Frustrated by public preschool's policy...Update #26 Good news! - Page 2

[RubyV]

Originally Posted by TappinMamma

I'm very interested in this thread, I'm having the same problem. My ds is going into kindergarten, and they will not let him have his epipen in the classroom. Its not so much this year I'm worried about (kindergarten is not allowed snacks, so there is no food in the classroom) (He is allergic to tree nuts) but next year when the kids get snacks in 1st grade, I think it will be a problem.

Currently his epipen is locked up in the nurses office which is down the hall, around the corner... etc. etc. and what if the nurse is on lunch? then the office has to be contacted to get the key and unlock it and... you get my point. My only other option is getting a doctor to sign something saying if an emergency he can administer his OWN epipen and then he can carry it in his backpack.

So A) How can he administer it to himself if he is in anaphylactic shock?
B) I don't want him to have access to it, he is 5!

I think this whole thing is nuts! I'm interested in what your school says, I'm only a state away in NH.

no word yet. phooey.

[momof4peppers]

Is there a community college in East Boston? I know in Charlestown there is a great preschool run at the Bunker Hill CC that's not $15,000. Maybe that would be an option for you?

[RubyV]

Heard from Kerry's office. Board of ed has not gotten back to themwith an answer.

[bullfrog]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

I'd say this is a discriminatory policy, because it effectively keeps allergic children out of the school.

They are required, by law, to accomodate children with disabilities. There must be some way to fight this legally.

It is my understanding that this is totally true.

Ummm...I'm a slow reader - sorry I had just read the first few posts.

[RubyV]

Kerry's office got back to me.

they sent me a PDF of the Life threatening allergies (LTA) policy, along with this note:

Attached please find the memo setting out the guidelines for food
allergies. I am told that the language in the policy covers
responsibilities of all parties- teacher, nurse , parent, administrator,
etc. It is based on the Mass state guidelines. Pens are NOT supposed to
be locked up, but rather put in an adult accessible area (or older
children can self carry).If you have any additional questions or need
any further assistance, don't hesitate to contact me.

I will email anyone the pdf if interested.

No where does the official policy state that the pen can be with the chld, etc. All it states is that the parties must know the location of the pen, and that the nurse has final say on the child's action plan.

So, I wrote back:

Thank you so much for this.

I think I understand the issue with the school.

The policy does not state where the pen is to be stored, merely that all responsible parties know the location of the pen, and that the school nurse has final say in the action plan. Based on that, the nurse that comes in an hour a day may have made the decision to keep all pens locked in the office.

I will contact the school later this week to chat with them, since I want to have this ironed out before registration in January. My hope is that they will be willing to change their policy.

My question is, if they refuse to do so, what options are available to me?

I am not satisfied with the resolution, obviously. It boils down to the fact that they can still keep it in the nurses office if the nurse says so.

That is not acceptable.

[RubyV]

I won!

She starts in September. epi pen in class, and one taped to the wall in the cafeteria.

I"ll try to post the details later.

[elmh23]

Congrats RubyV! I've been interested in this due to my own dd's allergies. I'm just hopeing that the school already has an allergy plan in place when she starts. Unfortuantly it's a really small school (K-8, one class per grade.)

[cinnamonamon]

Congrats!

[ecoteat]

I just read this whole thread in disgust...until your happy conclusion! For anyone to claim it's against the law to keep epi-pens in the classroom, as you now know, is bs. I used to teach in Watertown and many teachers had one in the room and we all had training every year in how to use them. That's your next step--getting the nurse to train all the teachers in how to use them. For the uninitiated, they are pretty scary.