St. Johns County parents concerned over decision to have one school nurse per school
First Coast News | By Christina Burgess | July 31, 2024
Kalee Davis’s son experienced an asthma attack at school and she’s thankful for the nurses actions that day. Now she’s worried about only one nurse in each school.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — St. Johns County students will be heading back to the classrooms on August 12. Earlier this year, the district made the decision to have one nurse at each school, due to a loss of COVID funding.
It’s a move that still has some parents concerned.
Kalee Davis is a mom of two boys who attend St. Johns County schools. Davis is no stranger to the nurses who work in her sons’ schools, since her 15-year-old has food allergies and her 8-year-old has had asthma since Pre-K.
“We knew about his asthma, but it wasn’t severe at that point,” she said.
Until one day, she received an expected call.
“I got a call from the school that they, that they were calling 911 because our son was having a severe asthma attack on the playground,” said Davis, “There fast actions and having multiple nurses there at one time allowed my son to return to school two days later.”
It was at a St. Johns County School Board meeting on February 13, 2024 where the District announced the decision to have one nurse at each school.
Superintendent Tim Forson said at this February meeting this is due to the loss of COVID funding.
This district’s decision is one Davis said just doesn’t sit right with her.
“When I initially heard from our school nurses I was actually. I was very surprised,” she said, “Students aren’t expendable. Their lives and safety is not expendable.”
As a parent whose child experienced a medical emergency at school, she said this change leaves her worried.
“I don’t even want to think about what the alternative could have or would have been had there not been more than one trained medical personnel there,” she said, “How do they expect one human being to be able to keep those kids healthy for the school day?”
According to the district, there will be “floating” nurses to step in when a nurse is sick or on vacation.
