LETTERS to the Editor

A nurse is more than a caregiver

To the editor:

A nurse is defined as someone who is trained to care for the sick or the injured, but they are often much more than that. They put their own lives on the line to keep our families safe and healthy. If we’re lucky, they’re patient, kind, and gentle; they’re there for us when we need someone the most. Our district has been fortunate to find each of these qualities in Cassie Butler during her seven years as Prescott’s school nurse. She has proven herself as someone we can trust to watch over the health and wellbeing of our children during the most formative years of their lives.

How, then, does our superintendent and school board make the unwise and reckless decision to let go of such an essential worker? Is it because she openly said in her resignation letter that she felt disrespected by said administration? If so, do we let the man at the top continue to make community- impacting decisions based purely on his own embarrassment?

Supposedly, the board claims that reading her letter of resignation in front of the public was distasteful. I believe that leaving our district without a nurse in the middle of a pandemic is not only distasteful, but careless, negligent, and selfish. Have we gotten so far off course that one man’s ego dictates the safety of our children?

I am appalled by the actions of our superintendent and school board. Cassie has been a member of this community her entire life. She has watched over our kids with love and care for the last seven years. It is a shame to see her leave a position she loved due to a lack of respect from the superintendent. This move speaks volumes about the ongoing issues within our administration and her abrupt termination further corroborates her concerns. Changes must be made before we lose any more of our district’s beloved and essential staff.

Alicia Casale Prescott