Another example of schools trying to dumb down students
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JetBlack69
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JetBlack69
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Amused
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Rockcastle girl, 7, needs Mikki's help during seizures
By Karla Ward
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
On 7-year-old Cheyenne Gilliam's first day at Mount Vernon Elementary yesterday, her new principal, Leon Davidson, explained to her classmates that the dog she brought to school isn't a pet: It's a working dog trained to respond to Cheyenne's epileptic seizures.
But the pair's first day in second grade ended abruptly when Rockcastle County Schools Superintendent Larry Hammond notified Cheyenne's parents, Jennifer and Anthony Gilliam, that the dog was, in a manner of speaking, being suspended.
Two hours after the day began, the family took the dog, and their daughter, home.
Hammond said in an interview that he wants to find out whether the school is legally obligated to allow Cheyenne to bring Mikki, a 55-pound Wei-mar-aner, into the classroom. The school board's attorney is reviewing the case.
"I've never dealt with a situation quite like this," he said. "I regret the inconvenience to the parent and the child."
Jennifer Gilliam said she's frustrated that the issue is coming up now.
When the family first bought their house in Rockcastle County two months ago, she said she began working with the school system to ensure that it was prepared for the dog, which came home with the family Sunday after five months of training.
Cheyenne was diagnosed with epilepsy about two years ago but did not have a service dog at her previous school in Edmonson County.
Gilliam said she had responded to the district's questions, sent in the paperwork officials required and worked with them to draw up plans for how the dog would be handled at school.
Although he has not had any complaints from parents, Hammond said the dog could be a liability to the district and might disrupt the classroom. He also noted that some children might fear dogs or be allergic to them.
"It's my responsibility to see to the safety and the well-being of all," Hammond said. "I would rather look at getting an instructional assistant and training them."
But a human aide couldn't do all the things Mikki can, Jennifer Gilliam said.
She said the dog senses oncoming seizures and alerts Cheyenne by obsessively licking the palms of her hands. That cues Cheyenne to sit down on a mat on the floor, so she will not hit her head on furniture.
During a seizure, Mikki lies across the girl, providing a sense of security. When Mikki gets up, Cheyenne knows it's safe for her to get up, too, Gilliam said.
Cheyenne takes medicine that helps prevent seizures, but she still has three to five "full-blown" episodes a week, Gilliam said.
The family raised $8,000 to pay for the dog and its training as well as training for Cheyenne in Oxford, Pa., where Gilliam said the girl had to prove "that she can handle the dog in any situation."
A lawyer with expertise in service animals and the protections guaranteed their owners under the Americans with Disabilities Act said he does not believe Hammond has the right to stop the dog from coming to school, as long as Cheyenne truly has a disability and Mikki truly is a service dog.
"Unless this dog is menacing the other children, that superintendent doesn't have a leg to stand on," said Aaron McCullough, who works for the Texas-based Disability Law Resource Project.
Gilliam said she believes her refusal to have an "Individual Education Program" drawn up for her daughter is part of the problem.
She said the plan would involve not only testing Chey-enne's intellectual capability, but also her mental and emotional health, something that is not required for most children.
Gilliam said her daughter is a good student and she does not want her treated differently.
McCullough said the refusal of the plan shouldn't matter, since the plans "are for students who have learning impairments or disabilities that affect their ability to learn."
"There's no other formality they (the Gilliams) have to go through," he said.
However, Kentucky Department of Education spokeswoman Lisa Gross said the plans "are also for kids who have physical disabilities," and unless parents agree to setting one up, schools are not required to provide special accommodations.
The family is filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education and will continue going to school each morning to see whether Mikki can go in. If she can't, both the dog and Cheyenne will go back home. Gilliam said she hopes the situation is resolved quickly, as Hammond has pledged.
"I really don't want her to fall behind," she said.
By Karla Ward
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
On 7-year-old Cheyenne Gilliam's first day at Mount Vernon Elementary yesterday, her new principal, Leon Davidson, explained to her classmates that the dog she brought to school isn't a pet: It's a working dog trained to respond to Cheyenne's epileptic seizures.
But the pair's first day in second grade ended abruptly when Rockcastle County Schools Superintendent Larry Hammond notified Cheyenne's parents, Jennifer and Anthony Gilliam, that the dog was, in a manner of speaking, being suspended.
Two hours after the day began, the family took the dog, and their daughter, home.
Hammond said in an interview that he wants to find out whether the school is legally obligated to allow Cheyenne to bring Mikki, a 55-pound Wei-mar-aner, into the classroom. The school board's attorney is reviewing the case.
"I've never dealt with a situation quite like this," he said. "I regret the inconvenience to the parent and the child."
Jennifer Gilliam said she's frustrated that the issue is coming up now.
When the family first bought their house in Rockcastle County two months ago, she said she began working with the school system to ensure that it was prepared for the dog, which came home with the family Sunday after five months of training.
Cheyenne was diagnosed with epilepsy about two years ago but did not have a service dog at her previous school in Edmonson County.
Gilliam said she had responded to the district's questions, sent in the paperwork officials required and worked with them to draw up plans for how the dog would be handled at school.
Although he has not had any complaints from parents, Hammond said the dog could be a liability to the district and might disrupt the classroom. He also noted that some children might fear dogs or be allergic to them.
"It's my responsibility to see to the safety and the well-being of all," Hammond said. "I would rather look at getting an instructional assistant and training them."
But a human aide couldn't do all the things Mikki can, Jennifer Gilliam said.
She said the dog senses oncoming seizures and alerts Cheyenne by obsessively licking the palms of her hands. That cues Cheyenne to sit down on a mat on the floor, so she will not hit her head on furniture.
During a seizure, Mikki lies across the girl, providing a sense of security. When Mikki gets up, Cheyenne knows it's safe for her to get up, too, Gilliam said.
Cheyenne takes medicine that helps prevent seizures, but she still has three to five "full-blown" episodes a week, Gilliam said.
The family raised $8,000 to pay for the dog and its training as well as training for Cheyenne in Oxford, Pa., where Gilliam said the girl had to prove "that she can handle the dog in any situation."
A lawyer with expertise in service animals and the protections guaranteed their owners under the Americans with Disabilities Act said he does not believe Hammond has the right to stop the dog from coming to school, as long as Cheyenne truly has a disability and Mikki truly is a service dog.
"Unless this dog is menacing the other children, that superintendent doesn't have a leg to stand on," said Aaron McCullough, who works for the Texas-based Disability Law Resource Project.
Gilliam said she believes her refusal to have an "Individual Education Program" drawn up for her daughter is part of the problem.
She said the plan would involve not only testing Chey-enne's intellectual capability, but also her mental and emotional health, something that is not required for most children.
Gilliam said her daughter is a good student and she does not want her treated differently.
McCullough said the refusal of the plan shouldn't matter, since the plans "are for students who have learning impairments or disabilities that affect their ability to learn."
"There's no other formality they (the Gilliams) have to go through," he said.
However, Kentucky Department of Education spokeswoman Lisa Gross said the plans "are also for kids who have physical disabilities," and unless parents agree to setting one up, schools are not required to provide special accommodations.
The family is filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education and will continue going to school each morning to see whether Mikki can go in. If she can't, both the dog and Cheyenne will go back home. Gilliam said she hopes the situation is resolved quickly, as Hammond has pledged.
"I really don't want her to fall behind," she said.
Ok, not to be mean to the kid...
1) but the dog is disruptive to the other students. They are 7years old and cannot behave like grownups. The see a dog, wannt pet it, play with it, etc. How can you punish a 7yr old for attempting to play with a dog? That is there nature. If this were high school, or even jr high, maybe... but for 7yr olds...?
2) the school would be held legally responsibly if anything were to happen to the girl, the dog or another kid.
1) but the dog is disruptive to the other students. They are 7years old and cannot behave like grownups. The see a dog, wannt pet it, play with it, etc. How can you punish a 7yr old for attempting to play with a dog? That is there nature. If this were high school, or even jr high, maybe... but for 7yr olds...?
2) the school would be held legally responsibly if anything were to happen to the girl, the dog or another kid.
yukichigai
Diamond Member
- Apr 23, 2003
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Edit the link manually. Take out the "https://".
I find it amusing how the superintendant's(sp?) reasoning would also prevent a blind child with a seeing eye dog from going to school. That is protected on the Federal level. If he tries to use that reasoning in court the judge had damn well better laugh in his face and tell him to deal with it.
I find it amusing how the superintendant's(sp?) reasoning would also prevent a blind child with a seeing eye dog from going to school. That is protected on the Federal level. If he tries to use that reasoning in court the judge had damn well better laugh in his face and tell him to deal with it.
Originally posted by: KarenMarie
Ok, not to be mean to the kid...
1) but the dog is disruptive to the other students. They are 7years old and cannot behave like grownups. The see a dog, wannt pet it, play with it, etc. How can you punish a 7yr old for attempting to play with a dog? That is there nature. If this were high school, or even jr high, maybe... but for 7yr olds...?
2) the school would be held legally responsibly if anything were to happen to the girl, the dog or another kid.
7 years old, what do you learn during school? not much. there is so much freetime in that age that during freetime you can pet the dog.
highschool would be worse w/ jackasses doing stuff to the dog.
The school would be held responsible if they did not allow the dog and the girl died in an eppiliptic seisure because the dog was not there to alert her.
MIKE
I think the dog should be allowed in school. This is NOT like that case a couple weeks back where the mother wanted the camp to remind her daughter to take her diabetes medicine. The family wants NOTHING from the school except to have the dog allowed to be with the girl. I doubt the school would be liable should anything happen.
im pretty sure this is against the ADA.
Kids might be distracted by the dog, but they will get used to it after awhile.
Kids might be distracted by the dog, but they will get used to it after awhile.
The kids will get used to the dog, it will be fine if they (administrator) will let it be.
I am fairly certain the kid will be legally allowed to bring her dog to school, but in the meantime she is missing classes.
I am fairly certain the kid will be legally allowed to bring her dog to school, but in the meantime she is missing classes.
Originally posted by: KarenMarie
Ok, not to be mean to the kid...
1) but the dog is disruptive to the other students. They are 7years old and cannot behave like grownups. The see a dog, wannt pet it, play with it, etc. How can you punish a 7yr old for attempting to play with a dog? That is there nature. If this were high school, or even jr high, maybe... but for 7yr olds...?
2) the school would be held legally responsibly if anything were to happen to the girl, the dog or another kid.
What if because the dog isn't there to warn the girl of the episode that she has one and hits her head on the corner of a desk or table?
Anyway, this is just another reason dogs rule.
if she has seziures so bad she probably shouldnt be in public school in the first place. when health is of concern and she cant walk around by herself on a daily basis she should probably look into other means of education.
and its weird that the dog can sense the oncoming seizures, whats the science behind this?
and its weird that the dog can sense the oncoming seizures, whats the science behind this?
It's the same science that pigs and cows can predict earthquakes and tornados..senses are more hightened (sp?).
Anyways, are you saying that because someone is born with epilepsy or has seizures or whatever that they shouldn't be allowed to attend a public school and fit in with all of the other kids? Personally, I think that is very cruel.
Anyways, are you saying that because someone is born with epilepsy or has seizures or whatever that they shouldn't be allowed to attend a public school and fit in with all of the other kids? Personally, I think that is very cruel.
no im not saying that at all. if that was my kid id be afraid to let her walk off to school if iv seen her seziure and hit her head on something. i feel sorry for the kid and just want her to get an education the best way possible.
datalink7
Lifer
- Jan 23, 2001
- 16,765
- 6
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At least in Texas, you can't sue schools and get money in many cases. Its against the law :disgust:. I don't know about this case.
And we should throw out kids with asthma next, right? There are many kinds of physical conditions
that could keep kids out of school according to that logic. And the school didn't seem to have a problem
for all the months that the parents we setting up to have her bring the dog to class.
The dog is trained to be more sensitive to nonverbal cues that indicate the onset of a seizure.
The idea is that a seizure builds up for a little bit of time before it strikes, and the dog can recognize
changes in the person behavior that might be signs of that buildup. So the dog can provide a
warning in case a seizure is about to hit. The dog is "better than a human" for this because
it has less to think about (less distractions) to do the task.
Chebago
Senior member
And then afterwards, lets get rid of those kids who are picked last in Gym class. j/k
Seriously though, they should let the dog into the classroom, the kids will get used to it and besides, it is a highly trained dog, it's not going to do anything bad, aren't they trained to just sit there? Besides, this dog is the bomb.
The dog allows her to be somewhat normal in that way. She can be on her own at school and her parents can maybe worry a little less about her well-being because the dog can help her during her episodes.
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