A Beaumont mother’s story shows how Senate Bill 12 changes parental rights in Texas schools. Here’s what parents need to know about the new waiver.
HOUSTON — A Beaumont mother says she was stunned when her 5-year-old son came home from school covered in vomit because staff said they could not help him without her signature on a new consent form.
According to a report from KHOU 11’s sister station KBMT in Beaumont, Camila Sanjavier said her son, Oswaldo, walked out of Sallie Curtis Elementary “already bawling and he [had] vomit all over him.” She said the principal told her staff could not clean him up or provide a change of clothes because she had not signed the newly required waiver.
“At the end of the day, it is your responsibility, and it is your duty to serve parents and children in an appropriate manner,” Sanjavier said.
The form in question, the Right to Health-Related Services Information waiver, became mandatory Sept. 1 under Senate Bill 12, a wide-ranging law on parental rights in Texas public schools.
What Senate Bill 12 says
The law strengthens parental control over decisions in schools, including whether a child can receive medical or health-related assistance. According to the text of SB 12, parental rights include the right to “consent to medical, psychiatric, and psychological treatment of the parent’s child.”
Unless parents sign the new waiver, school nurses cannot provide medical care, even for basic issues like headaches, runny noses, or helping a child clean up if they get sick.
The law specifies that schools may not infringe on those rights except in emergencies when life-saving care is required.
Nurses respond
At Regina Howell Elementary, Beaumont ISD nurse Christine Carrell said the new law has changed what staff can do.
“The stakes are just higher, because I can’t help your child if I don’t have it,” Carrell said.
She added that even with the waiver signed, nurses are restricted: “Nurses in at least in BISD district, we no longer assist with clothing changes.”
Carrell urged parents to stay on top of paperwork. “Get those consent forms in so that we can take care of your babies,” she said.
Parents face paperwork overload
Sanjavier said she thought she had already completed the necessary forms at the beginning of the school year but later learned otherwise.
“We also have to fill out each packet in each classroom for each child, which has anywhere from 10 to 20 additional papers,” she explained.
She also expressed frustration at the lack of flexibility. “Whether or not you’re allowed to give medical care to a child, they could have handed him a paper towel, told him to clean himself up,” she said.
What parents can do
- Check your child’s forms: Parents can call their child’s school to confirm whether the Right to Health-Related Services Information waiver is on file.
- Understand the limits: Without the waiver, staff cannot help with minor health issues. With the waiver, nurses still face restrictions on things like clothing changes.
- Stay informed: SB 12 also outlines broader parental rights, including access to educational materials, health-related records, and notice of certain school activities.
Looking ahead
Sanjavier says she hopes her son’s experience will prevent other families from going through the same thing.
“Hopefully it will be prevented for future kids and parents,” she said.
Senate Bill 12 will continue shaping how Texas schools handle parental rights, health services, and classroom policies. For now, districts and families are adjusting to the new requirements and the paperwork that comes with them.
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