Georgia mom says her disabled daughter, 8, was left devastated after 'being excluded' from summer camp - as she fights to get her 'bright' child enrolled

A Georgia mother has said that her disabled daughter was heartbroken after she was prohibited from signing up for her local summer camp because of her medical condition.

Usree Bhattacharya said that her daughter Kalika, 8, suffers from Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that requires her to be in a wheelchair and communicate by means of an eye-tracking device. Kalika also lacks functional hand use.

Despite the challenges she's faced, Kalika is an intelligent and precocious child. She is even bilingual.

And yet, Bhattacharya said that her daughter would not be able to attend one of the Athens-Clarke County summer camps because of her special needs.

Bhattacharya, who is an Associate Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia, was devastated for her daughter. 

'It's about my daughter having access to enriching summer programming, new people, new opportunities,' she told Atlanta News First.

In February, the mother sent an email to Athens-Clarke County, explaining that she was hoping to enroll her daughter in a summer camp.

She inquired about a policy she had heard about that could potentially exclude Kalika from attending one of the county's summer camps.

A county representative replied to her email saying: 'Campers are required to be independent with feeding and toileting.' 

Bhattacharya looked everywhere for this policy, but came up empty-handed. 

She emailed the county again, and they responded: 'Camper expectations are relayed annually in the guardian handbook which is revised annually and is released the week of camp enrollment.'

Given Kalika's disability, it was of paramount importance for her mother to find out what the camp's policies were as early as possible.

Bhattacharya said: 'Now if a child like my daughter requires accommodations, you can't wait until the week before to find out what the policy is.'

According to the department's website, non-residents are able to attend the Athens-Clarke County summer camp.

'Why is it that my tax dollars can't go towards my own child? It just seems so inequitable, so deeply unfair,' the mother said.

Bhattacharya's academic profile, available on the University of Georgia webpage, said that Kalika's Rett Syndrome diagnosis in 2018 was a source of scholastic inspiration. Her daughter's diagnosis 'motivated' her to investigate 'language and literacy socialization within this severe, complex, and multi-disability context.'

The county said that the leisure services summer camp handbook for guardians was accessible through the summer camp's website, and emphasized that campers must be able to feed themselves independently and use the bathroom without assistance.

In an official statement, the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government said: 'While staff is sympathetic to the issues surrounding inclusivity, the Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department is not equipped with either the facilities or staff to be able to address toileting needs or feeding assistance for any child, regardless of their abilities.'

They continued: 'However, all programs and camps frequently include children with a variety of physical and cognitive disabilities as long as they can meet the requirement of feeding and toileting independently.'

The county's website listed multiple summer camps available to local residents.

They included art camps, dance camps, gymnastics camps, nature camps, sports camps, theatre camps, camp for teenagers, and a 'traditional' all-day camp.

Their website stated: 'If you know our camps, you know we have a little bit of everything - so if you are into art, dance, theatre, nature education, outdoors, sports, games, gymnastics, tennis - we can find a spot for you!'

But they couldn't find a spot for 8-year-old Kalika because of her disability.

'They're citizens, just like everybody else,' Kalika's mother said. 'She’s a Clarke County resident. She’s a Clarke County student. She should have access to summer programming.'