I am the mother of a sixth grade student at Robert Frost Middle School. I am writing to express my outrage over the actions of Dr. Joey Jones, the Principal of Frost MS, and the entire school staff, for their inexcusable treatment of 1,300 students during the bomb threat on Wednesday. The fact that 24 children FAINTED while being forced to sit without water (while watching their teachers drink water) under the direct sun for almost three hours while an air-conditioned auditorium at Wootton High School sat empty a couple of hundred meters away is unprecedented; I cannot believe this actually happened in a Blue Ribbon School in MCPS.
The incompetence of the school staff is beyond comprehension. I am a Russian émigré and former teacher who is now a US citizen, and I do not have words to express my feelings on this matter. I do not know what information you have received through "official" channels, but it is essential that you follow up on this incident immediately. We got a voice mail from Principal Jones at 4:30 PM about what happened and a weakly worded follow up letter, but neither even began to address the situation. Mr. Jones and his staff demonstrated a complete inability to handle a situation of this magnitude and we have lost complete confidence in his ability to safeguard our children.
Everybody knows how important it is to practice sun protection… the children were in direct harsh sun at the most dangerous time of the day for sun protection for three hours getting extreme sun damage during a very hot, cloudless day, yet even when multiple children started to faint from extreme exposure and dehydration, the clueless staff did not take any actions.
Dehydration is a severe threat to health, especially for children, and my son has asthma, which exacerbated the situation. I am also shocked that the children were seated relatively close to the building; if there was a bomb threat, why weren't they moved to the lower field away from the building. The breakdown on Wednesday was complete at every level. Even the medical technicians treating the children did not recognize the urgency of the lack of water and shade.
Inexplicable. Words fail me for this failure. And where was Principal Jones during this time? My son did not see him at all outside. He just saw staff doing nothing and drinking beverages while not even letting kids stand up.
One kid accidentally had carried his lunch outside and when he tried to eat it, he was harshly reprimanded by the same staff person who was drinking comfortably earlier. Every outdoor event for children that I have attended such as field days puts a paramount importance on having abundant water suppliers; EVERYONE knows how important this is. Meanwhile, our kids were left to broil and dehydrate in the direct sun for no apparent reason except sheer incompetence.
Dr. Weast, I hope you will take the appropriate actions quickly and decisively before other parents and I go to the media; this endangerment and abuse of children is beyond the pale and cannot be excused with typical bureaucratic nonsense.
The Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland thanks this parent for forwarding this letter to us. This parent wishes to remain anonymous in this posting. For the reference of our readers, here is the Google Earth image showing Frost Middle School and Wootton High School.
CODE OF MARYLAND REGULATIONS (COMAR) defines child abuse and child neglect as:
ReplyDeletePhysical injury not necessarily visible of a child under circumstances that indicate that a child's health or welfare is harmed or at substantial risk of being harmed.
The failure to give proper care and attention to a child including the leaving a child unattended where the child's health or welfare is harmed or a child is placed in substantial risk of harm.
Child Protective Services
ReplyDeleteYou are a mandated reporter if you are one of the following
Health Practitioner
Educator
Human Service Worker
Police Officer
This does NOT require PROOF that abuse or neglect has occurred before reporting. Incidents are to be reported as soon as they are suspected. Waiting for proof may involve grave risk to the child and impede services to the family. Proof may be long in coming, witnesses to child abuse and neglect are rare, and the child's testimony may be disbelieved or inadmissible.
If you knowingly fail to report suspected abuse of a child, you may be subject to professional sanctions by licensing boards. Anyone that makes a "good faith" report is immune from civil liability and criminal penalty.
According to Section 5-704 (b), if you are mandated to report, you must make an oral and written report to the local department of social services (or in abuse cases, to the local law enforcement department and the local States Attorney) not later than 48 hours after the contact, examination, treatment or other circumstances that lead you to believe that the child had been subjected to abuse or neglect. If a copy of the report is placed in the patient' medical record (a sample Child Abuse Reporting Form (DHR/SSA 180) can be found in Appendix A), information contained in the report shall only be disclosed in accordance with the Confidentiality Law regarding child abuse and neglect (Article 88A’6(b).)
If this happened in Washington, D.C. Chancellor Michelle Rhee would be questioned by the press as to why she allowed this to happen.
ReplyDeleteBut in MCPS? Where's our Superintendent?
Was he even in town last week? Why wasn't our Superintendent on the scene to handle this emergency?
Heat exhaustion is the result of the body's loss of water and salt. It is a warning that the body is getting too hot.
ReplyDeleteSymtoms include: a weak or fast pulse; cold and clammy skin; weakness or nausea; dizziness or fainting.
If you have symptoms of heat exhaustion, you should:
Get out of the sun to a cool spot.
Sip cool (not cold) water a little at a time.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100602/NEWS14/6020309/-1/NEWSMAP
I couldn't agree more. Every one should be alert about heat exhaustion. I read another story here http://www.sun-protection-and-you.com/heat-exhaustion.html
ReplyDelete