Politics & Government

Commission: Kids With Disabilities Don't Have Equal Access at ECEC

The Commission on Disability reports it fielded a complaint that kids as young as 3 need to be carried down stairs or walked outside to attend vital services, which is against federal laws on equal access.

Children as young as 3 years old with physical disabilities often are carried up and down stairs or have to walk outside in order to access vital services in the basement of the , according to the Commission on Disability.

Commission chair Michelle Labadini received a parent complaint that students in the public school do not have equal access as guaranteed under federal law.

The notice sent to Labadini and discussed at Wednesday's commission meeting at the , reports that services such as occupational and physical therapy, as well as art class, take place in the basement of the ECEC – which is not handicap accessible.

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"I talked to a few parents and confirmed that this is accurate," Labadini said.

 There is no elevator in the school building.

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"They have unbelievable equipment – it's state of the art," Labadini said. "But it is in the basement."

Children with walking devices that can't descend or climb stairs are either carried by staff or walked around outside of the building to get to the lower level.

"It's not equal access and it really needs to be investigated," Labadini said.

The commission agreed to schedule a walkthrough of the school.

According to Ken Cimeno, the town building inspector, when the ECEC went under a mid-1990s review for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, the school district said services would not be in the basement, and in an area with equal access.

"I suspect they changed their strategy," Cimeno said during the meeting. "We need to see their original plan for access for ADA, see how that's gone awry and figure out a plan from there."

The school will have to either provide equal access to the basement or move the services in order to stay within ADA guidelines, Cimeno said.

"I'm surprised the school department has not been more proactive in addressing this issue," he said.

A call to superintendent of schools June Doe was not immediately returned Thursday.

If someone needs to be carried down or up a set of stairs, under the law, a paramedic or ambulance company must be the one to do it with a gurney, said commission member Anita Amy Ashdon, who is well-versed in ADA law.

"You don't just bring in janitor Bill to carry somebody down the stairs," Ashdon said. "It's not supposed to be whatever strong-arm person is walking through the hallway.

"No one is supposed to be physically carried."


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