School Nurses Eliminated?

Alabama Schools Baldwin County Board of Education could eliminate 18 school nursing positions because of 56 million dollar budget shortfall

by Pat Peterson

Published: Thu, August 06, 2009 - 5:02 pm CST

Bay Minette Intermediate School nurse Sharon Curtis showed us the protective masks they'll use this year if the deadly H1N1 flu virus threatens Baldwin County. On Friday, just three days before school starts in Baldwin County, state education and health officials will hold a news conference to talk about swine flu. But will the school district be prepared?

In 2007, there were 71 nurses working for the school district, now there are on 56...and because of the budget crisis, 18 more positions could be cut.

"We're very, very worried," says Curtis. "Our first responsibility is to take care of the students and provide them with the necessary care of the students and in order to provide that, you need to have a nurse on campus. With the potential cuts, I'm not sure how we're going to be able to provide the safety and the medical care that our children need while they're at school."

"We're facing a 56 million dollar budget shortfall," says Terry Wilhite, school spokesman. "At this point, all we're trying to do is provide bare, basic service to our students. Health and safety, that's number one in our book, but if we don't have the people to do that, we're going to be in quite a mess."

If 18 positions are eliminated, nurses offices on some school campuses would shut down.

You can watch the joint press conference held by state education and health officials about the H1N1 flu virus live Friday at 1pm on wkrg.com.

WKRG.com » News Stream » Alabama

Video
Photo

Embed:

WKRG.com Related

» Swine Flu Special Section

News –› Alabama

News –› Bay Minette

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

Download Video

claycitymadness Says:

Sat, Aug 08, 2009 at 1:24 pm

what they want you to do is organize a cadre of mothers who were formerly nurses and have them volunteer to set up and staff a volunteer clinic. or obtain corprate sponsorship (Mobile infirmary) for the same positions

seakat Says:

Sat, Aug 08, 2009 at 12:50 pm

School officials what are you thinking? My children attend school in Baldwin County and I am extremely concerned about the possibility of losing school nurses. My children’s health and well-being are a top priority. This is not the time to cut nurses especially if the predictions about the H1N1 flu season are expected to be true. Every child in this school system deserves health services. It is not like they are over staffed, they only have 56. The way I see it, if they cut the nurses the school system and tax payers will pay for it in the long run with I am sure several law suits because children did not receive the care in school they needed. Is there some type of law in Alabama that requires school nurses to be present on campuses? If not lawmakers should consider this.

Concerned Parent

rmseek1234 Says:

Fri, Aug 07, 2009 at 3:56 pm

EXACTLY,bhutch! Mobile County Public School System is just as bad,if not worse,as per my forum discussion on the same topic. Our children are being penalized and endangered due to overzealous spending on unnecessary and frivolous things the administration chooses. Our children, their education and safety/well-being should come first,not last. Cut the REAL problems at the school system!

bhutch Says:

Fri, Aug 07, 2009 at 3:45 pm

Wow, that’s like $3.1 million for each position. Yea, that’s the problem, too many nurses on our school campuses. Why don’t they just get rid of 18 administration positions. Maybe the one’s who spend too much money and make a 6-figure salary. NURSES ARE NOT THE PROBLEM!!!