For six-year-old J.C. Bowen, his golden retriever, Pepsi, is more than just his best friend. J.C. has autism, and Pepsi helps him get through day-to-day life. He was trained to stop J.C. from running off, rocking, banging his head, and having a meltdown. Pepsi helped J.C. develop his balance and he learned to respond to J.C.'s seizures by keeping him from falling, alerting people when J.C. needs help, and keeping him calm when he comes out of it. 

Pepsi qualifies as a service dog under the Department of Justice's definition, as well as the Collier County School District's definition of an animal trained to accompany its owner "for the purpose of carrying items, retrieving objects, pulling a wheelchair, alerting the owner or handler to medical conditions, or other such activities of service or support necessary to mitigate a disability."

Yet J.C. is not allowed to bring his service dog to school.

The teachers say a dog in the classroom would be too much of a distraction and would require special accommodations. But, as J.C.'s mother points out, the school would make the accommodations for a child in a wheelchair and they "wouldn't deny a student the right to bring an asthma inhaler to school if he had a prescription." Elizabeth Lasanta says, "My son has a prescription for his service dog."

Earlier this year, the school district reached a settlement in a similar case of an autistic boy who was not allowed to bring his service dog to school. That family moved their son to a different school and the Collier County School Board settled for $125,000. Lasanta says they don't have the luxury of moving.

They shouldn't have to be forced to move because the school district won't comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (which ensures children with disabilities have equal access to education). 

Tell Collier County School District to let J.C. bring his service dog to school.

Photo credit: pmarkham