[nursebedlam]

Parent charged in threat to nurse


By Paul Bird
paul.bird@indystar.com
June 29, 2004


White River Township -- An Avon man who thought his daughter was being singled out by a school nurse for head lice examinations was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill the nurse.

Ronald Lee McBride, 38, surrendered Monday at the Johnson County Jail at 1:12 p.m. and was released after posting $1,500 bail on a charge of intimidation.

McBride's daughter attends Sugar Grove Elementary School in White River Township in Johnson County.

The alleged threat occurred May 25 by telephone, according to court and police documents.

Johnson County Sheriff's Detective Duane Burgess said Sugar Grove officials had requested that a deputy come to the school the morning of May 25 because they were expecting an upset parent to visit.

Burgess said he went to the school, where McBride's ex-wife and daughter met with Principal Linda Bayne.

About the same time, school nurse Jane Greer said she received a telephone call from McBride.

Greer said McBride told her she should be glad he hadn't come to the school because "they would have to put me away, because I would have killed you," according to a police report.

Greer reported the telephone conversation to Bayne. As Burgess, Bayne and Greer met, Bayne received a telephone call from a man who said he was McBride. The conversation was put onto a speaker telephone, allowing Burgess to listen.

McBride apologized for his comment to Greer and confirmed the threat, a court document said. Burgess later spoke with McBride, and he again admitted making the statement to Greer, the documents said.

According to a probable-cause affidavit, McBride said his "temper got the best of him."

The dispute apparently stemmed from the daughter making visits to the nurse's office. The student had been sent home for having nits in her hair, and she was treated at school for a rash on her neck, which was believed to be insect bites, the police report said.

A doctor had examined the child and signed a note dated May 11 saying he had not observed additional infestation but suggested closer observation at school.

"The school wasn't calling the girl down to the nurse's office for examination," Burgess said. "She was going there on her own because she was itching."

http://www.indystar.com/articles/2/158580-1612-009.html

[mattsmom81]

Good grief. When will people stop thinking its OK to talk like this to nurses? Of course I have family members who are teachers and they get similar treatment from some parents. <sigh>

Glad he was charged...we need to do this more often IMO.

[RN4NICU]

I too am glad he was charged. There should be a clear understanding that threatening behavior will not be tolerated and if you can't control yourself, you go to jail or a psych facility.

Here's to zero tolerance.

It is sad, though, that adults do not know better than to act like this. What has happened to common decency?

[susanna]

Oh my god! I wonder how this confusion came about! GEEZ! What did the little girl tell her father that made him so angry?

[SMK1]

i was a school health assistant and had a man threaten to bomb our school because his kids were excluded for not having their immunizations up to date. (by the way he had 3 months of warning that this would happen on this particular date and numerous letters, phone calls and brocheures detailing free clinics open on eveings and weekends to get these shots done free) Some people are just nuts!