South-Western school nurse resigns, principal suspended after alleged improper exam
A South-Western City Schools nurse has resigned and a principal was put on unpaid leave after accusations that the nurse improperly examined a 5-year-old in November, with the principal present, without notifying the student's parents.
The school nurse, whom The Dispatch is not naming because she hasn't been criminally charged, resigned Tuesday, according to the Grove City-area district, a day after the school board voted 4-1 to continue its investigation into possible termination after a two-hour executive session. Both individuals were originally placed on administrative leave Nov 14, hours after the district learned of the examination.
According to the district, the nurse conducted an improper visual inspection of the child, with the principal present but without the parents' consent, at the 750-student Buckeye Woods Elementary School. The child's parents were informed later that day.
In general, Ohio school nurses have wide latitude in how they do their jobs and when and how parents should be notified, said Sandy Glasner, executive director of the Ohio School Nurses Association.
"Typically, when a child comes to the school nurse, the parent needs to be notified," Glasner said. "But the notification process varies.
"Ohio law states that the parents will be notified, but it doesn't say how."
Some school districts may require a handwritten notification, others an email or phone call, Glasner said: "There always is some form of professional documentation in the student's health record."
Katie Frost, a parent of three Buckeye Woods students, who has known the principal for six years, said that firing her would be wrong.
"I'm not saying that I would die on the hill that she would never do anything wrong, but I don't believe in my heart that she would ever do anything in a malicious manner."
Frost said she's most concerned that so little information was released.
"A lot of us left that meeting confused and very sad," she said.
The nurses association's 575 members are required to be licensed school nurses, meaning they have specialized training and skills to work in schools.
Glasner, who worked as a school nurse in Columbus City Schools for 10 years before retiring four years ago, said an estimated more than 1,800 Ohio nurses are not licensed for schools. She was hoping to get details of the South-Western case.
Schools spokesman Evan M. Debo said that the nurse was a licensed school nurse.
Grove City police investigated and referred the case to the Franklin County Prosecutor's office. They also notified the Ohio Board of Nursing, Ohio Department of Education and Franklin County Children’s Services. No charges had been filed, as of Tuesday afternoon.
dnarciso@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: South-Western school nurse resigns, principal on leave after improper exam
