Breathe Easy

Tribune

When Emma Gonzalez, 9, had a coughing fit, she quickly reached for her inhaler. And her teacher at Utah's Columbia Elementary School, just as quickly sent her to the principal's office. Though Emma was coughing so hard she vomited, staff took the inhaler from her because the school had not received official notification she had a prescription for it. They say that policy is for student safety.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

District officials say the staff did everything right by taking the medication to make sure it was for that specific student.

The inhaler doesn't have Emma's name on it and the school had not been notified that she was taking the medication.

"Cause of death: lack of paperwork"

[Spooky27]

People can die without there life saving devices !!

[Radioactive]

stupid is as stupid does...

[dantheserene]

Pretty sure assuming a 9 year old is abusing an inhaler while actively showing signs of respiratory distress is the opposite of student safety.

[Robert]

They weren't assuming anything, they just had a rule.

[The Shrubber's Woodchipper]

If her death saves the life of just one child...

[A Cynic's Guide to Zen]

Teacher Criterion: 1) Have a pulse? 2) Over 18? 3) Scared of Parents or Lawsuits? Congratulations, you can be a teacher.

[Vapourwear]

"Criteria"

[mattcid]

This is on the parents. There is red tape when sending prescription meds to school. Parents who care will take their kids to the doctor once a year and fill out a form or two. Many do not.

[dantheserene]

So your implication is that any parent who does not follow every arbitrary, capricious, and intrusive diktat of school administrators, for whatever reason, does not care about their kids?
Obeying school officials equals love, apparently.

[LarryA]

There is red tape when sending prescription meds to school.

And the time for sorting such out is NOT while a third-grader is coughing so hard she throws up.

"Procedures were followed. Sorry your kid almost died, but maybe now you'll cross that last T."

[Vapourwear]

Fuck you.

[dantheserene]

Way to let the school staff off the hook. No need for anyone to think that way.