Schools Debate Honoring Parents Wishes at the End-of-Life

A December 9 Chicago Tribune article discussed the role public schools play in honoring end-of-life decisions for children in their care. Some parents, who have struggled through a child's life-threatening illness for years, have made the difficult decision of establishing a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for their child. However, end-of-life decisions are not the province of the family alone, as this article illustrates.

While hospitals have experience with DNRs, schools are treading on new territory. Some schools may have a policy of ignoring such orders; in others, confusion may exist over what actions the order allows, according to reporter Jeff Long's article. Long's report indicates that end-of-life questions and debates are arising in areas where they were never discussed before.