wwyd - teacher issue

kimberley wrote: a bit of history... james has had issues at school for about a year with the way he deals with his anger or frustration. he has made remarkable improvement, but the journey has been taxing on everyone.. including his teacher.

it is very cold here today and when i picked him up he was wheezing pretty bad. i asked him if he took his inhaler at school and he said the teacher wouldn't let him.
i asked him to clarify and he said on 2 occasions during the day he asked her to go to the office to take the inhaler and she said no.

unsure whether there was more to the story, i call the school. they say she left for the day so i tell the secretary what happened. suddenly, James' teacher comes on the phone. i tell her what James said and she just kept saying "yes" and nothing more. so i asked why. she said she is a trained life guard and did not hear much labour in his breathing and assessed he didn't need it. she mentioned the second incident after recess and i interrupted to tell her that the cold air really irritates his asthma with no response. flaberghasted and totally unsure what to say next, i asked if he needed to keep inhalers in his bag because even tho his breathing isn't laboured, that doesn't mean he is okay. he has been asthmatic most of his life so he KNOWS when he needs it. he says it feels like someone sitting on his chest.

her indifference was bone chilling. i have asked that the inhalers be moved from the office to her desk so i hope this doesn't happen again. thinking maybe i should find some literature for her... anyone have any resources?

edited for bad asthma spelling lol. it was driving me nuts.

sparkys2boys replied: OMG... I would be very angry, I think if it was me I would be speaking to the princiapl on this issuse.. IMO that is. She has no right to deny a child with or without training on something medical that he has.. does this teacher know his medical history.. spoke to his doctor.. NO.. yikes I am livid for your right now. I would not let her dismiss it like no big deal.

PrairieMom replied: I would file a complaint against her with the school for sure. IMO, a life guard has absolutely no experience in telling when an asthmatic would need his meds. She isn't a nurse, (or even better, an RT) that could have been a very dangerous situation, asthma is not something to be messed with. I had a similar problem with my PE teacher in Jr hight, and my Dad ripped her up and down and sideways over it. She accused me of using my asthma as a "crutch" to get out of class.

I will see if I can find any literature for you.

kimberley replied: thanks, Tara. i think i am still in shock over it all so the rage hasn't set in yet. she just flatly admitted to not letting him go. it's nuts!

Anthony275 replied: i know what you mean.. my teacher is failing me because i ask to go to the bathroom everyday

My3LilMonkeys replied:
I had a teacher in HS that allowed 3 bathroom breaks per semester. She kept a chart by the door to track it.

Kimberly - I would definitely contact the principal or superintendent on that.

sparkys2boys replied:
Gosh... you can't hold it at your age??



JOKING

Jackie012007 replied: okay WOW!! I would be livid!! I was a trained Lifeguard, and one has absolutely NOTHING to do with the other!! You don't learn anything about asthmatics in the course!!

I would most definitely file a complaint with the principal. Definitely don't let this one go - who knows what could happen to your, or anyone else's child in her care!

ETA: Anthony, your reply made me think of an incident in my high school. A boy asked the Spanish teacher to use the bathroom and she said no. He told her he absoultely had to go and she said too bad, sit down. He got up and left class to use the restroom anyways, and she ended up writing him up. He went home and told his mom and it ended up becoming an issue with the Principal and the Superintendent - the teacher ended up getting a week's suspension without pay!

They CANNOT tell you, you can't use the bathroom during class!

Anthony275 replied:
i really can't. i go 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and sometimes 6th and then another time right when i go home

sparkys2boys replied:
Now we are just getting into TMI..lol!!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: WOW!!! Is this the same school you had so much trouble with before, Kimberley?

Asthma is NOT something you should play around with. IMO he does need his inhaler with HIM and not in the office. The "what ifs" are haunting me right now.

kimberley replied: yes, same school. kids don't want to switch, the new principal (a man) is great, and they have put so much crap in the boys' school records that it might be worse at another school. trust me, i weighed the options a million times the past few years.

i think i will call the principal tomorrow.

sparkys2boys replied:
I really think you should.. GL with it and KUP

3xsthefun replied: Oh, I would be so mad. I think you should file a complaint against this teacher.

luvmykids replied: Oh WOW, I would be completely flipped out Her opinion that being a lifeguard has any bearing here is ludicrous Even if he were using it as a silly excuse to leave the class or whatever (which I know he wasn't)...I would personally rather err on the side of caution b/c if something happened it's on my head, kwim?

I hope you get somewhere with the principal, I think this situation is worth sinking your teeth into.

julesmom replied: I would definitely speak to the principal. Maybe even have his doctor write a note.

My ds is asthmatic and I've had words with the school nurse. He'd go to her office needing his inhaler, she'd listen to his breathing. He could use his inhaler only if the nurse heard a wheeze. When I found this out, I immediately called her. I said he's had asthma his entire life, he KNOWS when he needs his inhaler and I don't care if she hears a wheeze or not, if he asks for his inhaler, give it to him!

If he needs his inhaler and the nurse doesn't "hear a wheeze", that doesn't mean he doesn't need it. My ds gets tightness with his asthma and that can be worse then an actual wheeze. A wheeze means air is moving.

I'd find some articles online about your issue and take them with you. Ask them if they want to be held liable if something serious happens to your ds bc the teacher refused his request for his inhaler.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Ditto to all. WOW! Shame on her. She sounds like she ate one too many bowls of stupid. I'd definitly talk to the principal. KUP!

MommyToAshley replied:
Oh goosh, that's scary!

It sounds like the principal is more level headed than the previous one. I'd definitely start there and let him know how upset you are about the situation. And, demand that he keep his inhaler where he can get to it if HE feels he needs it. If you can, I'd get a note from the doctor stating such.

Calimama replied: I would be beyond mad. I would go WITH him to school tomorrow and talk to someone.

booey2 replied: I am just reading this now, if you can go to the school I would go and talk to both the teacher and the principle. If they won't budge a doctors note should do it and as a final straw I would pack a back up inhaler in his backpack that only he knows about if she pulls this stunt again. I don't think anyone other than an asthmatic can really tell if they need a puffer she had no right to deny him that.

kimberley replied: i told the principal what happened and he agreed she made a mistake. said she is a young teacher and didn't "get" the seriousness of what she did. he said he will rectify the situation and have her call me with what they will do... whether they leave his inhaler in his class or get a fanny pack and let him carry it himself.

i feel ripped off. while i am glad he acknowledged her mistake, i still feel like he is protecting her. btw... the anger set in about 1am this morning.

Boo&BugsMom replied:

booey2 replied: Glad you got to talk to the principal and got some support. Thomas has a really young teacher too and she is pretty structure nutso. Not sure how to explain it, but she may have jumped the gun on a couple of issues with Thomas. Now we are all for getting extra help when needed but the extra help he is getting right now doesn't seem to be helping and the other help he was suppose to get never materialized. He was suppose to get OT but I haven't seen or heard of an evaluation yet. We don't think he needs it but she is an over achiever and doesn't want one of her students to fall behind as it reflects on her.

Hang in there and stick to your guns. If she pulls anything like this again don't hesitate to make the call to the school. If you need an ear I am here.

mom2my2cuties replied: I'm glad that they are at least acknowledging her mistake! Hope it gets sorted out for you!

Kaitlin'smom replied: being an asmatic myself I am livid for you. I cant believe she feels she knew more than him, oh I woudl have been asking so your an asmatic? are your an RN? Doctor or RT? no well then you have no clue do you? sorry I hope they come up with a good solution

A&A'smommy replied: Thats awful Kimberley!!!! I hope they fix the situation!!!

gr33n3y3z replied:
yes he is but at the sametime you need to agree with what they come up with
And if you dont like it tell them

I think he should carry it on his person at all times bc I know when mine acts up the last thing I want to do is walk for it bc every step seems like a mile away from it

I hope this gets strightend out for him and you also