Getting Loud On Schools

Families fight to change bad policy
(Article from Diabetes Advocate - March 1999)

This school year brought an alarming change for parents of children with diabetes in Loudoun County, Virginia. Without parental input, the county school board radically changed its policy on glucagon injection, stating that "only licensed medical professionals" could inject it.

However, there are no school nurses on site at any of the county's elementary or middle schools. So the new policy effectively means that if a child needs glucagon during a severe insulin reaction at school, no one would be able to administer it.

This change alarmed parents of children with diabetes. With EMT response times estimated at 7-10 minutes, they knew this would not be a safe alternative. "A lot of us were outraged," says Sandi Pope. "All of a sudden they were saying they're not going to save our children's lives."

Parents joined together to persuade the school board to reverse the dangerous policy. Over the last several months, they have tirelessly worked to educate school board officials about diabetes and the dangers of the new policy.

On January 12, along with doctors, lawyers and ADA staff, they took their case directly to the school board. "The current policy," ADA Vice President Michael Mawby told them, "is not only medically unnecessary, but may threaten the life of the student with diabetes."

Despite wide support, the board voted to leave the policy intact. And although the defeat was discouraging, the parents knew they couldn't give up. Parent Crystal Jackson says "never take no for an answer when you're sure of your beliefs." That's why they, along with ADA, are still working to change it.

With the school board refusing to budge, the group contacted their state Senator, William Mims. Concerned that other counties might enact similar discriminatory policies, Mims introduced SB 889, a bill that would clarify who could inject glucagon at schools in Virginia.

If enacted, SB 889 would ensure that, with parental consent, any school employee in Virginia could receive training and administer glucagon if needed. According to Sandi Pope, "this solution would be permanent. No other family would have to endure what we have had to."

So, for the last few weeks, Pope, Jackson and others have been building support for SB 889. "We're not movie stars and we're not politicians," Crystal Jackson says, "We're just ordinary parents who have banded together to protect our children's rights."