from KFOR 4 Oklahoma City:
OKLAHOMA CITY - An agreement has been reached between the Justice Department and a child development center in Oklahoma City after the center discriminated against a child with Down Syndrome.
The Justice Department says Camelot Child Development Center of Oklahoma City and Edmond violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Authorities claim the center prohibited a child with Down Syndrome to go on field trips and threatened to expel her because of her developmental delays.
Also, the girl is not fully toilet-trained and requires help with her diaper.
Officials say that while Camelot helps younger children, workers refused to provide that kind of assistance to the girl during field trips.
Authorities say that is a direct violation of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in child care centers.
“Children are our most valuable resource and must be afforded equal opportunities to grow, learn, and develop,” said U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats. “The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that a child with a disability has the same access to those opportunities as a child who is not disabled.”
The Justice Department says Camelot worked closely with them through the investigation to change its policies.
Under the new agreement, Camelot will pay $3,000 to the family and provide one full year of child care services free of charge.
Camelot will also train its staff on the new anti-discrimination policy and will be monitored by the Justice Department for three years.
OKLAHOMA CITY - An agreement has been reached between the Justice Department and a child development center in Oklahoma City after the center discriminated against a child with Down Syndrome.
The Justice Department says Camelot Child Development Center of Oklahoma City and Edmond violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Authorities claim the center prohibited a child with Down Syndrome to go on field trips and threatened to expel her because of her developmental delays.
Also, the girl is not fully toilet-trained and requires help with her diaper.
Officials say that while Camelot helps younger children, workers refused to provide that kind of assistance to the girl during field trips.
Authorities say that is a direct violation of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in child care centers.
“Children are our most valuable resource and must be afforded equal opportunities to grow, learn, and develop,” said U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats. “The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that a child with a disability has the same access to those opportunities as a child who is not disabled.”
The Justice Department says Camelot worked closely with them through the investigation to change its policies.
Under the new agreement, Camelot will pay $3,000 to the family and provide one full year of child care services free of charge.
Camelot will also train its staff on the new anti-discrimination policy and will be monitored by the Justice Department for three years.
Free child care services? What a joke! Why would they subject their child to the people who have just been fined for refusing to provide care and assistance ? Camelot has shown what they really think about people with disabilities- no policy will change that.
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