Family Chooses Home-Schooling After Service Dog Denial
By Dave
Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
August 29, 2006
SCITUATE,
MASSACHUSETTS--A family has decided to home-school their 8-year-old daughter
rather than deal with a school district that has been resistant to her service
dog.
Hailey Manduca has osteogenesis imperfecta, which is more commonly known
as 'brittle-bone disease'. She has had several surgeries because of dozens of
broken bones.
For the past year, Hailey has had Independence, a yellow Labrador-golden
retriever mix, to help her keep her balance.
But this summer, Scituate school officials told Hailey's parents,
Richard and Cheryl, that the dog would not be welcomed back. They claimed that
the dog behaved badly when it visited the school last year, and even required a
muzzle to keep from frightening the students.
The Manduca family disagreed, saying the dog has been everywhere with
Hailey and has never caused any problems. Earlier this month, they filed a
complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to force the
school to let the dog come with Hailey to school.
State and federal laws require schools to allow service dogs to
accompany students -- except when the dog is disruptive or dangerous.
On Tuesday, the Patriot Ledger reported that the Manducas had decided
instead to start a home-school curriculum for Hailey. The family plans to keep
her involved in her church and Girl Scouts, and to link up with other families
that also home-school.
Mrs. Manduca told the newspaper that a home-schooling schedule would
probably be best because Hailey won't have to miss her studies as much when she
has to go to doctor's appointments and surgeries.
"Home-schooling I think will be the safest -- best for Hailey," she
said.
Related:
"No Independence: School rejects girl’s service dog"
(Patriot Ledger)
http://www.patriotledger.com/articles/2006/08/15/news/news02.txt
"Dog
Debate Over: Scituate family to home-school child after schools balk at service
dog" (Patriot Ledger)
http://www.patriotledger.com/articles/2006/08/29/news/news02.txt
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