Diabetic Student Wins Fight For Extra Gym Classes

by Tom Henderson (Subscribe to Tom Henderson's posts) Nov 20th 2009 5:40PM

Categories: Medical Conditions, In The News, Education

Jack McLaughlin, 11, who has diabetes, needs physical-education class every morning instead of the usual two days in every six. Credit: Clem Murray, Philadelphia Inquirer / MCT

Jack Laughlin will start middle school every day with gym class.

What might be a nightmare for other middle schoolers is a dream come true for the 11-year-old Exton, Pa., student and his family. Jack has diabetes and as we reported earlier, he and his parents, David and Cathy Laughlin, argued he needed daily gym classes to recover from his post-breakfast sugar high.

Students at Lionville Middle School usually get gym classes two out of every six days. They spend the rest of their mornings in music and reading skills classes.

School officials initially said there was no compelling medical evidence to rearrange the schedule for Jack and he could get the exercise he needs through a school walking club and intramural athletics.

Now officials have changed their minds.

"We have reached a resolution that both sides can agree on," said district spokeswoman Patricia McGlone in an e-mail Thursday.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that school officials received a letter Wednesday from Jack's physician, Martha Dechert Zeger, which quotes from and supports a letter from Gary Scheiner, a diabetes specialist who works with the sixth-grader.

"Because Jack takes insulin throughout the day and night, it is important that he engage in physical activity on a consistent daily basis," Zeger said in her letter. "Daily physical education class can and should be used to provide such activity."

When district officials failed to give Jack the classes they requested, the Laughlins filed a complaint under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The federal law requires school districts to give disabled students the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled classmates.

"The district complies with all the requirements of Section 504," McGlone said in her e-mail. "We do our best to work with our families to provide our students with the best education possible."

Cathy Laughlin is pleased for her son.

"I think his day is going to be set up a whole lot better," she told the Inquirer.

Related: Parents, School Fight Over Gym Classes For Diabetic Boy

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Comments (157)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)

momof1 11-20-2009 @ 9:03PM

"The federal law requires school districts to give disabled students the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled classmates."

Do the rest of his non-disabled classmates get PE everyday too?

Kevin 11-21-2009 @ 4:15PM

ANd they wonder why kids are overweight. I'll bet this school district has quite a few lazy and overweight ones. Gym should be a daily class. Not two out of every six days. That is ridiculous!

momtoo 11-21-2009 @ 4:22PM

They do if they are a brittle diabetic like this boy.
Brittle diabetics need the same amout of physical activity each day. the other alternative would have been to do no PE. but that is even less healthy.

the point is he needs the physical accomidation to be able to access his education ( the academic classes). It is not about PE at all, but about him being able to keep his blood sugars under control so he can stay in class and learn.

It was stupid for the school to fight it to begin with. I wonder how many taxpayer dollars went to high priced school attorneys on this one. Instead of going to educate kids. attorneys always want the schools to fight this stuff so they get paid more.

Meggy's 11-21-2009 @ 11:09PM

hey kevin i go to lms and guess what. im not fat and i dont know any fat kids. and there are plenty of sports to get involved in , so what is your big deal? i don't think that many schools offer much more gym classes. there is plenty of time to get exercise after school.

Jack 11-21-2009 @ 5:28PM

Momof1....you are an idiot. Sometimes special circumstances needs the bending of the rules. I hope you or your family never need any special assistance but if you do, I hope those providing the assistance is not as close minded and stupid as you are.

bess 11-21-2009 @ 5:57PM

I agree with the same oppurtunity as everyone else but this is not the same oppurtunity maybe he needs to get up a little earlier for a jog after insulin and then go to the same classed his fellow students are required to go to seems a spoiled biy wanting his way...

JOHN 11-21-2009 @ 7:15PM

YOU OBVISOUSLY HAVE A CLOSED MIND LIKE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF. THE LAW WAS CREATED TO THE HANDICAPP AND IS CUSTOMED FITTED TO THAT STUDENTS NEEDS. YOU OBVIOUSLY WASTED YOUR PARENTS MONEY THEY SPENT ON YOUR EDUCATION.

hookmrl 11-22-2009 @ 1:56AM

so when does an 11 year old dictate any thing the young punk

roblo 11-21-2009 @ 11:04PM

Just another example of parents who think the school needs to take over their parental responsibilities. Parents should be going out and walking with their kid after breakfast. Maybe they might even have to talk with him.

US Marine 11-21-2009 @ 11:46PM

Are you alittle slow yourself because you make no sense. Disabled students actually get more benefits to meet their disabilties. And yes all kids should have daily gym class.

hunter 11-21-2009 @ 11:48PM

Why make a childs life harder.
Its not going to kill anybody to let the an 11 year old kid to have an extra class..?? Is it? No..

Sara 11-22-2009 @ 1:11AM

The law suggests that students need to be in their least restricted environment and this is his least restricted environment. If he were kept out of the class that would be against the law. I am a physical education teacher and strongly believe in what we do. I know a lot of schools are cutting out the program from their schools but with the obesity rate on a rise physical education is needed. We teach students how to lead an active lifestyle and we teach them lifelong activites. It's too bad that students aren't able to have PE classes more often.

dadof5 11-22-2009 @ 1:14AM

as a single father with a eleven year old daughter who is also diabetic i think the school did the right thing in giving the boy what he really needed. as anyone with diabetes knows, exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower blood sugar. this boy and his parents are to be commended for their actions in sticking to what they knew what is best for their child.

Ken 1-25-2010 @ 1:26PM

I am a diabetic so I can understand----to a point. Now, having said that, the school should NOT have given in. Do the other students get the same amount of Physical Education? I doubt it! The article says he needs this excercise to bring him down from his post breakfast sugar high. First, why is he having enough sugar that he needs to "come down"? Last...why don't the parents give him an excercise program before he goes to school? Why do the schools and taxpayers have to pay to accomadate every possible problem ailment? Schools are NOT supposed to be babysitting services! Let the parents be responsible for their own kids!!!!!

Ginny 11-22-2009 @ 6:44AM

The district that I am in has two 30 min classes a week for PE.They are all requried to take 1 hr a week,but the school that I am at the PE Teacher waste about 15 mins of class talking about what they are doing that day so they really only get 15 mins of PE.

david 11-22-2009 @ 7:54AM

Not to be contary to the arguments presented here but could the parents also have gotten him a home gym for his after he eats which would have done the same as the extra physical education that was forced on the school district?

Tabatha 11-22-2009 @ 9:12AM

I agree. The school shouldnt have to rearrange the schedule for this. He couldnt walk to school? He cant bike to school? School is school...not a hospital. This kid cant get up earlier and excersise at home BEFORE he goes? Its just a half hour (as is in school gym). Absolutly ridiculous. Schools are losing the abilities to teach properly because of special treatment for some kids. This was an easy fix that could have been done at home but these days parents can sue and win for everything! I for one am sick of it. Let the school be a school! A learning institute. Excersise could(and should) have been done BEFORE he went. A camping knife, diabetetical excersise, anything else??????

vjs 11-21-2009 @ 7:17PM

i m sow happy for this boy he got something that i believe is needed for his medical condition for diabetes there's a balance food exercise and medicine to be healthy my daughter also has type 1 diabetes and yes extra p.e is needed most of the time . for everyone out there tell me why are most children out of shape lately whats with p.e 2 times a week that's crazy they should have p.e 1 hour a day everyday sow the kids build a better health and get used to exercise sow wen there adults there use to running each day but p.e 2 times a week that's nothing now you see why kids are fat they have no activity just like they add art class or math p.e is needed each day i now my daughter is in the running in the morning club and that' only for 4th and 5th graders and shes in 3rd but after breakfast she loves exercise