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Pennsylvanians, it is that time again.

Time to let our elected officials know that among the things we expect them to do is to keep kids with diabetes safe at school.

Find your representatives and feel free to copy and adapt what I sent my Rep, the Honorable Mr. Thomas Murt:

The Honorable Thomas Murt
19 South York Rd.
Hatboro, PA 19040

Dear Representative Murt,

As a parent of two children with type 1 diabetes, I want to thank you for your sponsorship of safe at school legislation in previous sessions.  I know you have supported this since at least 2008 and I have proudly shared my appreciation on my blog. I hope you will continue that support of kids by co-sponsoring the house version of Senator Browne’s upcoming bill that allows local school officials and parents to cooperate to provide safe school environments for children with diabetes. 

I know there are many issues in the Commonwealth. I appreciate that you have show nuanced appreciation for this approach to facilitating parents and schools to work together to keep children safe, in class without a de facto mandate from the capital to micromanage and inflate local school board budgets. I appreciate that you have shown leadership on this issue as a sponsor in the past.

It is time to get this bill out of committee and passed. 

Your renewed sponsorship is an important step in the process. Type 1 diabetes requires ongoing vigilance. Diabetes management does not wait for legislative sessions. Unfortunately not all school budgets can expand to provide full time nursing. Local officials and parents should have the flexibility to agree to train a responsible adult to provide the needed diabetes support to help kids stay safe in schools.

Safe includes medically safe. Most of the daily tasks for children with diabetes care now are provided or supervised by parents and other adults who have be trained by diabetes educators. This standard of care can work in schools where there is not full time nursing coverage. Senator Browne’s bill anticipates that and is supported by the Pennsylvania Medical Society. This clearly demonstrated the processes this bill proposes are medically sound.  

It bill is exactly this kind of considered approach to unique issues that can combine to provide the needed diabetes support in schools.

Thank you for your efforts to keep children safe in school.

Bennet Dunlap