School Nurses

May 16, 2009

For some time now HFT has been the strongest advocate for nurses and nurses issues in the district. One of our Nurse’s Task Force main issues is to require a full time nurse at every campus. The health and safety benefits to students and staff are obvious. In a quick survey of our building stewards taken yesterday HFT has identified over twenty schools that do not have a full time nurse. The Swine Flu epidemic we are currently experiencing has demonstrated the obvious need for a nurse in every building. HISD has responded to the epidemic by agreeing to place a nurse “temporarily” at those campuses that need one. This is at best a stopgap measure intended mitigate the public outcry should this negligence become common knowledge.

There is currently a common sense bill stalled in the Texas House Public Education Committee. SB 158 (Ellis) would require schools without nurses, not to get a nurse, but to inform the parents of that school that there is no nurse. This bill passed the Senate 31 – 0 on March 24th but has been stuck without a hearing in House Public Ed since March 31st. This simple notification legislation has met stiff resistance from the school districts. One of our traditional friends on the committee, Rep. Scott Hochberg has refused to support this bill even though he supported the same legislation in 2007. It is time to move forward with this bill and begin working on legislation for 2011 which will actually require a nurse on each campus.