Political Insider

By Texan Interrupted.

January 24, 2009 9:10 AM | Link to this

School Teachers have been itching to get back the right to discipline with castor oil for fifty years, ever sinced they banned it.

Our kids wont have a chance. Why cant anyone see that? We’ve got to stop this measure.

If not, we’re finished.

By Gil Measure

January 24, 2009 2:58 PM | Link to this

My teacher gave me castor oil once……..ONCE!

By Lee

January 24, 2009 5:09 PM | Link to this

Let’s see, the state’s largest school system (Gwinnett) spends only $650,000 on nurses, but about $24 MILLION on ESOL teachers to teach the various third world refugees that have taken up homesteading in our country.

Where to cut, where to cut??

Gee, I don’t know, cut where you’ll have the biggest impact. Maybe a few anonymous calls to the INS are in order.

For the author of this blog to classify trained nurses as “authorized distributors of Advil” is a slap in the face.

But don’t worry. A trained nurse can get another job pretty easily. The AJC is losing $1 million per week. What’s the job market for an out of work political commentator looking like nowadays?

Yeah, I thought so….

By Brad

January 24, 2009 11:04 PM | Link to this

DuBose couldn’t be more right. I dread thinking of the number of kids in GA schools who have been seriously hurt or even died because a nurse was not on the scene. Teachers do enough, they should not be expected to handle medical emergencies.

By Pompano

January 25, 2009 7:41 PM | Link to this

School Nurses are merely a way for the educational system to back door us on healthcare expenses. It is a needless expense that should be shouldered by the parents and not placed upon the taxpayers.

We never had school nurses when I was growing up and somehow our generation made it thru alive.

By Michael

January 26, 2009 12:38 AM | Link to this

Need more hot kindergarten teachers.

By rd

January 26, 2009 11:49 AM | Link to this

“We never had school nurses when I was growing up and somehow our generation made it thru alive.”

Yes, but we did not have the litigious society that we have today. We can let the student take the advil/pain meds/insulin, let the teacher do it, or get a school nurse. What teacher will take on that liability? Which faculty member will sit with sick kids and take their temps while waiting for parents to pick them up?

What about kids who need meds several times a day? It will take at least one faculty member to coordinate parents/children, as you can’t have adults just wandering the aisles at the local schools. No matter how you look at it, in the large elementary schools that exist in a lot of the suburban counties, it will take someone to coordinate the health care requirements of children. A school with 1000-3000 kids is going to require a full time individual, and that individual should be a nurse.

By rd

January 26, 2009 11:53 AM | Link to this

“We never had school nurses when I was growing up and somehow our generation made it thru alive.”

Yes, but we did not have the litigious society that we have today. We can let the student take the advil/pain meds/insulin, let the teacher do it, or get a school nurse. What teacher will take on that liability? Which faculty member will sit with sick kids and take their temps while waiting for parents to pick them up?

What about kids who need meds several times a day? It will take at least one faculty member to coordinate parents/children, as you can’t have adults just wandering the aisles at the local schools. No matter how you look at it, in the large elementary schools that exist in a lot of the suburban counties, it will take someone to coordinate the health care requirements of children. A school with 1000-3000 kids is going to require a full time individual, and that individual should be a nurse.

By School Nurse

January 26, 2009 12:39 PM | Link to this

Please educate yourself to what School nurses do.
Administering Advil and Bandaids are the LEAST of what we do. I am in a school of 500 elementary children. I see over 50 kids a day and make respiratory assessments, cardiac assessments and administer meds, deal with mental health issues, injuries…….This generation has children with more serious health issues, there were NO serious food or environment allergies when I went to school. There was a nurse that checked our vision and made sure that our immunizations were up to date and that we were healthy enough to attend school. Think back to your 2nd grade classroom for those 30 +plus, there was very few children who were obese.
This leads to other health issues. We also educate children and parents about physical activity and nutrition choices. Please take time to educate yourself on the issues. Healthy Children Learn Better and are READY to Learn.

By school nurse

January 27, 2009 12:53 PM | Link to this

Gwinnett county does not have a nurse in every school. They have “clinic workers” so they don’t have to pay a nurses salary. Wake up!

By Trey

January 27, 2009 3:41 PM | Link to this

Lee may be the most ignorant bigot to ever post on this website. I am surprised that Lee can even log onto AND post something. School nurses are not only helpful, but necessary in providing more than just Advil. As Dubose stated, they are essential to our school systems and if teachers take on dealing with students’ health concerns on top of their overcrowded class load, our students will not only be sick, but be less educated than they already are. Lets face it, the Purdue administration cares nothing about education and is setting up the next generation up for failure! As for Gwinnett County, at least those “third world refugees” actually care about education. They actually take it seriously and value it unlike Purdue, Cox and Lee. How awful would it be to not only teach our children, but provide them with a trained nurse’s assistance, especially when healthcare is insanely expensive as it is.

By Trey

January 27, 2009 3:48 PM | Link to this

Lee may be the most ignorant bigot to ever post on this website. I am surprised that Lee can even log onto AND post something. School nurses are not only helpful, but necessary in providing more than just Advil. As Dubose stated, they are essential to our school systems and if teachers take on dealing with students’ health concerns on top of their overcrowded class load, our students will not only be sick, but be less educated than they already are. Lets face it, the Purdue administration cares nothing about education and is setting up the next generation up for failure! As for Gwinnett County, at least those “third world refugees” actually care about education. They actually take it seriously and value it unlike Purdue, Cox and Lee. How awful would it be to not only teach our children, but provide them with a trained nurse’s assistance, especially when healthcare is insanely expensive as it is.

By DeKalb county parent

January 28, 2009 1:21 PM | Link to this

My son’s school has a clinic rather than a nurse. However, I cannot see putting a burden on our already stretched teachers to deal with evaluating the potential significance of health complaints from children. I also do not see the sense in removing the possibility of student advocacy in family abuse situations. Surely removing the school clinic program will create a public health burden that will cost more in the long run, and cause children to be sent home”sick” unnecessarily, detracting from their educational exposure.

By Margie

January 28, 2009 1:27 PM | Link to this

I am not sure who makes the final decisions on cuts but to even consider eliminating funding for nurses is ignorant. There are a lot of children out there who do need the onsite care needed in our schools. I am a lucky mother of a 5 yr old who is unable to afford health insurance but my child stays well due to our healthy positive attitude and diet. It is comforting to know a nurse is there if needed. Keep our nurses they are gifted and necessary.

By Tanja

January 28, 2009 1:38 PM | Link to this

I have a disabled daughter and she requires a RN just to go to school . If it hadnt been for her RN ALONG WITH THE SCHOOL RN she would NOT be here today.There is NOTHING more terrifying then to see your child being bagged in the ER by the SCHOOL NURSE. This just happened on the 13th of this month . We spent 9 days in ICU. IT IS SO IMPORTANT that these nurses remain in the schools. what about all the children who have seizures, diabetes, food allergies, etc. WE need the teachers to do the TEACHING and the NURESES there to help treat and do the jobs they went to school forand have so much passion for, which is seeing that all kids say healthy and medically safe…….

By Tanja

January 28, 2009 1:42 PM | Link to this

I have a disabled daughter and she requires a RN just to go to school . If it hadnt been for her RN ALONG WITH THE SCHOOL RN she would NOT be here today.There is NOTHING more terrifying then to see your child being bagged in the ER by the SCHOOL NURSE. This just happened on the 13th of this month . We spent 9 days in ICU. IT IS SO IMPORTANT that these nurses remain in the schools. what about all the children who have seizures, diabetes, food allergies, etc. WE need the teachers to do the TEACHING and the NURESES there to help treat and do the jobs they went to school forand have so much passion for, which is seeing that all kids say healthy and medically safe…….

By Jodi Barnes

January 28, 2009 1:43 PM | Link to this

To cut the school nurse from our school would be disastrous. We have many children who are on daily medications, inhalers for asthma, children who are diabetic and many children with severe and profound health issues.

We need our school nurse to insure these children receive the proper care for their specific medical needs. Many of our parents without health insurance rely on our nurse as a resource for helping them get involved in programs so that their children can see a doctor and receive medical attention.

Without a school nurse teachers and support staff will have to fill in and accept the liability for doing a job we are not trained to do.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns.

By Donna S

January 28, 2009 3:28 PM | Link to this

Regarding the article in the AJC entitled “House Democrats declare themselves protectors of school nurses” I wonder why the AJC has been so quiet about this subject that is of such great concern to parents with schoolchildren. I hope you all keep your emails coming to your representatives. Education should be the last place we have cutbacks, especially in the State of Georgia, which is one of the lowest ranked in the US.

By Lori Cleveland

January 28, 2009 3:32 PM | Link to this

My son is 5 years old with type 1 diabetes. his blood sugars have to be checked before meals 2 hours after insulin is admin. and after any excercise , he requires a snack every 3 hours , a 5 year old is unable to tell if is sugar is high or low , the nurse counts his carbs with every meal to know exactly the amount of insulin to be given,treats highs and lows. You by law have to be licensed to give a shot or a parent , I do not or will not trust anyone to give my son insulin ,You people that have healthy children don’t care because it does not effect you.Those nurses do alot , its not just band-aids and boo boos. its life saving treatments for all kinds of children with all kinds of issues . cancer, heart problems, breathing problems,Open your eyes people and really LOOK .SO many other States have it that school Nurses are mandatory in every school. I want to KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE MONEY WAS SPENT . GEORGIA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ADMIT MIS MANAGEMENT OF MONEY . WHERE IS THAT LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN 4 YEARS AGO STATING THAT SCHOOL NURSES WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE. I GOT A COPY , MAYBE IT SHOULD BE PUBLISHED. FROM THE GOV !I WANT TO KNOW HOW EVERY PENNY WAS AND IS SPENT!!! I DEMAND IT

By Donna S

January 28, 2009 4:14 PM | Link to this

Regarding the article in the AJC entitled “House Democrats declare themselves protectors of school nurses” I wonder why the AJC has been so quiet about this subject that is of such great concern to parents with schoolchildren. I hope you all keep your emails coming to your representatives. Education should be the last place we have cutbacks, especially in the State of Georgia, which is one of the lowest ranked in the US.

By Karen Mitcham

January 29, 2009 8:00 AM | Link to this

I agree with Superintendent Cox, childhood emergencies,disabled and challenged children, as well as the general school population will benefit from the presence of a school nurse.

By Edith Sullivan

January 29, 2009 9:17 AM | Link to this

School nurses are a vital component of our school. The large array of medical problems among our student society makes it necessary for someone with medical knowledge care for the needs of our students. Please, do not remove school nurses from our campuses. Edith Sullivan

By Stayce Bushart

January 29, 2009 10:35 AM | Link to this

I am a retired assistant principal, parent and now grandparent with children in our public school system in Georgia. Education has suffered at the hands of Governor Perdue who made such big promises during his intial campaign. One representative I spoke with told me maybe a solution to cutting school nurses would be to have the school system take on the pay of the nurses. The school systems in Georgia are barely holding on financially in most counties, and now the school system is expected to pay more? We are allowing people outside of the educational field to teach our children yet the educational funds continue to be cut! Apparently some of the people respresenting us were educated in a school system that did not have the finances they needed to help the people who respresent us to have enough knowledge to make good decisions and prioritize. With cutting the funding of school nurses, more is put on the teacher who is already overworked and underpaid. When is the madness going to stop and education be the number one priority in our state? The school nurse is one of the most valuable people on staff in our public schools due to the comments of the educated and experienced people who wrote before me.

By B. Richards

January 29, 2009 9:58 PM | Link to this

There are many children in our communities with special needs such as catheters, allergies, asthma, diabetes, congenital heart conditions, genetic disorders as spina bifida and muscular dystrophy to name a few. They have special needs that nurses have the skill and knowledge to meet. Teachers should not be assigned these tasks because of time constraints and lack of health care training. Not having a nurse may keep these children out of school. Making an error in the provision of their care could be lethal or result in further injury. These children have bright minds and deserve the right in our society to go to school to gain an education. This is a point of access to health care. School nurses help ensure the health and well-being of our children in school. They help keep our children in school. Keep funding for school nurses.

By Emma Long

January 30, 2009 10:42 AM | Link to this

Nurses are a vital part of the educational process. They provide children with good health care and help in the attendance process as well. One thing Georgia lawmakers, the governor, and Kathy Cox could think about is reducing the number of days a certificated employee has to work. We could reduce from 190 days to 185 days. That would be a huge savings across the state and could save jobs in other areas of education as well.

By Nikki

January 31, 2009 12:30 PM | Link to this

I would like you to know, as a parent, I am very uncomfortable with this proposal. My son Caleb has cerebral palsy, seizure disorder and aspirates thin liquids. I think his teachers are wonderful teachers but not nurses. They are not equipped to handle his medical needs. A teacher is a teacher and a nurse is a nurse. I can not fathom how a school with hundreds of children can be ran with no health care staff. Children are known for having bumps and bruises. What happens if a child gets severely hurt? Who is trained to care for them until an ambulance or parent comes? A teacher has to tend to the rest of their class and again is not able to handle medical situations. Not too long go Caleb fell in his classroom and his front teeth went all the way through his bottom lip. He ended up in the ER with 4 stitches in his lip. The teachers gut reaction to Caleb falling was to grab him and run to the nurse station. What option would she have had without the nurse there? Typical children and special needs children have their differences but they all have one thing in common. They are all children. Children that parents send to school trusting that they have the staff, knowledge and training it takes to care for a child. How can we have this trust when there is no one there to care for our childs heath care needs?I understand the economy is changing and there need to be some cuts made; however, I really think taking away from our children is not the best decision. The safety of our children is very important to us as parents. I truly feel there is a better place to make a budget cut than with the future of America.

By Angela Evans

February 2, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this

I think it would be a serious mistake for schools to cut out nurses. They do so much more than just administer Advil and fix injuries. They pass out meds to children who are diabetic, they give inhalers to those children with asthma, they sit with your children when they are sick or injured. My mother was a nurse for most of her life, she is retired now, but she was a great comfort to me, just as our school nurses are a great comfort to your children.

By Sue

February 5, 2009 1:40 PM | Link to this

For those of you, with or without children, who feel funding should be pulled from having school nurses, ask yourselves this:

If you, as an adult, have a heart attack, fall off of a ladder or get in a life-threatening car accident, who do you want to be the first person by your side to help you- when time is of the essence?

A car salesman, a teacher or a health care professional?

By Lisa

February 5, 2009 7:15 PM | Link to this

In a “perfect” world, school nurses would not be needed. However, that “perfect” world ended for my family on August 9, 2008 when my seven year-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. He was discharged from the hospital on August 11th needing five shots of insulin every day. He was able to return to school the very next day only because there was a school nurse in the building.

Insulin is a very dangerous medicine to administer. As such it should not be the responsibility of a seven year-old child nor a teacher with 20 students in the room to evaluate his blood sugar level, apply the sliding scale for insulin, and administer a shot.

I am also an educator and a first hand witness of the impact that nurses have on a school. For many students school nurses are their only access to health care other than the emergency room. The school nurse is an advocate for students that don’t live in that “perfect” world and/or whose parents cannot or won’t seek medical care for them. The nurse administers prescription and OTC medicines and makes the decision as to whether or not a student needs to go home due to illness. I can tell you that a lot more students stay in school during the day due to the presence of the nurse.

Governor Perdue is wrong to eliminate the funding for these hardworking professionals. It’s a small price to pay for the health and welfare of Georgia’s children.

By Aaron Burr V. Mexico

February 5, 2009 7:27 PM | Link to this

But….surely Tax Cuts can fix all of their medical problems.

Tax cuts can solve EVERYTHING!

By Ashley

February 8, 2009 12:20 PM | Link to this

Please save our school nurses. They are a vital part of the school environment and our children will suffer.