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First Grade Student Can Keep Service Dog
A first grader will keep his service dog, thanks to a ruling by a Douglas County judge. The case pitted the Villa Grove Elementary School against Kaleb Drew, who has Autism, and his yellow Labrador Chewey.

Drew has continued to keep the dog with him at school because of a court injunction, but this ruling is final, although the school district can appeal.

Equip for Equality attorney Margie Wakelin represented Drew's family and Chewey. Wakelin says Kaleb seems to know that something exciting just happened, but cannot communicate that. She says this is a victory for all people with disabilities, and hopes the state of Illinois and the country begin to broaden their understanding of service dogs and the functions they provide.

A similar Illinois case involves 5-year-old Carter Kalbfleisch of Columbia, and is being handled in the Mount Vernon-based 5th District Appellate Court.

In a preliminary ruling in August, a Monroe County judge allowed Carter to bring his dog to pre-kindergarten class. The district appealed, and the appellate court is mulling the district's claims that the Kalbfleisches erred by not taking up the matter with the state board of education before suing.

(Illinois Radio Network)
11 11 09 by Newsroom
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