Posted on 05/12/2008 2:33:46 PM PDT by radar101
Tyler Hurd, a 23-year-old junior at SCSU, hopes to be a special education teacher.
Hurd spent the past month at Technical High School in St. Cloud, working toward completing the 50 hours of secondary field placement required to earn his teaching license.
But student teaching, along with many other aspects of daily life, is not always simple for Hurd.
When Hurd was 14, he sustained a head injury while playing hockey. The injury resulted in epilepsy, a neurological disorder causing chronic seizures.
Because a seizure can take place at any moment, Hurd was matched with Emmitt, a 2 and a half-year-old black Labrador retriever, trained in seizure response.
Emmitt's $7,000 worth of training allows him the ability to know the difference between left and right, to open and close doors, turn lights on and off, and most importantly, he knows to stay with Hurd in the event of a seizure.
"He became my independence," Hurd said.
Because of the severity of Hurd's disorder, he brings Emmitt everywhere, including Tech High School, where he did his student teaching.
Tech High School has a large Somali population, most of whom are Muslim.
Hurd quickly began to notice many Somali students reacted with extreme fear and even disdain toward Emmitt.
According to Abdirahman Muhumed, program assistant at La Cruz Community Program, it can be difficult for Somali immigrants to adjust to America's love for dogs.
This is because within the Muslim faith, it is considered unclean to touch one. In fact, it is forbidden.
"You have to wash your hands seven times with water, soap and sand,"
He explained that Emmit is highly trained to stay near him at all times. Furthermore, he let them know that under no circumstance would Emmit approach them. Emmit's focus is solely on Hurd.
Though Hurd's students quickly became accustomed to Emmit's presence, the rest of the school's student population was not informed of the dog's purpose.
Hurd said he soon began to notice animosity from students outside his classroom.
He witnessed students scream, run from, taunt and antagonize Emmitt. Hurd resorted to entering and leaving his class while the halls were empty, to minimize the chaos.
Last week, the situation came to a head when one of Hurd's students notified him of a threat.
"He told me there was a group of Somali students who wanted to beat and kill my dog," Hurd said.
Yet threats like these are against the Muslim faith, and Muhumed said it is likely a case of adolescent immaturity.
"Our religion is not allowed to kill a dog," Muhumed said. "That is forbidden."
Yet due to the nature of the threat, Hurd reported the incident to the assistant principal, Lori Lockhart.
"It was two days before she got back to me," Hurd said.
But concerning the incident, Lockhart said no threats were made.
"It was kind of a misunderstanding," Lockhart said.
According to Lockhart, the Tech student only meant that some Somali's don't like dogs and may want to hurt them.
Yet Hurd feels the whole situation was mismanaged.
He said Lockhart agreed to send an email to teachers alerting them of the incident and asking them to notify her of any threats they may be aware of.
According to Hurd, however, the email was never sent.
Hurd has since quit his field placement at Tech because he feels unsafe.
"I am not there because I don't want anything to happen to Emmitt-I feel threatened," Hurd said.
St. Cloud State has waived the remaining 15 hours of student teaching Hurd has yet to complete due to the circumstances.
Whether the administration at Tech High School feels they could have done more to educate their students about the purpose of service dogs is yet to be confirmed.
"We have a strong working relationship with the public schools," said Kate Steffens, dean in the college of education.
Steffens said she plans to set up a meeting with both the principal and vice principal of Tech High School in an attempt to come up with solutions.
"We want a win-win situation," Steffens said.
Yet Hurd feels it all may be a little too late.
"Because he's seizure response, he has a right to be anywhere I go," Hurd said. "To be threatened in public is a disability rights issue."
Then go back to your rat hole of country this guy need his dog
DOJ says that dog can go anywhere.
The owner shouldn’t have caved.
THANK YOU!!!! I WAS JUST THINKING THE SAME THING!
Too bad Minnesota isn't a Castle Doctrine state (you can shoot to kill to protect yourself or others at your place of employment).
To my knowledge it is still illegal to discriminate against the handicap. This goes for helper dogs!!!
Therefore the muslims must go!
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The tail wagging the dog.
And people don’t understand why we need a 14 century religion here that has never grown past desert rats?
I wanna tell you all something strange. My dog is not trained, like this man’s dog was, but he knows when my seizures are coming on. I have never figured out how he does it! All I know is that when he is in the truck with me, there are certain things he does that tell me that I am to pull over.....NOW! Trust me...I pull over. It has never failed, with in a few minutes the seizures hit! This dog is not even a Lab, he is a Siberian Husky.
“This is because within the Muslim faith, it is considered unclean to touch one. In fact, it is forbidden.”
Funny, I have a few muslim friends who adore my 90-lb golden retriever and let him climb in their laps and slobber all over their faces. Methinks some cultures are just super-squeamish about dogs and are trying to use religion to justify their heebie-jeebies.
The threats might even be a hate crime...
It actually is not strange - he can probably detect a small change in your body chemistry or respiration rate and has grown to associate it with your seizures. But you are very lucky to have him - he’s your guardian angel!
“We want a win-win situation,” ................ Simple enough! “When in F’n Rome, you do what the F’n Romans do” Don’t like it? Then go back to your country so you can wash your hands in water and sand 7 times a day. Ignorant A’holes, thank you Teddy for bringing them here, wish he’d find a nice place for them in Hyanisport or Palm Beach. Welcome to the third world America, what a country you were.
Having been the owner of a black lab, this story infuriates me! There is not a more gentle breed.
These dumba$$es need to go back to their $hithole country. We love dogs here!
So can this man get a lawyer and file a suit against these muzzies?
I would be damned if they would hurt my dog! My next dog would be a Pit Bull named “Killer” formerly owned by Mike Vicks!
That’s what I was thinking, the student teacher should sue the public school under the people with disabilities act and at least force the public school to reimburse him for all the costs that he incurred trying to get his student teaching credentials, his tuition, his living costs and transportation costs, and a little extra for the wasted semester. After all, he could be graduated and working a paid job if he had finished his student teaching.
I would rather touch my black lab, Ranger, than one of these diaperheads.
Ruby the Black Lab sez, "Hey, you wanta make somethin' outa it? Bring it on!"
Honestly, I don’t know. If he had stood his ground which legally he could do, they may have hurt the dog.
The amount of time and money that goes into a service dog is huge. Personally, I wouldn’t have taken the chance either.
Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. He is letting it be known that this is the reason why he left the school. The law was with him but it really wouldn’t help him at all to have the law on his side and his “right arm” cut off.
We started training an Autism Dog. She turned out to be too hyper, but really got no grief about her being anywhere. She was vested (you don’t have to) and we carried DOJ paperwork for her. Mostly, we were never hassled, but we were just training. Had I needed her, I’m not sure I would have put her in this kind of risky situation either.
(She was having such a good time I didn't have the heart to scold her. Not that it would have done any good. Labs just invite you to join in the fun!)
Looks like they've already taken over.
The little Somali’s just needed a talking to—
Hi, kids. Gee, I know you’re not from here and you may need a little help in adjusting to our customs. Here in America, dogs are not considered a bad thing and it is quite common to own them as cherished pets. Oh, we touch them, pet them and even hug them if we want to. I see by the looks on your faces that some of you find this upsetting— so here is some advice. Please take it the right way. WE ARE A CHRISTIAN LAND. WE DON’T SHARE THE STUPID, SUPERSTITION OF YOUR CHILD MOLESTING PROPHET and your other 14th century horseshit. So you better start acting like civilized people or get your asses back to that rat hole muslim country you came from instead of trying to ruin the one you came to. Any questions?
And you should have seen the seals tease the crap out of her at the Aquarium in Niagara Falls! They would skim the glass and look at her. One stared at her and when she came up, the seal flipped and swam away.
They really seemed to like her but I took her out anyway because she began to bark.
Muslims think dogs are “unclean”. My cats think the same thing.
I don’t know, but from the article it sounds like they have ran him from the school. On those grounds I would sue! How could they harm the dog if the dog is always with him? Think about it. He would have to leave it alone and I doubt he does that. If he dog is killed, he sues again (yes I know it is sad) but now he really has a suit and the muzzies are tried as terrorist.
Funny, I have a few muslim friends who adore my 90-lb golden retriever and let him climb in their laps and slobber all over their faces.
_____
LOL. Who doesn’t love a big goofy golden?
But it is ok to kill humans, especially your daughters if they impugn the honor of the family./SAR What a bunch of savages and oh, so tolerant of other cultures especially when they are in another country! I can't say enough bad things about muslims, I don't think their are enough bad words in the English language to cover how I feel about them.
As for the Liberal stupidity that invites and encourages said 'religion'; can only say, we must all do what we can to 'stop the madness' of 'political correctness' another viral manifestation that is weakening America's mind.
How about they go back to the dark bowels of racist/backwards Africa and try and get it right.
Oh, and take Obama with them.
>>How could they harm the dog if the dog is always with him? <<
That’s a good point, because these dogs are so well trained, but I think I would be scared with threats to my service dog.
It’s making the DOJ choose between Politically Correct and Correct.
What, no diversity training?
Obviously the school authorities are far more afraid of the Muslims than they care about a teacher’s medical requirements.
This would be my next dog if any Muzzie dare F*** with my dog! Oh the fun he would have tearing up muzzies, it would be so cute, how could I ever scold him?
There is something fundamentally wrong with a person's soul who has the capability of hurting an innocent animal like this.
MM
All the muslims have to do is go back to their own country and we will keep the dogs.
No, you do. Try washing your heads that way. God, these people make me sick.
Where have you been and what an adorable pup.
On the whole, I prefer the company of dogs
Isn’t it telling how liberals’ pet causes continually morph and shift place in the priority queue? Liberals led the charge to “protect” the disabled and, like everything they do, this protection has grown to absurd levels. (See the story about the guy in the wheelchair who sued because he couldn’t ride a ski lift or some such.)
Now, however, when a genuinely disabled American is confronted by Muslim immigrants, there is NO doubt as to which side liberals will choose. This is of course despite all their professed hostility for any religious overtones in schools; we all know that this hostility is actually focused exclusively on the Judeo-Christian God.
It must be really confusing for liberals to keep up with what their current marching orders are.
MM
ANY dog who loves you will come to your defense.
My little 45 pound Chocolate Lab is a fully trained obedience, agility, and retrieving dog with a wall full of ribbons and titles. Sweet as pie, loves people, but takes no guff off anybody (including the black pup). Anyone who looks like they might intend me harm finds a little demon in their path.
We were out walking and met a loose pit bull who started stalking us. She turned, got between the dog and me, lowered her head, lifted all her hackles, and just rumbled at the dog, way down in her chest. He decided that he just didn't want to face a crazy Lab, and turned around and left.
On the other hand, we met a fellow with a half full bottle of whisky and a pit bull puppy named Trouble . . . . but he was at the happy drunk stage, and Trouble approached my girls very humbly, tail down and puppy bowing. They are now the best of friends and there is much kissing and tail wagging when we meet.
I agree wholeheartedly. This diversity crap has got to stop.
This is our country. Either they accept our culture of freedom, or they can go back to their third-world armpits.
I prefer the latter.
Dhimmi watch: Muslim chases service animal out of (American!) school
Another (earlier) thread/opportunity to let the CAIR moles know what most of us think about their goat-humpin' Mo
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