By Diana Powers

Everyone knows that distinct feeling–a cruel attack on your body’s white blood cells that signals to the brain that you are sick. I was unfortunate enough to recognize this feeling during the last period of a school day and felt the need to finish the day in the safety and comfort of the nurse’s office. I never had a need to go there previously, and my experience was nothing like I had imagined a nurse’s office to be.

While lying on a cot in the office trying to alleviate my aches as I waited for my ride home, I suddenly realized how much this supposed-to-be sanctuary of an office is abused by students. The tired and kind nurse, Kim Carr, who also works at two other schools, repeated how much she needed her lunch break since she had been busy all day. She was not, however, busy with sick, needy kids seeking medical aid. Instead, she had to deal with students using her office as an excuse to get out of class.

As I lay there, I heard at least four teachers come into the office to ask if one of their students had come to check in with her with an illness they had claimed to have, only to learn that Nurse Carr had seen their student playing in the halls. After hearing a late bell ring, much to my surprise, several other students came into the office without a pass from a teacher to ask if they could hang out in her room instead of going to class. Within the 15 minutes I was there, I understood exactly why our nurse needed a break so desperately.

It is unfair for students to abuse the helpful privileges our school has to offer, such as the nurse’s office and its staff. Not only is it a disgrace to the nurse’s professional training and purpose for being on campus, but it is entirely inconsiderate to the few students who are feeling ill and need to retreat to the nurse’s office for its intended purpose. It is supposed to be a sanctuary away from the chaos of hundreds of students and a place to rest and feel better, rather than a place for students to skip class. It embarrasses me that some of my peers fail to realize how much we are offered. I hope they will lift their heads to see that Grady’s staff are people too, and one’s who deserve respect.