Statement by Edward J. McElroy, Secretary-Treasurer,
American Federation of Teachers, on School Nurses Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On this day, we recognize and honor school nurses whose training, expertise and skills help to make our public schools safe environments where children can grow and learn.

Every day, hard-working school nurses in our public schools perform an array of medical procedures, from taking temperatures to treating acute asthma attacks. School nurses play an important role in preserving students’ well-being by conducting screening tests and using their expertise to detect the early symptoms of childhood diseases. And school nurses are especially important to the millions of uninsured students who receive no other regular medical care.

Unfortunately, school nurses are too often the first employees dismissed when state funding for public schools is cut. This short-sighted approach endangers students by forcing untrained school personnel to administer complicated drug regimens and handle emergency medical situations. Recognizing that having too few school nurses is a threat to student health, the AFT is calling for legislative action to require a minimum of one full-time nurse in every school, and more if the school is larger than 750 students. In schools with a higher percentage of students with special needs, the nurse-to-student ratio should be even higher.

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