Aug 13, 2008 7:04 pm US/Eastern
Diabetic Boy Not Allowed To Bring Dog To School
YONKERS (CBS) ―
A Yonkers family is charging discrimination after their son was told he cannot bring his service dog to school. The dog is trained to sense the onset of diabetic attacks, and the family says she should be treated just like a seeing-eye dog for the blind, but the school district has a different take on things.
Anthony Spataro and Jana have a bond that goes beyond that of a boy who loves his dog.
"It's really important for Jana to be with me so I don't have low blood sugar," Anthony told CBS 2 HD.
He is severely diabetic. At age 7, he's already an expert with the glucose meter. But specially trained Jana has something even more sensitive than electronics - her nose.
"She's able to detect high and low blood sugars by a smell that's released through the body. She picks it up before a meter can," said Samantha Spataro, Anthony's mother.
The Spataro family paid $6,000 for Jana so she could accompany Anthony to Yonkers P.S. 15 to safeguard him from diabetic seizures. But the school district says he cannot bring his service dog to school.
The school district gives a variety of reasons for saying no - pointing out some children might be afraid of Jana - or allergic.
In a statement, a spokeswoman said Anthony doesn't really need Jana at school. "This student attended school all last year, and did well without a dog. The district provides this student with a one-to-one aide at all times."
But Samantha Spataro said they got Jana because she can detect the onset of diabetes danger far quicker than the aide.
"She had to carry him a couple of times to the nurse because he was going to pass out from low blood sugar. So she has helped him. But just as she's a tool, so is the dog a tool," she said.
The family has filed a discrimination complaint and is ready to take the district to court, so Anthony can take Jana to school.
The American Diabetes Association says service dogs can be very helpful to diabetics, but the group does not take a position on whether the dogs should be allowed in schools.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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