When a Bradford resident and parent of a 13-year-old student
with juvenile diabetes mellitus felt that justice wasn’t served in
an incident involving his daughter and a school nurse, he took his
concerns to the state – who investigated the claim, and nearly two
years later, charged the nurse.

The incident occurred Oct. 24, 2003, and involves current school
nurse Karolyn Graves and a former student of Floyd C. Fretz Middle
School. The family of the student asked that her name and their’s
be left out of this story.

According to court records, the student went to Graves with
concerns over her blood sugar level, which was 45, a number
considered to constitute hypoglycemia, and asked her for juice or
money to buy juice to help elevate the level.

That is where the student’s father said that Graves “refused” to
help his daughter.

After the incident was brought to light, the student’s father
said he and his wife tried to get information as to what sort of
disciplinary measures had been taken against Graves.

He said he feels that Terry Hoover, who was principal at the
middle school at the time of the incident, did not take care of the
matter in an appropriate way.

He said Hoover only said at the time that it was a “personnel
matter involving a student.”

Hoover could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

At that point, he said, he felt his only alternative was to
contact the state and ask if they would take a look at the
case.

“They sent an investigator and his findings were reviewed,” said
the father. “They decided to check it out and formal charges were
brought against her.

“I don’t want this to ever happen to anyone else,” he added. “I
want people to know that you can do something if you need to.”

Lee Ann Doynow, director of human services for the Bradford Area
School District, said Thursday the district didn’t know the outcome
of the case.

“We have received no official information about the inquiry,”
Doynow said. “It was a personnel situation and we handled it
appropriately. We felt we did the best we could for the parents
satisfaction.

“She was reprimanded and given a warning,” Doynow added. “We
can’t divulge individual personnel information.”

As to how the same type of situation, or one involving another
student in need, would be handled, Doynow said the nursing staff
for the district had been asked to review the plan which was in
place at the time of the incident.

Doynow also said that all school nurses were educated in the
supplies that are needed and understand how to handle a priority
situation.

“Some schools did purchase additional supplies to have in-house
to go with the ones we had in most school nurse offices,” added
Doynow. “We have a number of diabetic children and sometimes
parents supply the school with the favorite snack that works for
that particular child.”

When this story originally came to light, the family of the
student received letters and calls from people in support of their
plight. In their search to find the best avenue to investigate,
they found the response to their situation overwhelming but
welcomed it.

“I can’t be more thankful to the state … Margaret Sheaffer was a
big help,” said the student’s father of the prosecuting attorney
for the Department of the State. “The state did everything. I just
supplied the information. They spent their resources to find out
what happened and whether or not there was a case.”

For further information on where to go for help, visit the
Pennsylvania Department of State Web site at
www.dos.state.pa.us.