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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>bject:</B> [GDU-United]
Press Release from NYS DHR --<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<P><BR><BR>STATE OF NEW YORK FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR>EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT<BR>DIVISION OF HUMAN RIGHTS<BR>www.dhr.state.<WBR>ny.us<BR>MARCH 10,
2008<BR><BR>Contact: Thomas D. Shanahan<BR><BR>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<BR>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<BR>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.<BR>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.<BR>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<BR>State's Human Rights Law from the more restrictive ADA.<BR>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."<BR>A copy
of the full decision is available on the Division's website
at<BR>www.dhr.state.<WBR>ny.us.<BR># #
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