School District Can Ban Service Dogs, Court Says

(CN) - A New York school district did not violate the law by barring disabled students from bringing guide, hearing and service dogs to school, a state appellate division ruled.

The East Meadow Union Free School District appealed a determination by the State Division of Human Rights (SDHR) that the district's no-dog policy violated state discrimination laws, specifically Executive Law 296.

On appeal, the Brooklyn-based 2nd Department Appellate Division ruled that the school district is a public corporation, not an educational corporation as defined in Executive Law 296.

"We agree with the school district that the statutory provision upon which the SDHR's finding is based does not apply to it," the justices wrote.

The court found for the school district and annulled the state agency's determination.

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