California school district bars service dog of boy with autism

From The Orange County Register:

Paul and Milka Ciriacks waited nearly two years before they got a service dog to make life easier for their 6-year-old autistic son, Caleb. (The family is pictured.)

Now they're furious, saying Cypress School District officials have tried to bar the golden retriever from attending classes at Caleb's school. The Ciriacks have spoken with a lawyer, and say they just want the school district to go along with what has become a welcome change in Caleb's life.

District officials have told the Ciriacks that there are procedures that need to be followed, and that they need to examine the qualifications of the assistance dog and his handlers.

The Ciriacks got the dog May 21, after Milka Ciriacks spent a week in Oregon with a dog-training organization learning how to be a handler. When she tried to take the dog to Caleb's class at Vessels Elementary, school administrators denied the dog entry. The Ciriacks say they informed the district about the dog months ago.

"It's really unfair for my son. He does have a major disability," Milka Ciriacks said. Both Paul and Milka Ciriacks work as pediatric nurses.

In early June, a trainer from Autism Service Dogs of America is due to come to Cypress to train the dog, Eddy, on Caleb's school routines. A letter from the Cypress School District informed the Ciriacks that school officials want, among other things, more information about the dog and its trainer before that can take place.

A doctor diagnosed Caleb with autism when he was 2. The boy doesn't speak, grinds his teeth constantly, and hates to be pried from any routine. He must be watched constantly.

Sometimes, they fear, he can endanger himself.

When the Ciriacks were still debating whether to get a service dog, Caleb bolted from their home. Family members call it "eloping" and say Caleb will often try it unless they're on him all the time.

"He ran about a quarter-mile away. The police found him," Milka Ciriacks said. "I was freaked out."

The family paid nearly $14,000 for the dog, money family members, friends, and even complete strangers donated through a website the Ciriacks set up.

Safety is one of the main reasons they got Eddy. The dog calms Caleb down, his parents say. Eventually, Caleb will have a belt tethered to Eddy's green service vest to keep the boy from running off.

"The dog has been trained that no matter how much Caleb pulls, the dog doesn't move," Milka Ciriacks said.

Troy Hunt, the school district's administrative director of educational services, said privacy laws prevent him from speaking specifically about Caleb's case.

Generally speaking, Hunt said, there are procedures before a service dog can attend a school with a child. Hunt said he is unaware of any service dogs being used in his district's schools.

"You typically go through an investigational process," he said. During that investigation, district officials would examine the dog's training, his trainer's credentials, and how the dog would affect the student's educational process.

In addition, they would examine the school environment, and whether any teachers or students had dog allergies or phobias.

"We're looking at the safety of students and staff members," Hunt said.

School officials did let the dog on campus on Thursday, Milka Ciriacks said.

"Caleb and Eddy need to go everywhere together. They need to be a unit. To church, to the mall, wherever we go they need to be together," Milka Ciriacks said. "If there's a break in that unit, there's not going to be a constant to Caleb, and it's not going to mean anything to him."