Monday, April 8, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- Dogs and their trainers may be in the courtroom Wednesday when the Nevada Supreme Court hears arguments over a dog in a classroom in a Las Vegas elementary school.
A spokeswoman for the court said she has been informed that several trainers plan to attend the hearing with their dogs and they would be permitted in.
The case involves music teacher Anne Buchanan, who is a volunteer trainer of dogs for disabled people who are not blind. Buchanan insists she must bring the dog to the classroom to complete the full training for the animal.
District Judge Joseph Bonaventure has sided with her in her suit against the school district. He ruled the district never showed it would suffer any harm if the golden retriever named Maria is allowed to stay in the classroom during instruction at Vail Pittman Elementary School.
Bonaventure ruled there would be "irreparable injury" to Buchanan and the dog training program if Maria is not allowed to accompany the teacher and complete the instructional period.
Attorneys for the school district counter that Buchanan is paid to teach music, not to train canines.
Bonaventure ruled last year but the decision has been held in abeyance until the Supreme Court decides.
Lawyers Gregory Kamer and Scott Abbott, representing the school district, argue that the attention of students would be diverted from music to the dog.
The district also expressed concern that children who suffer severe allergies or who are afraid of the dog wouldn't be able to attend their once-a-week music class.
Buchanan is the only music teacher at the school.
"The district demonstrated its overwhelming concern that Buchanan give her undivided attention to her students and her instruction of them during the school year," the lawyers said, adding that there have been several complaints from parents about the dog in the classroom since the case arose.
And they say Buchanan is not a disabled person who needs a dog.
But Buchanan's lawyer, Richard Segerblom, says, "There is nothing inherently dangerous in placing a training dog in a classroom during teaching hours.
"In fact, most elementary teachers have pets in their classrooms, including rabbits, snakes, lizards, hamsters, gerbils, rats and fish and at least one elementary school has a zoo."
The school district, Segerblom said, has never presented any evidence the animal would be dangerous or her presence would adversely affect Buchanan's ability to teach. The Carson City School District has allowed training dogs in the classroom for 10 years without any incidents.
Segerblom says the Clark County School District has merely presented "conjecture" rather than evidence the dog would cause problems.
"Schools are institutions of learning and socialization. The presence of a training dog in Buchanan's classroom will provide a learning experience both for Buchanan's students and the district," Segerblom said.
"Institutions abhor change. Nevertheless, our society is changing and the district must be willing to accommodate that change."
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