Pasco parent urges full‑time elementary nurses, cites Section 504 and IDEA

At the Pasco School Board meeting a parent, Maria Lopez, told the board her 10-year-old son, who attends Rowena Chess Elementary and has autism and type 1 diabetes, needs daily medical support that she says is not available consistently when a nurse is not on campus.

"My son requires daily medical support, blood glucose checks, insulin administration, and help with his blood sugar drops dangerously low," Lopez said. She added that because of his autism he "requires familiar trained adults who understand how to communicate effectively with him and respond in an emergency promptly."

Lopez told the board she is concerned the absence of a full‑time nurse limits her son's right to a free appropriate public education under "Section 504 and IDEA," names she used in public comment. "Qualified nurse or consistently trained staff available every day and that parents are informed about who will provide care when the nurse is absent," she said.

The board accepted the comment during the audience-comment period. No board action was taken during the meeting, and district staff did not provide an immediate staffing commitment on the record at that time.

Provenance: Public comment from Maria Lopez during the audience-comments segment of the meeting.