This year, the implementation of the Securly Pass system for all hall and nurse passes, and the ongoing restrictions on personal device use have created additional challenges for students with diabetes.
The digital pass system, Securly Pass, only allows a certain number of people to leave at a time, sometimes preventing students from getting to the restroom or nurse quickly. The phone ban affects students with diabetes directly due to the need to constantly monitor blood sugar levels on their phones. This is done through a continuous glucose monitor that pairs with an app like Glucose Buddy, Diabetes Connect and One Drop.
Medical exemptions for these students allow them access to their phones at all times, and teachers have access to health information in Skyward, according to SM East nurse Stephanie Ptacek. Despite this access, it’s difficult to communicate to teachers which students need access to their phones.
“[The] challenge is how to communicate with teachers that certain students need to have unlimited access to their cell phones, even with the ban in place,” Ptacek said. “That's been challenging because teachers have a lot of students to manage. Sometimes it's difficult to remember who needs their phone and who just wants their phone.”
Teachers have called students out for having their phones out to monitor blood sugar levels.
Senior Garrett Brown has Type 1 Diabetes and requires constant access to his phone for medical reasons. He has had teachers tell him to put his phone away.
“As soon as I explained what was going on, they were super understanding and apologetic,” Brown said. “So it was no big issue.”
Brown has found that taking initiative and communicating with teachers helps avoid any issues, and doesn’t believe that policy changes are necessary at the school and district level.
However, additional attention is still drawn to students if a teacher forgets their medical exemption. The nurse has proposed the idea that students can place a sticker on the back of their phone to indicate they require the devices for medical reasons. However, this would disclose private medical information and draw unnecessary attention.
“Their blood sugar can go up and down, and it's not just food,” Ptacek said. “It's emotional or activity levels or illness, so many things can play into that. And so they're living an extra challenging teenage life. We want to try to not add to that or make it more difficult because they're dealing with these blood sugar challenges constantly, every day. There's no break from it.”
Associate principal Dr. Anna Thiele also recommends that students reach out to teachers at the beginning of the year and copy a parent on the email if there is medical information they need to know.
“I think that's the place to start for students,” Thiele said. “And I truly do believe that we have understanding teachers who are flexible in these circumstances.”
As a former teacher, Thiele has had students with diabetes in class and always worked to accommodate them. She also appreciated when students took the initiative to reach out and tell her about their medical concerns.
“I always appreciated when a student was on top of it because the last thing I would want for the student is for them not to be able to manage it,” Thiele said. “Then let's say they passed out in class, and then we have to get the nurse in there with a wheelchair. So I've always been appreciative of students who are able to model and advocate for what they need.”
Despite the additional challenges that the phone ban and pass system bring, no changes will be made to the current policy.
According to Nurse Ptacek, problems like this arise when a new system, like the passes and phone ban, is implemented.
“I just think that everyone is trying,” Ptacek said. “I think the teachers and staff are trying to be consistent with the pass system so that it works the way it's supposed to. And so I think we have these little hiccups that we have to get through.”
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