BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOLS AGREE TO PAY BLIND TEACHER $55,000
TO SETTLE DISABILITY RIGHTS LAW SUIT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - - The Department of Justice today announced that the Baltimore City Public School System has agreed to pay $55,000 as compensation to a teacher with a vision impairment after it revoked an employment offer. The school system has also agreed to adopt new policies to ensure compliance with the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Today's consent decree, filed simultaneously with a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, resolves a disability discrimination charge filed by an elementary school teacher who uses a service animal because of a severe vision impairment. She alleged that the school system offered her a teaching position after two interviews, in which she had used a cane. After she mentioned that she would soon be picking up her new service animal, the school principal then withdrew the offer because she would not allow a dog in the building.

The charging party later found employment as a teacher with another school system. While the Baltimore City school system denied any discrimination, it cooperated with the Department of Justice's investigation and agreed to settle the matter.

"The Americans with Disabilities Act is intended to open the doors of employment opportunity to people with disabilities. When an employer refuses access by a person with a service animal, it closes the door on that opportunity," said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Ralph F. Boyd, Jr.. "It is unlawful to refuse to allow a person with a disability to be accompanied by a guide dog, or any other service animal that provides assistance."

Under the agreement, the school system will ensure that all personnel who participate in employment decisions are trained in the requirements of the ADA. It will also designate an employee to serve as an ADA coordinator for employment matters and to serve as a liaison with people with disabilities. The coordinator will attend annual ADA training. The school system will also post notices about the ADA in every school or other location in which its employees work.

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's regional office in Baltimore investigated the employee's ADA charge, found reasonable cause to believe that the school system had violated the ADA, attempted to conciliate the matter, and then referred it to the Department of Justice. The agreement is subject to approval by the court.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that public and private employers make reasonable accommodations in employment, such as policy changes, to the physical limitations of qualified individuals with disabilities.

Additional information about the ADA can be found by calling the Department's toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301, (800) 514-0383 (TDD) or the Department of Justice website at www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.

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