Letter: School Accommodations Processes Need an Overhaul
Letter: School Accommodations Processes Need an Overhaul
A local parent of children with disabilities shares their frustration with unnecessary procedural hurdles that exclude and marginalize students who are already facing significant challenges
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Miranda Miller's article on service dogs in public schools is well-researched and well-written, shedding light on the burdensome and harmful bureaucracy that students with disabilities are forced to navigate just to receive the basic accommodations they need.
It's infuriating to see a 16-year-old student denied the right to attend school with her peers because of an overly complex approval process that seems to prioritize red tape over the student's actual needs.
As a parent of children with disabilities, this hits close to home.
It’s beyond frustrating that despite clear protections under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), school boards like the Bluewater District School Board are hiding behind unnecessary procedural hurdles that ultimately exclude and marginalize students who are already facing significant challenges.
This isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a clear failure to uphold the rights and dignity of students who have disabilities.
The 19-point process and the endless forms are absurdly excessive. The AODA was meant to eliminate barriers, not create more!
The fact that this student met all the requirements, including submitting a doctor's note and verifying her service dog’s training and vaccinations, yet still cannot bring her service dog to school, clearly indicates that the system is broken.
It’s outrageous that her hopes of starting school on time have been crushed due to bureaucratic delays that serve no real purpose other than to complicate and delay what should be a straightforward accommodation.
We need to rally as a community and demand better from our school boards. Students with service animals deserve to be treated with respect and should not have to jump through hoops just to access their education.
The Bluewater District School Board, and all school boards in Ontario, must simplify their processes and remove these unnecessary barriers. This isn't about balancing rights; it's about fulfilling a basic human right to education and equal treatment.
I urge the Bluewater District School Board and other educational authorities to reform their policies immediately. The rights of students with disabilities should not be subject to endless delays and bureaucratic red tape.
We must do better for our children. This isn't just about one student—it's about creating a system that works for everyone.
Let’s stand together, support this student, and push for a change that allows all students with disabilities to have their service animals in school without unnecessary hurdles. It’s time for the school board to step up and make real, meaningful changes to ensure that no student is left behind due to an inaccessible and burdensome process.
Sincerely,
David Moss-Cornett
Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.