Here’s some good news — from the Supreme Court of all places: 13-year-old Ehlena Fry of Michigan just won the right to bring her service dog named Wonder (awww) to class. Here’s the lowdown from CBS News:
The justices ruled unanimously that federal disability laws might allow Ehlena Fry to pursue her case in court without first having to wade through a lengthy administrative process.
The ruling is a win for advocacy groups that want to make it easier for disabled students to protect their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. School officials had argued that administrative remedies are an easier and less costly way to resolve educational disputes.
The ACLU of MIchigan represented the young girl and was clearly thrilled with the results. In their official statement they say they hope it’ll help many more students with disabilities to come:
“This victory will, once and for all, remove unfair legal hurdles for victims of discrimination across the country that prevent students from seeking justice guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Michael J. Steinberg. “And, of course, we are delighted for Ehlena and the entire Fry family, who fought for as long as they did because they wanted to make sure that other children with disabilities wouldn’t have to endure the discrimination that Ehlena faced.”
You can learn more about the young girl and the case by watching this video made by the ACLU of Michigan below: