[Cagdu] FW: Press Release from NYS DHR --

Tue Mar 11 12:11:58 PDT 2008

bject: [GDU-United] Press Release from NYS DHR --

STATE OF NEW YORK FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
DIVISION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
www.dhr.state.ny.us
MARCH 10, 2008

Contact: Thomas D. Shanahan

New York State Division of Human Rights Rules Against East Meadow School
District, Finding that Students with Disabilities Have an Absolute Right to
Attend School With Their Guide, Hearing, and Service Dogs
In the first decision on the subject, the Commissioner of the New York State
Division of Human Rights, Kumiki Gibson, issued a Final Order today,
concluding that the State's Human Rights Law grants students with
disabilities an absolute right to have their guide, hearing, and service
dogs in school with them. Specifically, the Commissioner found that the East
Meadow Union Free School District ("East Meadow") has violated and is
violating two separate provisions of the Human Rights Law -- one that
prohibits educational institutions from denying access to their facilities
to people with disabilities, and another that prohibits all entities covered
by the Law from discriminating against people with disabilities because of
their use of guide, hearing, and/or service dogs.
The Final Order was issued in a case commenced against the East Meadow,
which educates approximately 8,000 students in Long Island. East Meadow has
refused to recognize this civil right, adopting instead a policy that uses a
case-by-case analysis, based principally on the federal Americans with
Disabilities Act ("ADA"). East Meadow's policy led to at least one student
being denied access to his school with his service dog. That student had
sued East Meadow in a separate action. The case before the Division, in
which the Final Order was issued, was brought on behalf of all students with
disabilities in the East Meadow School District and vindicates the rights of
those students.
The Commissioner ordered East Meadow to immediately abolish its
discriminatory policy and practice and to permit all students access to
school grounds, facilities, classrooms, programs, and activities with their
guide, hearing, and service dogs. In doing so, she distinguished between the
broad and expansive protections for people with disabilities under the
State's Human Rights Law from the more restrictive ADA.
Upon issuing the Final Order, the Commissioner said: "If there were any
questions about the scope of our Law with respect to people with
disabilities, I hope that this Order will put them to rest: New Yorkers have
rights and protections under both the Federal ADA and the State's Human
Rights Law; the State's law is much broader than the ADA; and the Division
is committed fully to enforcing our great State law. And, I trust that our
educational institutions will be leading the charge in protecting the rights
of students with disabilities under our great law -- not blocking access to
classrooms, programs, and activities."
A copy of the full decision is available on the Division's website at
www.dhr.state.ny.us.
# # #

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