The Autism News

The Autism News | English

By Associated Press

The family of a central Illinois first-grader who wants to keep his autism helper dog in school gets their day in court this week.

Their lawsuit goes before a Douglas County judge Tuesday in what is likely to be a one-day trial.

The case involves Kaleb Drew of Villa Grove. He has autism and his family says his Labrador retriever helps keep him safe and calm in class. Objections from Villa Grove Elementary School have been overruled pending the judge’s final decision.

The case and a separate lawsuit involving an autistic boy in southwestern Illinois are the first challenges to an Illinois law allowing service animals in schools.

That case involves 5-year-old Carter Kalbfleisch and is being handled in the Mount Vernon-based 5th District Appellate Court.

Source: The Associated Press

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The Autism News English autism helper dog, Carter Kalbfleisch, Douglas County judge, Kaleb Drew, school, service dog, Villa Grove, Villa Grove Elementary School

The Autism News | English

By The News-Gazette

VILLA GROVE – A Douglas County judge extended a temporary restraining order Tuesday requiring the Villa Grove school district to allow a 6-year-old boy to bring his service dog with him to attend fall classes.

Nichelle and Bradley Drew of Villa Grove filed suit in circuit court to require the school to allow the dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Chewey, to accompany their son, Kaleb, to school.

The court had issued a temporary restraining order earlier this month to allow Kaleb to attend summer classes with Chewey.

Tuesday’s ruling will remain in effect until a full evidentiary hearing is held Nov. 10, which should result in a permanent ruling, said the Drews’ attorney, Margie Wakelin, who works for Equip for Equality, a federally funded advocacy organization that serves disabled people in Illinois.

Kaleb has autism and needs a service dog to protect him from harm, go to school with him, sleep beside him every night, calm him and serve as a bridge between him and other people. Autism is a developmental disability that often appears in early childhood and impairs the ability to communicate and interact with others.

Chewey received two years of training at Autism Service Dogs of America, and the Drew family and friends held fundraisers – including a poker run, dinner, auction and concert – to get the $13,500 needed to pay for the dog. The service animal arrived at the Drew home in March.

The school district has resisted attempts to allow Kaleb to bring the dog to class, and school officials continue to argue against him doing so, Wakelin said.

School board President Steve Douglas declined to comment on the ruling Tuesday night.

Source: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2009/07/29/judge_rules_student_can_use_service_dog

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