WASHINGTON — A District boy is hospitalized after his pleas for help were reportedly ignored at his D.C. charter school, his mother says.
Tyesha Ford tells ABC7 her 9-year-old son Blake has a history of health problems including sickle cell disease.
She says he had a heart attack last June.
The child’s complaints at school Monday of a headache and feeling hot were ignored, she says.
“No one took him seriously when he said he did not feel well,” Ford tells ABC7.
Staff at D.C. Scholars Charter School in Southeast allegedly are aware of Blake’s health issues.
“They have all his necessary documents. I had a meeting with the principal. I also went to each one of his teachers,” says Ford.
Early Monday when Blake told his teacher he felt sick, “she told him: sit down and finish your work,” says Ford.
Eventually Ford says her child took himself to the school’s front office and was put on a bus to go home. When Ford finally met up with Blake she says he was so weak he could barely walk. She called an ambulance. On the way to the hospital,Ford says Blake’s temperature was 105.
The child still was hospitalized as of Tuesday evening. Ford tells ABC7 her child may need a blood transfusion.
Jana Wilcox, the chief operating officer of the school, sent the following statement to ABC7:
“We are following up with our staff and the child’s family to discuss this specific matter, and we will ensure that we will review with our team all student health policies and protocols.”
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