's look at it this way, I have yet to see a school in this country that actually treats autistic students properly anyway. So this shouldn't surprise anyone.

Same in this country. I'm at my wits end with my daughter's school. I'm filing a formal complain with the national school inspectors on Monday. I've had enough.

But clearly asthmatics should be deprived of their inhalers because there is a possibility that another student might come into contact with the chemicals and suffer an allergic reaction. The needs of one should not outweight the needs of the many, after all.

From a legal standpoint it doesn't matter. The school is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A fear of dogs can be overcome, hitting your head on a desk and causing brain damage because someone didn't catch the warning signs of a seizure can't be recovered from necessarily and can even be fatal.

or that the dog sat somewhere where he sat later? the kid needs to go to a 'special' school not a public school. or be home schooled where he can be properly supervised. teachers already have their hands full with overcrouded classrooms. why complicate things. and you've obviously never had a full blown athsma attack. i get sick just from standing near someone who has been rolling aroud in dog hair or whatever it is they do to get covered in it. i can't go to houses where people have dogs without having to worry about not being able to breath and it's not as simple as just taking a puffer. these are children, after all and they might not be aware of when they need to take it because sometimes it's hard to tell especially if you are dizzy from taking an allergy pill. if the kid has that many problems he should not be in a public school. not that he doesn't 'deserve' to be there but it's probably not the best place for him dispite his parents wanting him to fit in or whatever. he's not going to fit in, because he's different. wrong as it is, kids are mean and they will make sure he never fits in because he is inconveniencing them. his mom should do him a favour and stay home with him.