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Thursday, August 30, 2007

Contagious Inclusion …

G5-Day 3

The health aide was manning the front desk this morning, so I had the opportunity to find out more about my ringworm kid situation.

Me: What’s the deal with the boy with ringworm?

I was hoping that he was told not to return to school until he had it cleared up and under control. The answer I received was a bit cryptic.

HealthLady: “He’s an inclusion student”, she intoned as if that summed up the situation.

Me: I looked up “ringworm” and it said it was pretty contagious especially in close quarter classroom settings.

HealthLady: Inclusion students can’t be excluded from the classroom for any reason.

Me: But he’s contagious!

HealthLady: That doesn’t matter. He can’t be excluded.

Me: So what can I do if he shows up today?

HealthLady: Well, if he comes to school and the infected area isn’t covered, send him over and I’ll put a Band-Aid over it to cover it up.

The circular logic here is stupefying. The implied reasoning would dictate that “normal” students with contagious stuff COULD be sent home but “special” students are protected by a blanket waiver even if it means the “black plague” for the rest of us.

As my luck would have it, the kid did show for school this morning.

I asked if he had been to the doctor yesterday after school (probably a violation of his civil rights for me to even ask). He did see a doctor and was given some medicated cream to use.

I asked him if he used the cream this morning (another questionable rights violation, I’m sure) and he said the doctor put some on yesterday but he didn’t use it this morning before coming to school.

I also saw that the “ring” was still visible and uncovered on his inner bicep, so I sent him off to see the “HealthLady” for the promised miracle Band-Aid.

This can’t be right, can it?

The teacher, I'm subbing for emailed and asked if I would be interested in taking his class next week .

I think I’m pushing my luck just finishing out the week tomorrow.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

First: EEEWWW!!! Wouldn't the band-aid only make it worse as that sort of deal needs antibiotics and air to breathe to make it heal?? That just makes it sound like it would make it worse as it would get all yucky underneath.

Second: Just found your blog today, quite interesting! I have it bookmarked!

Third: "Inclusion" does not mean those particular students have rights to contaminate the classroom simply because they are to be "included". I think School Nurse needs some PDE in what "inclusion" is defined as!

Athena said...

Echo the EEEEwwwwww!

That can't be right. Isn't that a health code violation? If he had pink eye or chicken pox, he'd have to stay home, right? I'd check with a principal. Athena

The Vegas Art Guy said...

Nice! I'll third the shudder and ick reaction. You should have sent the kid to the nurses for the duration. Just mention lawsuit from other parents if they find out what happened. Make sure you tell that teacher about this student's little 'friend' on his bicep.