Edmonton Public Schools must pay $15,000 for discriminating against an Alberta School for the Deaf teacher who is deaf, a recent Alberta Human Rights tribunal decision says. The school district breached human rights law in its dealings with teacher Gail Lidkea when her new service dog prompted them to move her to a small, isolated classroom and limit the dog’s movement around the school, human rights tribunal chairman William Johnson ruled last month. “I was very anxious because I didn’t understand what was going on,” Lidkea testified at a human rights hearing. Then-principal Sandra Mason wrote to her superior that although Lidkea’s dog was for safety and security, the school was purposefully designed for deaf and hard of hearing students and staff. Lidkea continued to teach for two years in rooms she described as cramped, inappropriate for students with behavioural issues and full of safety hazards for students, Widget and herself.

Source: National Post November 04, 2016 15:21 UTC