The Toe and the Public School: - Page 2

[gsd1amommy]

I believe mentioning to the nurse that the nurse is practicing outside the scope of her license by telling Ariah that she is fine and physically able to run would be about enough to put the brakes on this. No nurse wants to hear those words or that you know those words. She can not make a determination about your daughter's treatment for the toe or for that matter override your doctor's order. She may think she can but your physician needs to put her in her place. Oh, and I highly doubt that the gym teacher has any sort of permission to call your doc and discuss ANYTHING related to your daughter and her health info so tell her to piss off, too.

[Peri Patetic]

Very good point above -- I don't think the doc can legally talk to the teacher anyway, privacy rights and all that.

[Flor]

At the middle school where I teach, a child will only be excused from gym with a doctor's note. However, if any child showed the gym teacher their toe, they'd send her to the nurse's office till they figured out what was going on. Are they sadistic? Have they seen the toe? I'd go to the prinicpal's boss, which here would be the superintentent.

Oh, and students who can't run usually walk and if they can't walk, they do some worksheet on health, drugs, etc.

[Mothra]

When I bring up how messed up that is, he tells me she within her rights to do so....I try to explain how she's a gym teacher, not a doctor and she hasn't even seen the toe she's diagnosing. He cuts me off and ends the conversation.

No, actually, she is NOT within her rights to do that. Since when do TEACHERS have a right to students' confidential medical information? What the hell planet are these people on?

I'd be inclined to get a lawyer. These people are not rational.

[vloky]

Originally Posted by dawn1221

I went to public school and I can tell you they could give a crap about the parents wishes. The only way I was able to be exempted from anything was with a doctors note.

I think they think kids will do anything to get out of PE. And truth be told, I know I did.

But what they did was discriminatory and illegal (I am 97% sure).

not only that but they'll outright lie to parents and students..So many gym teachers are on power trips, I don't get it..

[MaddieMay]

Oh for goodness sake. Don't they have better things to do? I don't think I'd sue, but I'd definitely be making an appointment with the school district headquarters if the school principal is blowing it off. Seriously, I am a teacher and there are much better things to worry about than some student's toe and their participation (or lack of) in gym class.

What part of the day does she have gym? If it's beginning or end I'd just check her in late or check her out early until the matter is resolved. Not that you should have to do that, but if the gym teacher is giving her that much crap it might be worth it.

[kmeyrick]

Don't, don't, don't bring a tape recorder! That will give them ammo to say it is a frivolous/money seeking/you're just crazy lawsuit. Or to counter sue. I KNOW you are in the right, but I could see them tap dancing around a tape recorder, making YOU look bad. Skip that, IMO. Have a lawyer walk right in and lay it straight. That will make them wet their pants! I am a public school teacher, and believe me, suing a school can be tricky. Have you considered taking your daughter out of public school? They don't deserve her, I'll bet. If she is wonderful for the other teachers, you can point out that she's not a trouble student, so what's her motivation to be a pain about this? And doctor's notes are LAW in my district. We wouldn't dare ignore one. If a doctor to the time to write it, who are we to question it? Shocking, shocking, shocking!

[Breathless Wonder]

Just because your DD DID run on her injured toe (to get to class), doesn't mean she SHOULD run on her injured toe (for gym). It's that simple, and for the school not to be able to see the difference is beyond ridiculous. Where the hell is their common sense?

[joensally]

Part of the problem may be that your DD's health issue is invisible to the administration. Unlike if her arm was in a sling or something. Why not take a picture of her toe and show it to them?

There's no question their approach is pretty awful, but is this really worth all that energy? And the cost of a lawyer? Before I went there, I'd make the injury apparent to them. If they continue to be difficult, then go for the gusto.

[cjanelles]

So, are there any updates on this today?

I have to say, I am currently dealing with an infected ingrown toenail on my big toe...and it hurts so badly that it makes me cry. I don't know why the doctor would suggest it should not be cut out because the thing with the ingrown nail and the antibiotics, etc. is that the antibiotic will kill the infection, but the nail will still be "ingrown" and uncomfortable (at best).

I had to have this same toenail cut out a week before I gave birth (5 mos ago), and I was TERRIFIED of the pain, the numbing needles, the whole thing, but I can honestly say that there was nothing to it. There was a little pinch when they stuck the first local anesthetic needle, but after that, I felt nothing...and once the job was done and the anesthetic wore off, it still didn't hurt...and the relief of having the offending nail removed was like a miracle.

Sorry to get off on the tangent...just wanted you to have that info for your DD.

As for the school, all of the PPs are absolutely right about calling the superintendent and board of ed. Write a letter explaining the entire situation, send it certified mail, and in the meantime, make an appointment with the superintendent and sit down face to face and demand to know what will be done about this problem with the school.

[Mama Dragon]

My teachers ignored doctor's notes too - I was in gymnastics and often had a strained or sprained ankle or wrist. I was a very dramatic little girl thought and threw a horribly hissy fit if they made me do anything. Since I'm think you don't want your DD to do that, I think going to gym as often as you can and observing would be an excellent idea.

[SevenVeils]

I think you've gotten a lot of really good advice, and anything that I could add would just be redundant (although I will say that I too think that going in to watch her during that class is a good plan- that is what I would do. Especially with the baby. That just shows that you are very committed to going there to watch).

I just wanted to say that I too am sorry that you are going through this.

My parents were both public school teachers and from a very early age I heard lots and lots of scoffing and etc over the choices that parents DARED to make which my parents didn't agree with. For example: all of the poor little Mexican kids were too poor to have ever even seen Disneyland (this when my mom was teaching second grade) and how horrible and negligent that was; some parents actually WOULDN'T LET THEIR CHILDREN CELEBRATE NORMAL HOLIDAYS!!!! OH NO!!!!! poor, poor little innocent children who were innocent victims of their parents' misguided beliefs! (in this case, my mom would sneak a little surprise to the child)

I am not exaggerating at all. And these were some of northern San Diego County's 'best' public schools.

[mtiger]

I'm unclear on something, though - IS there actually a doctor's note on file with the school? Because what I'm understanding is there is a note from Mom that she shouldn't participate, but nothing (as of now) in writing from the doctor. A school is NOT going to excuse a child for 3 weeks for a medical reason w/o a doctor's note. And really - if it requires 3 weeks off, it SHOULD be documented by a doc.

[CathMac]

Originally Posted by alegna

Okay- you need a lawyer. Like yesterday. A letter from a lawyer (in loverly threatening lawyer- language) often does the trick with schools when nothing else works.

Is pulling her out an option? How about arranging for her to be ELSEWHERE during gym? Sit in another class? In the office doing homework? Anything?

good luck!

-Angela

jillkuster,
This is so crazy I don't even know where to begin. I'm shocked that it's gotten this far.

I'd give yourself one more day to make some headway with them and remind them that if it turns out that she has the resistant strain of staph that's been in the news then they are jeopardizing anyone in contact with her by delaying her recovery. In which case they can likely look forward to letters from more than one parent's attorney ... not to mention some splashy news coverage.

Then, if you don't get written assurance from the principal that your daughter won't be forced to run I would contact an attorney and have them write up a letter.
~Cath

[debbieh]

Unbelievable? It should be, but I agree with the others, schools don't care what parents say. Take it to the school board.

[Pam_and_Abigail]

This is ridiculous, I feel bad for your dd. I hated gym class. Gym class alone could be a reason for homeschooling for me!

[Mary-Beth]

When I was in public schools there were often kids that didn't want to participate in gym...didn't want to run or exercise. They would use AF as an excuse to not participate. Often their parents sent them in with notes...and even got Dr.'s notes sometimes. I'm sure the gym teachers get tired of seeing that.

BUT, why did the gym teacher decide your child is faking? Is she often injured or excused from gym often. Just curious. It still doesn't make it okay. It's just weird how the teacher seems fixated on not letting this go.

I'd say go to the super intendent or whoever is over the principal. I'd write down everything that has happened, include the Dr.'s notes and dates of visiting the Dr. I'd may even include a picture of the infected toe if it's possible to still see the injury at this point. I'd complain about the way your daughter was treated by being told to do something by a teacher that she was told not to do by her mother and her doctor (confusing to a child) and complain about the way you've been treated.

Is this teacher her gym teacher every year?

[eclipse]

This brings back so many bad junior high memories for me. I have knee that easily dislocates, and my school consistently ignore notes and my gym teacher made me feel like crap for not participating. My doctor finally got pissed and excused me from PE permanently. I still somehow ended up with a D in PE for 8th grade, even though I was excused for most of the year.

[*clementine*]

Originally Posted by mtiger

I'm unclear on something, though - IS there actually a doctor's note on file with the school? Because what I'm understanding is there is a note from Mom that she shouldn't participate, but nothing (as of now) in writing from the doctor. A school is NOT going to excuse a child for 3 weeks for a medical reason w/o a doctor's note. And really - if it requires 3 weeks off, it SHOULD be documented by a doc.

We have 2 dr.s notes on file. One for 3 wks off gym. And one for another week.

I don't have any updates yet. Ariah is home sick today and I'm just processing all of this.

[mtiger]

Originally Posted by jillkuster

We have 2 dr.s notes on file. One for 3 wks off gym. And one for another week.

I don't have any updates yet. Ariah is home sick today and I'm just processing all of this.

Thanks for clarifying. I'd definitely escalate, then.