Compulsory Blood Tests for Elementary School Students

My friend just called me to say that his son fainted at school today because his class had to have heir blood taken "To test for lead levels". This sounds fishy to me, but let me say, I have no kids, so maybe this is common...? In my mind, if there were any reason to check for something like that, I would take my child to my personal physician to have a test done. I certainly would NOT allow my kid to stand in an assembly-line of children to have blood taken.
Apparently, this is district wide, (or wider).
Is this something that goes on? Am I just "paranoid"? I don't recall this happening when I was in school. BTW, his son is 10 y/o

reply to post by Elostone


My children brought home a permission slip for parents to sign to test blood for sickle cell. I did not fill it out. Lead tests here are done at the Dr.s offices. Did your friend fill out a permission form? If not, than that school has some explainin to do.

reply to post by concerned190

Yes. He had to sign a permission slip. He said he felt coerced though because his child would not be allowed to come back to school until proof was shown that his personal physician had deemed him "lead free", and they are scheduled for standardized tests tomorrow. The first available opening at his Dr is next week.


[edit on 11-3-2009 by Elostone]

Hmm It sounds to me like maybe the school building is of the older construction? Lead paint/pipes maybe? Perhaps they're just trying to avoid a lawsuit or maybe they discovered a problem and just want to make sure none of the students have high lead levels before they announce it. I suppose it really wouldn't be fair to make all children go to a doctor for a lead test before they could return (lack of insurance, etc.)

reply to post by Elostone


weird......My kids were tested at a young age. I wonder if you have to be retested? Was he tested at a young age? The Dr.s office should have a record of it. I also don't see how they wouldn't allow him back in school.

The whole thing feels odd to me. If they found lead in the school, why would it be district wide? And the timing (day prior to standardized testing) doesnt seem right... Like one (or three) day would make a difference.

They wouldn't allow him back in school?????
Now that makes no sense...it's not like lead content is contagious, or that it can be cured or removed, etc.??
Sounds like they may have been testing for something else. I wonder is parents are getting to see any actual lab test results or just some official looking form letters or what?
Any local news about high lead levels, or is a local paper doing a story about the testing itself?
My kiddos are 11 and 13 and if their school tells me they need a blood test for any reason then 1. there better be a good reason. 2. I'll get our family clinic to do it. 3. I'll advise every parent that'll listen to do the same.
Weird.

How does finding lead in any of the blood samples prove anything? Maybe the child was contaminated at his home or other locations he frequented. Connecting the frequency of illness to one location would take an extraordinary amount of investigation. Last I heard, school budgets were not that generous.

[edit on 11-3-2009 by SphinxMontreal]

When I was a child another student at my school got tuberculosis, anyone who had contact with the child had to be tested for TB. I was one of those kids.
If I remember correctly they did not ask the parents for permission to test, although they did tell them they were going to.

If I had known the truth about vaccinations/shoots I would have refused the test. I find it horrible they just did this now that I look back at it. I understand the need to find out if someone else has TB but testing for it without permission is just wrong.

reply to post by texas thinker


My feelings exactly! BTW, this was in Texas...

Maybe I am paranoid, but is this a way to get DNA samples, aids tests....

Sure seems very stinky to me.

It sounds odd to me too. I don't let the school do anything medically to my kids. I don't understand not being allowed back in school if they are not tested.

Spider senses tingling....

I know what they doing, but it appears to be some kind of preemptive legal maneuver. If they have a lead problem in the school, why don't they test the school? If there is lead there, THEN you test the kids...., I wonder if they already know.

[edit on 11-3-2009 by Maxmars]

reply to post by Elostone


Well, my kids would be sitting at home, because in no way would I allow a school to perform this sort of test.

I just wonder, on the notice sent to parents, did they describe who would be drawing the blood, what lab it was going to, etc? Would the parents be getting a copy of the lab work?

Who is paying for this?

I have worked in hospitals, and have seen many adults pass out from having blood drawn, so this sounds awful for children to be subjected to without a parent at hand.

I will agree that this sounds very fishy to me, as well!

I have never heard of this sort of thing, blood testing in schools. I have grandchildren and any immunizations are given by private physicians and never have they had to have their blood tested for anything. Hell, school nurses aren't even allowed to give an aspirin for a headache in my grandchildren's schools. This is just weird to me, this lead testing. However I do remember well standing in line during the 50's to take a spoonful of sugary polio vaccine. It was just expected of us. And as a plus, we got to keep the little plastic spoon.

Sounds like to me that the something within the school district has had the potential for some time to poison anyone in the school. It is a test to see how much money they are going to have to pay out as restitution.

When I was in elementary it was normal for you not to be allowed back to school if you hadn't had your booster shots. Same with hepatitis shots when I was in seventh or eight grade. It is BS but it's normal protocol.

reply to post by Elostone


I'd wager the primary reason was different.

I'd bet they want the blood for DNA purposes.

Control by the oligarchy is probably wrapped up in it somewhere.