I don't think anybody is upset at the program, honestly. Multiple people have said it's a fantastic program, myself included. I'm upset with the school. I can't speak for others though.
If anything, I'd say be upset at the school for jeopardizing this program in the future by not ensuring this kid is completely safe and covered. CYA and all. A piece of paper, when we've even said in this thread that we know most people don't read it thoroughly, is not enough to protect a kid IMO. Everyone knows parents skim over the mass plethora of papers sent home from schools (we get a veritable book of papers every single day here), so if it's a medical type procedure, it needs more that. Again, JMO. I LOVE that this program is available because I KNOW there are millions of people who can't afford it on their own. My issue is that the SCHOOL let this kid go through this alone and then released him into the world at the ripe old age of 9 years old right after having teeth pulled. I get angry again every time I think about it, tbh.
As a retired teacher who had this program in the schools I worked in, I know zero about dental stuff. The only reason I know what happened with the dental in my school is that the last few working years I did not work in the classroom. I had a job where I worked in the community but had an office in an empty classroom that was used for multiple things because it was empty.
Each child would be picked up from the classroom and brought to the dental area that was set up in the empty classroom..
A team of people worked on each child. As I was in and out, I never was there for a long period of time so my info is limited.
When I was a classroom teacher, each child was taken from my room by a dental staff person. I could never leave my room as I had the rest of the students.
When a child would come back, I would know zero about what happened.
Juat as when a child goes to speech or occupational therapy or whatever services a child may receive, I have no idea of what the interaction was in a particular day,
The school is merely the place where the kids are. This could be done at a community center on weekends or evenings and parents could bring their kids. Obviously, the school day is the most convenient.
I cannot remember if a parent ever asked to be with the child.
Why the child walked home is not specified. The child should have gone back to the class and then had a normal dismissal.
If the child was upset, the dental staff should have handled it. They are undoubtedly used to thousands of kids. He certainly cannot be the first child who cried.
The whole story is bizarre. And if the child was released to walk when he should have been bused, that is a concern.
Was there an attempt to contact the parent? Is there a school nurse? What exactly happened?
People expect teachers and schools to be all things. We provide clothing, food, emotional and monetary support if a child needs money for activities aside from the education.
The parents need to do things such as read the notes that are sent home. Someone takes time during their lives to communicate . Whatever the note is about such as health concerns such as a lice epidemic, activities in the class or community, and on and on.
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