P E teacher. Please help.

[Chickencuddle]

I phoned in today about my daughter being denied her inhaler during PE. I asked to speak to head of pastoral care. But I got a phone call back from PEt teacher who flat out denied and basically said my dd is lying. She also said she wasn't working hard enough to be out of breath or even breaking a sweat. I said this didn't matter and she needs her inhaler. She said she didn't say she needed her inhaler.
I felt so bad and actually considered if my dd had lied although would be so so out of character for her. I spoke to dd who was shocked and upset about what the PE teacher had said. She insured me she was telling the truth and said her friend had been with her and also she had spoken to a classroom assistant after teacher told her she couldn't get it telling her what teacher had said and classroom assistant said if she didn't feel better soon she had her permission to go get it. But she told me she jyst dealt with the breathlessness and got her inhaler after PE.

Teacher mentioned that changing rooms are 10 minutes away from hall and that dd has never brought her inhaler. I said maybe that could be mentioned that next time she brings it with her. She said that needs to be something I tell her as she has enough kids to deal with. I said that's fine but I wasn't to know it was so far away. I'm only just hearing that now. Also why is she telling me this if dd actually didn't ask?

She has said mean things to dd before denied her toilet which I had to phone for. I didn't want this to be a big thing just wanted PE teacher to let dd use inhaler. But now feels like a big thing and feel like I have to clear dds name as head of year bas spoken to PE reacher and obviouslt believes this as she told her to ohone me i assume.. I believe dd. the details and things she was saying and way she was saying it. Plus I phoned friends mum and explained and asked to speak to her dd. Her dd said exactly what mine said.

What do I do now?

Lots of schools are still in. Particularly catholic schools, they tend to be in for Holy week.

Are they? They are all closed here. I appreciate dates do fluctuate a bit but I can’t see how you manage to fit in a half term in May if they haven’t broken up yet. Unless they have been off already. It would end up with a very short term either way.

Yeah like 3 weeks to ensure you were open for exams. Very odd you're right. The school opposite from my house is still open, the one next door to it is shut.

But you are beating a dead horse so to speak. It’s happened and you raised it. You didn’t get the response you wanted so you continues to raise it - it doesn’t change the facts which is your daughter said she needed her inhaler, didn’t bring it to class and wasn’t allowed to go and get it. Mistakes all around but again it doesn’t change the situation. There is a way forward to avoid this next time and otherwise your continuance to want more response etc is to make a point and be punitive. As I said before I think you have made your point and need to move forward:

What do the classroom assistant and other PE teachers say? Either the teacher is lying or your daughter is and they should be able to clear that up

How old. If secondary age surely dd has responsibility here. I have a dd who is 8 and she got friends with inhalers and they take responsibility to make sure they have it. Wonder if teacher was just covering lesson.

I am a teacher. If a child tells me they need their inhaler, they go and get it and use it. Every. Single. Time. Even when I'm 99% sure it's an excuse to get out of PE, why would I chance that? We have to go through really scary Athma training every few years and the consequences of not using an inhaler in time don't bare thinking about. Teacher knows they have erred and is trying to back track. Take it further not least so that the school reminds all staff of their duty if care in this area.

How old. If secondary age surely dd has responsibility here.

The punishment for making a mistake and forgetting your inhaler isn't risk of death from an uncontrolled asthma attack. Arrange for child to get inhaler (e.g. send a friend or TA for it) and give the child a behaviour sanction for forgetting if necessary.

And I'm not sure latter would be justified when the arrangements for taking inhalers to PE apparently haven't been spelled out clearly to the child. When you can't have your bag with you and no pockets, it's non obvious. School telling her she should have it with her is of limited value unless they say here's the medication tray, or you can bring your schoolbag and leave it in x place, or whatever the appropriate arrangement is. Child doesn't know how all this works, she probably thought in the changing room counted as 'with her' and it would be accessible if needed.

Some monsters on this thread.
Yeah let her die, that'll teach her to be so forgetful about her medication.

Besides, the teacher wouldn't have mentioned half the things they did if they weren't lying. I'm not teacher bashing. I'm adult bashing.

Just tell your dd to take her inhaler with her.

Having had a secondary school teacher lie to me, I do believe you!

What do you do if it means getting the entire class to go back into the main school?

I was a teacher , the amount of unfounded complaints I had from parents saying I hadn't allowed them to go to the toilet? Have life saving medication, showed discrimination etc etc etc. Bon of which were true. The just wanted to get out of lessons or detention. I'm not saying this is true in your child's case but I find it very hard to believe that s teacher would prevent use of an inhaler ...there will I suspect be each more to this

Some RC schools still close for holy days of obligation, if they do then half term can be just 2 days.

It will have been “you can’t go to the changing room” no doubt.

Yes mine did (a long time ago) and it was also a private school so longer holidays any way.

I’m struggling to remember how it used to work as surely the may half term must be pretty rigid in its timing due to exams? In England at least.

Often the wheeze can only be heard using a stethoscope. Sometimes the asthma is so severe that they're not moving enough air to generate a wheeze. In a child who is known to have reactive airways, and been issued with an inhaler, it should be used according to their wheeze management plan. When I write a WMP I make much more reference to shortness of breath than wheeze, as it is easier for the child to tell.

I keep having issues with our pe teachers.. my daughter was told by her paediatric consultant to avoid exercise whilst undergoing tests...
I had written proof, also phoned the school and told them verbally.
Pe teacher then ordered my daughter to join in with pe or be sent to isolation.
She joined in..
I was livid, I mean I understand what some posters are saying and I'm sure they are a million excuses given, but that doesn't mean this "guilty until proven otherwise" is a good idea..I asked to see the teachers medical certificates to prove she knew better than a qualified practitioner, obviously told there wasn't one, I then threatened to take it further if it ever happened again.. luckily it hasn't..

Unless your DD is under age 7 I would expect her to bring her inhaler. Why is it up to the teacher?

Clear her name? She hasn't been arrested. Honestly some parents 🙄

The teacher is there to teach not to run around getting inhalers.

This!! Unfortunately parents believe the lying little darlings.

I'm sure there were, schools have an abundance of staff at the moment.

The bit I don't get is...what do you want to achieve now?

Does the teacher;

1. let DD walk off for 20 mins unsupervised with a 'life threatening condition potentially having an asthma attack'
2. take all 30 plus kids back to changing rooms
3. assess the situation given profession judgement and make a professional call?

It's a literal no win situation.

The teacher rang you and not the HOY as it was an issue with their lesson.

So you think that DD should have been allowed to get inhaler which she forgot. Fair enough. The teacher has asked you to remind DD to bring it next time. They will teacher over 500 kids a week. It is not their responsibility to remind your child. It's is your responsibility to help DD manage her condition better. Get a spare write her name on it and give it to teacher. Job done.

Why assume that all teachers always tell the truth, and all children lie? Demonstrably teachers are at least as fallible as anyone else.

It actually doesn’t matter who was “lying” as it was never the issue. The child is fine and didn’t need the inhaler. Teaching staff all now know DD is to carry it round in future. It’s sorted.
The only problem is of the mothers intransigence.

Just because the child is alive and not in hospital does not necessarily mean they didn't need the inhaler at the time.