Since 2011, the number of school nurses in the Philadelphia public schools has declined by 40%. At a meeting of the School Reform Commission, the appointed board that runs the district, nurses and principals testified about the dangers to children posed by the lack of nurses.
In 2013, a 12-year-old child died of an asthma attack at school; there was no nurse available that day.
In 2014, a 7-year-old child collapsed and died in school; there was no nurse available that day.
How many more children must die before the state supplies the funding to staff every school with a nurse every day?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This is such an eye opening article to define what and who is considered worthy in our American society. Those without a voice and without monetary influence are overlooked and this is reflected in policies throughout our Nation.
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School nurse is one of positions with the highest demand nationally since 2004.
This information is from a recent tally I made from USDE data.
Full reports by state at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.pdf
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The Gates Foundation, the entire “Who We Are”—
[start quote]
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
[end quote]
Link: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Foundation-Factsheet
Rheeally! But only in a Johnsonally sort of way…
This is a no-brainer. If “every life has equal value” and you want to ensure in the United States that “those with the fewest resources” will “have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life” then—
Put some of those billions to work ensuring that they don’t die. You can’t have the rest without that.
No excuses.
Or is this another example of people that know the price of everything and the value of nothing?
Inquiring minds will probably be horrified at their answer…
😎
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In discussions locally about Ohio’s 5 of 8 rule, people frequently expressed that schools didn’t need a nurse on campus. Any way to cut their tax obligation seems to satisfy certain people, quite often, interestingly, even some teachers’ who don’t wish to pay in the district where they live, but want the 5 of 8 where they work. For some, it is always about their own needs and not about the greater good. I fund that attitude hypocritical.
Without the 5 of 8 rule intact, students in districts that want or need to make cuts will no longer receive art, music, phys ed, media/library, nurses, and other services that benefit them. In addition, teachers would no longer have “specials” time for planning or using the copy room (but copies may become a thing of the past with tech overtaking). It is all part and parcel to dismantling education as we know/knew it.
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Hopefully we will have an answer soon to your question from incoming governor, Tom Wolf, and the answer will be that no more children will die because of the cruelty of the people’s representatives in Harrisburg. Wolf wants a fair funding formula for Pennsylvania which it has lacked for many years, and he called for an end to the School Reform Commission last Fall during the campaign. It is encouraging that he appointed both Jerry Jordan, Phila. Federation of Teachers president, and Mike Crossey, president of PSEA to his Education transition team. However, Gov. Corbett and the Republican majorities in the legislature have left Wolf with a 2 billion dollar deficit, so where will the money come from? Get ready for more ludicrous attacks on our pensions.
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I so agree with your last sentence, GST. ALL of the blame for such shortages is placed upon teacher pensions.
When we all know the hole into which all the education $$$ disappear.
Hole, thy name is Pear$on.
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School nurses? Those don’t even exist in South Florida and when I do see jobs for them which by the way is never they are compensated like peasants.
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I think this is a crime in every state. In 1998, I began teaching in a Title I school in Phoenix, AZ as a new teacher. We had a very good licensed RN as our school nurse. I had a difficult class. I had two boys in particular who needed help from the school nurse. I had a boy who told his Mom he took his meds for severe ADHD before he went to school, but he did not. By mid-morning, I had a problem. He became so upset and angry, I couldn’t calm him down. I had called the nurse. She came immediately, but before she could arrive, he picked up my computer monitor and threw it across the room, then he ran outside. She chased him and was able to calm him down to get him to her office. His Mom was called, and they figured out about his meds. Luckily, no one in my class was injured. I had another boy who was extreme ADHD, as well. He was constantly getting upset about one thing or another and running out of the room. I would call the nurse, and she would track him down. She always knew the med situation or figured it out and also used her nursing skills to help these boys calm down. As time went on, she left before she was let go. She was replaced by someone who had very little training. I think they take a class that isn’t that long. I think lawsuits will begin happening, and schools will have to respond. It’s already too late in one state.
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