We Can and We Must Do Better Than This (Part 2)

The response I received from Sen. Stoner was rapid. See below:


Thank you for taking the time to write to me about the state funding of the school nurse program. I share your concerns for the health and well being of our children. Please know the decision to continue state assistance for the school nurse program is of great concern to me. The process for considering the continuation of this important state funding has just begun. The General Assembly has not yet begun the task of fully addressing this important state issue.
I would like to take this opportunity to provide some background information on current funding of the school nurse program, along with the budget process and a historical look at this particular program. The Governor and General Assembly have fully funded the state portion of the school nurse program for Fiscal year 2009, which runs through the end of this school year. In his Fiscal Year 2010 budget proposal, the Governor has suggested removing the state portion of school nurse funding. The next step in the budget process is consideration by the House of Representatives. The Senate will only have an opportunity to make changes once the budget receives approval from the House of Representatives.

The current state portion for school nurse funding is $30 million dollars and the local school systems fund an additional $25 million for a total of $55 million dollars. The proposal by the Governor for 2010 is to remove the state portion of funding. State assistance for funding school nurses began with in the 2001 school year to expand coverage to more of our school. Prior to 2001 school nurses were funded solely by local school systems.

As you likely already know, the state is facing a historic shortfall in revenues. This does not allow any option to be removed from consideration. However, it is a top priority of mine and my Senate colleagues to look at all available options in order to continue assisting local school systems with the school nurse program.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write me with your concerns.


Doug Stoner
State Senator
District 6

We Can and We Must Do Better Than This

I was so upset to learn that due to the humongous budget shortfall for the state of GA, the general assembly would be making budget cuts that included of all things--SCHOOL NURSES! Taking pen to paper I drafter a letter to my state senator and representative:

Dear Senator Stoner,

I am writing to express my deep concern over the proposed budget cuts affecting school nurses. My son, Isaiah who is a first grader and is asthmatic. He cannot take his asthma medication without assistance. Nurse Lilly provides that assistance. The school is several miles away from the nearest emergency room and/or firestation. Our school nurse is the first medically trained responder for students experiencing more than a stomach ache or a fever. She administers vital medication our children need such as albuterol, insulin, and even epi-pens.

This is critical to the health and safety of our children, which I believe the school is responsible for when children are in attendance; and which I also believe the public expects.

Please, on behalf of your fellow citizens, especially the littlest ones you serve, I ask that you work to restore this vital funding and save our school nurses.

The Disconnects (Part 1)

When Isaiah was about three, I learned that there were many things that as a boy I would just NOT get about him. For instance I had to learn how to play with him. I had just gotten him a new wooden train set for Christmas and I was helping him set it up. It took forever, but we did it. I set up the little village and the complicated bridge. I sat back and admired my work, truly satisfied. That's when he took his plastic airplane and crashed it right into the bridge, leaving half the set sprawled across the floor. I was flabbergasted. Why did he just destroy the nice, perfectly set up trainset. Boys, I thought, always gotta be tearing something up.

It was about a week later that I got my answer. From the radio of all places, a local personality (Frank Ski-V103) was talking about how boys play and mentioned that the purpose of doing things like crashing the trainset or building blocks is to set it back up again. I could only laugh. As a girl of course I wanted everything to be nice and neat and pretty. As a boy he just wanted to break it all down so he could build it up again. That's just one of many examples of the gender disconnects Isaiah and I have had over the years. As I struggle to understand him (through our time together or from the insight of the other men in his life), I wonder if in doing so I understand myself better and vice versa. Much of what I've learned about little boys having come from my son, then much of what he learns about women comes from me. Which makes me wonder, how much of how men learn to connect with women emotionally comes from their relationships with their mothers?

Happy 2009!

Okay, so I haven't posted in a while--a long while. Let me just say that between my absolute obsession with the presidential election (GOBAMA!) and the holiday season, I got sidetracked. But after my election detox and credit card maxation, life is thankfully back to normal. Which kind of got me to thinking lately about my life and my single hood---single parenthood actually and (ahem) dating. So far so good. I mean my dates are kept at a safe distance from Isaiah, and by safe I mean ne'er the twin shall meet--unless of course things are super serious. And I haven't had anything super-serious in a long time. My focus has admittedly been on my writing career and traveling. But now having a relationship is back in the forefront. So knowing my outspoken son this should get really, really interesting....