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?

Sorry, but you don't "agree to disagree" when it comes to whether a child with asthma gets to access their inhaler. So what's done would not, in fact, be done until the teacher understood the possible consequences of her actions, and agreed that it would never happen again. If that agreement was not forthcoming, then it would be time for a formal complaint.

Yes, in an ideal world, the 11 year old child should remember to bring their inhaler. No, they should not be punished with suffocation if they forget to do so. They should just be allowed to go and get it.

And more generally, those of you who would refuse to allow a child to go and get their inhaler in this situation should probably not be trusted to safeguard children.

The choice between risking a child dying from an asthma, and risking a child bunking off a lesson, does not present a serious dilemma for functioning adults.

Surely the point is that if a child really needs their inhaler then dispatching them for a solo 20-minute round trip to go and fetch it is a criminally irresponsible thing to do. Either the situation is serious enough that medical treatment should be supplied right there in the gym hall with the child not needing to move, requing mobilisation of as many adults as necessary to provide the treatment needed on the spot, calling an ambulance if the adults on site can't sort out treatment - OR it's not actually that serious in which case no action is necessary. There is no grey area in between where sending the child off for 20 minutes while the PE teacher continues to run the lesson for the rest of the class is an appropriate outcome.

@Chickencuddle I suggest you get your DD a stretchy belt like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fitness-colours-Workouts-Exercise-Activities/dp/B01H0FXKVS/ which can be worn under her sports kit and can keep her inhaler with her during PE.

That's ridiculous. Asthma is not allowed or nothing.

A peer could have been sent to get her inhaler. It could have relieved her tightness of breath and reduced her discomfort.

However, it's not clear that dd asked directly. Did she maybe say "I need to go to the changing room" and therefore the teacher rightly said no?

There are explanations to this situation that neither involve a child or adult lying.

Not sure what you mean by “What do I do now?”

Why do you need to do anything else? You’ve explained to the teacher that you’re not happy and told your daughter to ensure she has her inhaler with her for P.E.

Just move on?

Request a face to face meeting with the Head of PE and take DD with you.

“Teacher mentioned that changing rooms are 10 minutes away from hall”

That’s half a mile! Surely some exaggeration here.

Thanks everyone think it's sorted.
The reason I said what do I do next is that I didn't feel it was resolved. There was no plan in place PE teacher was very defensive and didn't speak about what would happen in future. It was all over the phone.
Was good timing that they broke up for Easter today and we had parent teacher meetings. (We are NI)
Spoke to head of year who was aware and got a crystal clear asthma plan for her that she said she would make sure all teachers are aware. I also advised about her having spoken to classroom assistant and head of year reassured her if anyone tells you you cannot get your inhaler you just go getnit anyway.
I said she would take it with her to PE in future.
I spoke to PE teacher who was obviously trying to butter us up she had a sheet of grades in front of her. We saw my dds was a C but she covered the sheet with another page and told me she had an A. She was so over the top complimentary. Obviously knows she has messed up. I said dd would have inhaler with her at all times and she said she would keep it in her pocket for her. PE teacher didn't actually mention the incident and neither did I as I felt like it was sorted now anyway and wanted to leave on good terms.
Hopefully all sorted now anyway. Going to take dd back to doctors too just to get some clarity from them.

OP I had the same as your DD. Feel free to PM me if needed.

As a teacher, this one sounds like an idiot. It could potentially turn into a life threatening situation. I would never risk that with my pupils.

Also, people are being too harsh on an 11 year old who has been newly diagnosed.

I don't understand why so many parents buy into this false idea that anyone has authority over their own bodily autonomy - and pass this lie onto their children.
If your daughter needs medicine and is being denied it, tell her to just go and get it. Then support her if the teacher/school make a fuss.
'Never be too scared to look after your own health', is a more important lesson, imo, than 'be a good little girl'.
I don't agree with the pp who thinks we should just accept injustice/unfairness as a part of life.

Teacher is in error but was most likely a genuine mistake. She hears these excuses all day every day relentlessly and it makes her job extremely difficult. She’s back tracking now to avoid legal repercussions. You won’t get her to agree with you as it could lead to litigation. She’s not in the right I agree and it’s a crap situation. You absolutely must insist your Ds has her inhaler at all times going forward. It’s something you’ll need to almost train her to be constantly conscious of. The teacher won’t take responsibility for reminding her individually although I would suggest they remind the whole group before leaving the changing rooms. That’s perfectly doable.

Bribing you with grades to skate over a safeguarding failure. Nice.
Hope your DD gets a different teacher next year.

Most schools have a parent teacher go between (can't remember their job title). You could look it up on the website & tell them about it (inhaler & loo break). Or head of year n don't forget other child confirming and TA witness.

I had thought PE teachers had improved on the standard persona a few decades ago...
IE likes to act like god but knows zero outside of PE....& Actually thinks it matters as much as other subjects (sorry not my favourite people -only met 2 good ones and thats a poor statistic).
Good luck
Extra thought...if they're taught in groups could she swap?

Your daughter’s story doesn’t match the teacher’s version of events. The teacher denies your daughter asked to get the inhaler. Why are you persisting in blaming the teacher? Maybe your daughter has got this wrong. I can’t imagine a teacher risking the girl not accessing the inhaler.

I take it you haven't encountered many PE teachers.

The PE teacher had nothing to backnup her version of events. My daughter had 2 people. Why are you so eager to believe PE teacher? All sorted now as postd above.

Write a note for your daughter, the teacher may well forget as she will teach a huge amount of students. That also covers your daughter in case there is a cover teacher for a lesson. This should eliminate any misconceptions going forward.

It sounds like the teacher needs training on asthma - as an asthma patient myself, I don't need to necessarily be doing an activity, or breaking a sweat to need an inhaler, just pollen or dust particles can set it off.
Schools sometimes cover issues such as asthma, use of inhalers, epipens, etc on teacher training days so maybe a conversation with the pastoral lead is required.

Generally I think parents need to support teachers. There is a middle ground where your child asked. Teacher misunderstood and said No.
When I was 15 my friend had an asthma attack and died. She didn't have an inhaler with her.
I think your child needs to have an inhaler with her at all times.
I am sure your phone call will help.
I understand why you are concerned.

If she has these issues why have you not told her before now to keep her inhaler on her during pe? What good is it the changing room if she starts having an attack.

And it was inappropriate for you to expect the PE teacher to remind your DD to carry it with her for PE - that's for you as the parent to do and for DD to take responsibility for remembering as a secondary age pupil.

She didn't have an inhaler for a long time we only just recently got it. Previously had steroids and antibiotics etc
Sigh. Didn't realise people would be desperately trying to catch me out and can't just accept that PE teacher may have been wrong

@Chickencuddle the PE teacher needs reminding that's she's a teacher and not a respiratory consultant.
Tbf, your daughter should take her inhaler to every class.

I’d be concerned with the advice that she can leave whenever she wants to go get her inhaler, what happens if she has an asthma attack on the way back and she’s gone without anyone knowing or without anyone nearby to help?

I can't believe the amount of people downplaying what the teacher did here and blaming a child (especially one that is just coming to grips with her diagnosis). I know someone who's child died of an amazing attack. I also recently read about a child dying in school after being denied their inhaler. Yes it's important that Ops Dd knows to carry her inhaler in the future. The point here is that she needed it and her teacher denied her potentially lifesaving medication. Teaching is an extremely difficult job, but the highest priority is safeguarding the children in their care, the teacher totally failed here and then lied to cover her tracks.