The Relentless School Nurse: Protect the Programs That PROTECT OUR KIDS!

As the school year winds down and many of us pack up our offices for a much-needed and welcome break, I urge you to take one more action before heading into summer: share your stories from the field.

This is a call to action for every school nurse who has witnessed the real-life impact of safety-net programs like SNAP and Medicaid. We are the eyes and ears of our school communities. And right now, our stories are urgently needed to protect the programs that keep our students healthy, learning, and safe.

Legislation threatening SNAP and Medicaid is once again on the table. These proposed cuts are often introduced during quieter times, like summer, when public scrutiny is low. The long-term consequences, however, are anything but quiet. What looks like “fiscal tightening” in a policy brief turns into a child arriving at school hungry, a student missing their medication, or a parent skipping their own care to afford their child’s. We don’t need reports to tell us what happens next; we see it in the nurse’s office every day.

But here’s the problem: lawmakers don’t. They don’t see what you see. They don’t know what it looks like when a student’s basic needs go unmet—unless we tell them. That’s why our stories matter now more than ever.

If you’re unsure what to share, think about the moments that stuck with you this year: the student who relied on SNAP for consistent meals and began to thrive academically; the family who accessed life-saving medication through Medicaid; the ripple effects on classroom behavior, attendance, and emotional well-being when a child’s basic needs were finally met. You don’t need to reveal identities or break confidentiality. Keep it simple. Keep it real. Focus on impact.

You don’t need a national platform to make a difference. Share your story in a letter to the editor at your local paper, a post on social media, a quick email to your legislator, or even a conversation with a neighbor. Reach out to local TV or radio outlets. Partner with your PTA, teachers’ union, or public health department to help amplify your message. Every small action adds up.

And if you’re already on summer break—whether you’re enjoying a well-earned rest, tackling a home project, or just finally finding time to breathe—please know that your voice is still needed. Take 10 minutes. Write a short reflection. Send a story to your representative. Post a story on social media. You’ve already done the hardest part: witnessing what happens when children are supported—and what happens when they are not.

Don’t underestimate the power of your perspective. You may think your story is “just one example,” but when enough of us speak up, a larger truth emerges, one that lawmakers and communities cannot ignore. We’ve seen too much not to speak out. We know too much to stay silent.

To every school nurse: You are a trusted voice in your community. You are the bridge between public health and public schools. And your stories are the antidote to apathy, disinformation, and indifference.

Now is not the time to wait and see. Now is the time to speak. Now is the time to share your story. Now is the time to protect our kids.

Here is a sobering resource from the Georgetown Law School – Center for Poverty and Inequality: 

SNAP & Medicaid Cuts: What Is at Stake for Children, Seniors, & Rural Communities?