It’s hard for me to believe that we are still battling stuff like this. In all actuality though, the battle of keeping kids with diabetes safe at school is getting harder. With budget cuts leading to less nurses on staff, and the need to spread nurses across multiple schools, I just shake my head in amazement.
Along with the shortage of nurses at school, diabetes management has gotten tighter and more micro-managed these days. When I was growing up with diabetes things were much different. My parents didn’t wake up multiple times per night to check my blood sugar because we didn’t have blood sugar tests.
I’m quite sure my blood sugar stayed higher. My A1C’s ranged from 9.8 at the lowest, to 14.8 at the highest. Thank God things are different today. But with tighter management comes more risk and more interaction, and a lot of that risk and interaction happens while kids are at school.
Outrage in Education
I’d like you to read this story about Latesha Taylor and her daughter, Loretta, just published in Diabetes Forecast.
It is a story of nearly constant lack of care from the school, and a seemingly nonchalant attitude about it. Latesha regularly drops everything she’s doing (work included) to rush to school to care for her daughter when the nurse is absent.
It’s a horrifying tale of discrimination that denies diabetes care to students across the D.C. school system.
The whole thing is a mess, and it is literally destroying this family, one missed paycheck at a time.
It’s just one example of struggles with schools happening all over the nation, and none of it is acceptable.
Take Action
Sign the “Safe at School Pledge to Protect our Kids” today. Help the ADA stop this unfair treatment by signing the pledge right now – and telling friends and family to do the same.
More Resources
The American Diabetes Association has championed this cause and has a bunch of resources and advocacy action on the “Safe at School” section of diabetes.org.
Need more information? The ADA is hosting a free “back-to-school” webinar on Tuesday, August 14th, 2012, at 8:00 PM EST. Registration is required, and space is limited. If you can’t make it, or registration has filled, free access to the recording will be available withing 10 days of the broadcast at www.diabetes.org/safeatschool
Crystal Jackson, one of the ADA‘s greatest champions for keeping kids safe at school, also shared a “Back-to-School Checklist” that you might want to take a look at. And don’t forget, you can reach the ADA helpline at 800-Diabetes.
Want to hear more from Crystal? I know it’s a ways out, but DSMA Live will be hosting Crystal on November 8th, 2012 at 9PM EST.