As the mother of a 10-year old girl who accidentally overdosed at school on an Albuterol inhaler in the absence of a school nurse last September, I am wondering just how many kids have to die or be permanently injured before our legislative body in Utah wakes up.
Don't get me wrong; I applaud all the senators and representatives who voted to pass Senate Bill 48. I only wish their colleagues in the House who defeated the bill by two votes also understood the importance of making sure our students are safe in their schools. I will NOT let this go. I will continue fighting for the rights of our children to be safe in their schools!
However, I am ashamed of all my fellow Republicans who voted against the bill. Where is your collective conscience? You still have the opportunity to make this right by the children of Utah. You can pass Senate Bill 48 in interim session. You can fund school nurses next January when we ask for the funding.
My daughter has just recently gotten out of the hospital for the third time since September and has permanent heart damage from a simple inhaler. Another child died in Utah this week after collapsing at school. Just what is it going to take to make Utah change policies and require a school nurse at every campus? Parents need to know there are 6,127 students per nurse in Utah. We have the worst ratio in the nation. The recommendation is one nurse for every 750 students. We are nowhere close to complying.
I know for a fact that it would cost each household only $56 more a year and we could pay for a school nurse in each of the 900 schools across Utah. And that is without any state funding. Surely, the state of Utah can pay for school nurses.
Is there so low a value on human life that the representatives who voted against Senate Bill 48 can't see funding school nurses? Please. There is still time to change. Call your representatives and urge them to pass Senate Bill 48 in the interim session.
Paula Tuck lives in Tooele.