Today I went into one of my classes.. which is the second time in this particular one. I sit at the front so when I walk in the professor asks me "Where's your dog?" In a friendly interested voice. I then explain to him that I'm volunteering and such and Alfie isn't mine and I will probably be sitting several different dogs before I get my own. I also tell him that I would have come and talked to him that first day but there were too many people up there and I needed to take him to the restroom. Well then he tells me "Sorry but you can't have him in here." So I tell him "Oh well since he's in training all the laws are the same them as they are for normal guide/service dogs." So then he says "Well it's a fire hazard and he can't be in here." I thought he was joking so I said "No it's not.." So he says again that yes it is a fire hazard to have animals in the classrooms. So I go ahead and explain "Well service dogs in training have all the same rights as fully trained service dogs" So then he says something like "Oh he's a service dog, ok then but if I have anyone complain then I'm going to make you leave." So I tell him "Oh well I wouldn't worry about that, they're just supposed to lay there and be good." He says "Ok, but if anyone complains, like if they are allergic or something then you can't bring it back in." So then I proceed to quote my little law statement again adding on "It's no different than an actual service dog, if you had a person come in with a real service dog you wouldn't be able to kick them out just because another person is allergic to it." (side-note - it's not at all a small room, there is space to get away from your allergy issue in there if one is present) Anyways, he comes back with "Ok but if it causes any distractions I will ask you to leave." So I tell him that's fine because the only reason he can legally ask anyone to take their service dog out is if it's acting up, but tell him it shouldn't be a problem because they are trained. I then tell him I can bring him a copy of the laws and any paperwork that would be helpful if he likes. So then he says "I don't care what the law says, If it's a distraction you will have to leave." So I don't say OK or anything, I'm not giving into this, I just tell him "Well it shouldn't be a problem" and sit down.
I mean, maybe I'm taking it too personally but was he just determined to come up with a reason to not have a dog in his classroom? I get that they can ask me to leave if the dog is acting up but to just keep thinking of excuses.. the whole thing just really upset me... but there's not really anything to do right now because nothing technically happened you know..
Plus, his reasons were kind of bogus you know... A fire hazard... what? Maybe I just don't know all the rules but how is that a fire hazard (if anyone knows please educate me because I was completely taken by surprise with that one..) Then about the allergy thing... seriously... would you kick out a blind person and their dog because someone that sits 8 rows up is allergic to it? And then the distraction thing that was fine, if it's being a distraction but I had a 14 week old puppy in there on Monday and get this, the people that sat in the row right behind me didn't even realize he was there until I stood up and walked out. And if it's an issue over people looking and them not being able to concentrate or something.. hello, this is college, not kindergarten, I think it will be ok.
So anyways, I will have to discuss it with two other professors (who didn't see Alfie, because I only took him on the first part of Monday. He stayed home after lunch.. Hopefully they will be more understanding. Wish me luck..
Point of the whole post though is to ask opinions on what ya'll would do. Have you ever had a professor or even an employer try and tell you stuff like this? It wouldn't be such a big deal if it wasn't a guy that controls my grades and I have to see him every Monday, Wednesday, Friday.. I wasn't mean or snippy to this guy like I was becoming with the other guy on Monday.. He's my professor, I in no way want to be on his bad side... so what to do then? Technically I can't do anything unless there is an attempt to throw me out right? Why add fuel to the fire before it's even started? Anyways, let me know and wish me luck with the others ;)
I do want to add that this guy is not a bad guy.. He's a really good professor at the school and is very helpful with the students. He's just strict and I think he just doesn't know enough about the situation. Maybe just a little hard headed too.. Just know.. I don't want ya'll all thinking I have this awful tyrant over here.. he's really not as bad as the post makes it sound lol. I think it was just a bad moment, bad conversation, bad opinions and we're all biased anyways haha.
