Hillsboro School Bars Autistic Boy's Dog

January 12, 2010

District Claims Boy Is Learning Well Without Dog

POSTED: 7:49 pm PST January 11, 2010

UPDATED: 8:03 pm PST January 11, 2010

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Department of Justice officials are investigating the

Hillsboro School District after school officials told a family their autistic

son can't bring his dog to school.

Scooter Givens, 9, is autistic and his family said Madison, Scooter's $12,000

service dog, helps calm him and provides independence.

The German shepherd has been trained and certified to help autistic children.

About 18 months ago, the Givens family petitioned Hillsboro schools to allow

Madison in Elementary School, where Scooter attends the third grade.

But the district said no.

Scooter can be aggressive toward others, his mother said, and Madison has the

power to soothe her son when nothing else can. He would also learn better with

the dog present.

" He can just touch him lay on him nuzzle him and, for some reason, when we do it

doesn't work. But when Madison does it works and it calms him down, " she said.

Hillsboro school officials said Scooter is doing well in school without Madison

and aren't allowing the dog in the classroom.

There is also a discrepancy whether Madison is an autistic therapy dog or a

service dog, officials said.

" This is ungrounded territory we're not used to getting requests for therapy and

service animals, " said Krisit Sandevik, with Hillsboro Schools. " And at this

point we feel it is not necessary for that student. "

The Givens family said they've hired attorneys.

" We don't even know if it's going to work. We just want to try it so, yeah,

we'll take it as far as we can, " Givens said.

Recommended Posts