Diabetic student can’t test self alone

Alexander Lagman used to pull a small needle device out of his backpack in class, prick his skin for a blood test, and give himself insulin in seconds.

The quick response has kept the 17-year-old’s blood sugar level steady and his Type I diabetes under control.

But the Tempe Union High School District has stopped him from carrying the lancet for the glucose testing meter because it violates rules against needle possession, he said. The Mountain Pointe High School junior now is supposed to go to the nurse’s office to test his blood.

Wednesday, the Arizona Center for Disability Law filed a lawsuit against the district under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"What they’ve done is taken away his ability to deal with his disease appropriately," said Jerri Katzerman, an attorney with the center. "It’s discrimination. The district has to take into account people with disabilities and their access to education."

Superintendent Shirley Miles said the district had not received the lawsuit from the center and could not comment.

In Lagman’s case, going to the nurse’s office for testing would pull him out of the classroom, so often he’d be missing valuable class time, said his father, Bruce Lagman. And it’s possible he might not make it to the nurse’s office in time to overcome fluctuations in his blood sugar level, putting him at risk.

"I have seen Type 1 diabetics go from being fully coherent and clear to a full-blown diabetic coma in minutes," said Dr. Andrew Carroll, a family practice physician in Chandler. "It is a bad idea to make a kid go from class to the nurse’s office because during that walk he could collapse. The school needs to reexamine its policy."

Alexander Lagman said he now goes to the bathroom to check his blood sugar level.

"I don’t think I should be ashamed of taking care of my health," he said.

The district has classified Lagman as disabled because of his diabetes, Katzerman said.

"Diabetic students are typically protected by various disability laws, so school districts are having to be extra careful to make sure their rights aren’t violated," said Tom Pickrell, an attorney for the Mesa Unified School District. In Mesa, school nurses work with parents to decide if diabetic students can test themselves.

This year, asthmatic children have the protection of a new state law. They can carry an inhaler to school if they have a doctor’s prescription and parental authorization. Another law in effect this year allows students to carry emergency medications, such as injectors to prevent a serious allergic reaction. Equipment for routine diabetic care, however, would probably not be covered under these laws, Pickrell said.

Schools are concerned about students having access to needles, he said, because they can be lost or stolen, used for illicit drugs or pose a safety risk if students are stabbed with them.

"Our view is the school nurse’s office is the best place" when needles are needed for medical purposes, he said.

Nonetheless, exceptions need to be made for diabetic children who can manage the disease on their own, Katzerman said.

"I think I should be able to test and hang out with my friends and just kind of blend in," Alexander Lagman said. "I just don’t really understand what the problem is."

The problem came up several weeks ago when a security officer found a diabetic supply pack Lagman left in his locker over the summer.

The pack had syringes to inject insulin if the insulin pump on his body broke or accidentally came off.

On Sept. 7, Lagman said he was questioned about the pack and forced to give up the testing device.

The confrontation was devastating to a shy kid who doesn’t like to be called on in class or singled out as a diabetic, said his father. Nonetheless, Bruce Lagman said he wants to fight for diabetic students who can successfully manage the disease on their own.

"My goal would be to allow all kids to be able to test," said Lagman. "People need to get more educated. (Diabetes) is deadly."