I work at a school, and I have always kept extra supplies in my desk drawer. This included an extra meter, glucose tabs, and humalog and lantus as well as a bag of syringes and glucagon. THis summer while I was away on vacation, the classrooms were cleaned out, and my supervisor was made aware that I had syringes in the classroom, and I am now being told I need to keep them in a locked box outside of the classroom. Is this allowed? Thoughts?
Yea, probably. There is a lot of fear in schools...
I have a friend who is a teacher aide. At lunch, the diabetic children are her responsibilty to make sure they eat, but the school nurse administers insulin. They can not give insulin or eat/drink to overcome lows without her approval (and she is not in the school everyday.) Scary. We are a very paranoid population.
If you have a good hidey hole, I would use it. Document your actions,but protect yourself.
I do think they can stop you from having these products in a classroom...
I was considering asking for that, so its easier access for me. My other issue with this is that there is another diabetic on staff, and they haven't asked her to do the same with her supplies. Should I push that issue, or just file this away in case a larger issue comes down the pipeline in the future. And would a 504 plan work in a work setting? I know I had one as a child in school to carry my own supplies.
They aren't ok with even a locked drawer in your desk? That sounds like a reasonable accommodation to me.
Then again, when I was in elementary, they let me carry all of my supplies in a purse, no questions asked.
Assuming you’re in the U.S., you need to mention “reasonable accomodarion” and come up with an acceptable solution that makes you feel safe and able to
Do your job. A box outside of the classroom is NOT acceptable IMO. You couldn’t easily get to it during the day and if there was a lockdown emergency, you’d potentially be separated from your supplies. Which also means that you’d potentially be rendered unable to help the children in your care.
Sarah, are you allowed to have a purse in your classroom? If so, I would get a small cosmetic bag and keep your supplies that they take issue with in your purse. I use an OmniPod and keep a couple of back up syringes inside my pump case. You could do the same with whatever case you keep your meter in.
To me, if you keep it in your purse, it's a personal item and children shouldn't be in your purse.
What do non-diabetic teachers do if they are on any type of medication that they have to take during the school day? Do they keep those in their purse in the classroom? This is the same sort of thing, to me.
Of course, we all know that common sense doesn't always enter into office policy...
I would try to reach an acceptable agrement with the school. Could you put sharps in a locked box in your classroom? This way your have access and the students are not in any danger.
I teach first grade in a public school. All my supplies are kept in my kit which I carry in a tote bag. It's nobody' business what I have in my bag. I would never put anything in my desk because, yes, kids get into everything at that age.
same here. When I worked in a public school,I always carried my gear with me, in a small black medical bag,inside my big tote. I kept that big totebag locked up in my personal desk drawer or file cabinet drawer during the times I was working with the kids. I wore my key to it around my neck.. and no one ever got in those drawers but me.. All the teachers locked up their personal items, and no one ever asked them about their contents.I worked in an urban district, but we did not check the staff's personal storage spots. We were required to clean out EVERYTHING from the drawers prior to summmer break. Only the technological gear, such computers,laptops calculators, Ipads, etc. were left out for the tech teams to come in to count,repair, then lock up over the summer.The books were stacked ,covered on the bookshelves or cabinets. Everything else had to be taken out or boxed up.
What you, Sarah, have described, Sounds like a "locker raid" to me: No one should go in your locked drawer. Maybe it is not illegal to do such a search in a public school, I just have not seen such a thing done.
Additionally, I would keep an extra small bag n of my stash/supplies in the nurse's office locked drawers/ locked fridge just in case I became ill and could not get to my locked area.The other staff members had access to the key in case it was needed, but nothing was done in such a draconian manner. It was just a matter of fact that : "Ms G. ( what the kids AND SOME Teachers called, my last name initial)is a diabetic, and that is her stuff". They never saw me use the needles or the lancets for that manner, I am kind of private about that around children and SOME adults..My kids just knew Never to touch my stuff or my personal items..
Lol- I was the alpha dog in my room. Beloved, but the top dog.
God bless,
Brunetta
Even if they cannot provide a locking desk for your items, they should be able to place a locking file cabinet in the room so your supplies are safe and available.
That's a beautifull puppy Sarah. That is a GS correct?
Thank you Brunetta. I will be having a meeting with them on Wednesday asking for a locking space within the classroom. Having people go through my medical supplies is just not okay, as is their desire to keep it in an area that is not readily accessible for me. A lock on a drawer or filing cabinet is realativly easy to install. I dont want to have to involve the ADA, so I'm hoping this meeting will allow for it to come to an amicable understanding.
She is indeed! Just yesterday she passed her final slew of tests to become a fully certified diabetic alert dog :) (that will be the NEXT battle with my employers).
Valid points Jackie. Thank you. Just felt a little discriminated against, and dont want to throw her under the bus - its a matter of keeping a cool head once in the meeting to find a solution that works for everyone, as well as educate them what our needs truly are as diabetics. Its a good learning opportunity.
Good point on the lockdowns. They occur on a regular basis in my school (its a special pull out learning center for those with behavioral/emotional disorders) and I would be not allowed to access the supplies during those instances. I will use this point in my meeting. Thanks!
All other teachers keep all sorts of medications in their desk drawers, prescriptions to caffiene pills! So it didnt seem out of line for me to do the same. I always try to have an extra syringe in my test kit with insulin, but there are the rare days it gets forgotten. Hence the supply at work. In the meeting I will ask for a locked drawer in the classroom, remind them there are other diabetics on staff that they should potentially consider, and leave it at that.
Great, Sarah. I hope it goes well!!!
God bless
Brunetta
Sarah - I don't think you'll have too much difficulty requesting to bring a well behaved diabetic alert dog with you to work in the classroom. I'm aware of two public grade school T1 teachers that bring their hypo-alert dogs to work with them. In fact, their young students are often better behaved and more respectful of the dog than many co-workers in a non-classroom environment.
Your employer allowing a diabetic alert dog to accompany you at work is usually considered a "reasonable accommodation" under the ADA.
Not allowed. They need to be made aware of the laws and rights that protect you. Contaact your Superintendent in charge of HR at the district level and let them know the situation. They should contact your administrator to "school" them on the law. They may ask you to put them under lock and key, but they cant ask you to keep them outside of your classroom. That is a potential health risk and a huge lawsuit for them.
Personally, I think it is dangerous to leave our supplies in places that do not belong to us. Yes, I can see where leaving something in the desk of an employer would be a simple thing. We take ownership of our workplace area.
The thing is, our workplace desk is NOT our personal space. It is space that is loaned to us so that we may get our work done more efficiently. In my mind, leaving supplies there is crazy.
I carry a little black box that contains an infusion set, a reservoir, insulin, another battery for the pump and a set of batteries for the meter, a couple of syringes, glucose tabs, alcohol swabs and a vial for used strips.
Think about it. How much stuff do you need? I know of diabetics who have supplies to last six months in their medicine cabinet, car, desk, purse/briefcase, vacation home and travel luggage. That's nuts!
Pack what you need. Use what you have, rotate often, and refill as necessary. Travel light. Keep supplies close, not left to advertise or tempt.