Psychiatric Service Dogs for High School Students

Joanne's been corresponding with a Connecticut high school student who has been training a psychiatric service dog for her own use. The dog is working well in public and is trained to do specific things to help with the young woman's disability. She sounds like she might be better trained than me.  Now she's approaching the hurdle of getting the school to accept her dog's presence in the classroom.

 This should be a no-brainer under the Americans with Disabilities Act:

• There's no problem getting a doctor's certification of her disability  (only people with disabilities are entitled to service dogs under the ADA)
• The dog can be kept under her control, is housebroken, does not engage in menacing behavior, and is trained specifically to assist with her disability.  (i.e., it meets all the requirements for a service dog  under the ADA)
• The right to a service dog under ADA is not limited to adults.
• She's old enough and otherwise quite capable of taking care of and control of her dog at school  (the ADA does not require others to feed, water, or care for or control a service dog).
• Public schools are public accommodations and are not exempt from the ADA. A parent with a service dog would have to be allowed in the classroom, on a field trip, or at  a dance as a chaperon.  Teachers have no fewer rights to service dogs than do employees in the business world. 
• State or local  laws, rules, and regulations cannot reduce the rights given to the disabled by the ADA.

Let's all cross our fingers, pray, think positive thoughts, or whatever else we do in situations like this. I feel sure this dog will go to high school. I just hope they don't make the poor kid run an agility course full of bureaucratic hoops before they accommodate her dog.