Today, 44 Boston Public Schools do not have a full-time nurse. Instead, these schools share part-time nurses that travel back and forth between buildings every day. In these schools, our students will not have complete access to the medical attention they require on a day-to-day basis.
In order to set our children up for success and resolve systemic failures in our school system, the social, emotional, behavioral, mental and physical well-being of our children must be a priority.
Having a full-time nurse in every school cannot be a line item discussion in the budget; it needs to be a standard operating, non-negotiable requirement.
The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed that a child’s physical health has a direct impact on their academic performance and success. In addition to the normal bumps and scrapes our kids get during the school day, we have many students who are fragile, sick, have allergies and asthma, or other serious health conditions that need immediate attention. I’ve met with parents who have been forced to change schools because their child has allergies or other medical conditions and their building lacked a full-time nurse to ensure access to treatment.
I’ve also met with parents who have been denied the services in their child’s Individualized Education Plan because of insufficient support specialists in their school. By failing to adequately provide these services, we are pushing families away from the Boston Public Schools. We have an obligation to provide our students with high-quality public education and a learning environment that is welcoming and safe for all children. That means guaranteeing school-based services for their physical and mental health.