Idaho School Districts Now Requiring Parental Consent to Administer Band-Aids, Other Basic First Aid

Mar. 15, 2025

A stock image of a Band-Aid being administered.Photo:Getty

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A recently passed Idaho Senate bill is limiting students' access to in-school medical services — unless they have parental consent.

These new protections extend to minor, non-life-threatening injuries, including those that would only require the use of a simple Band-Aid or over-the-counter headache medication.

A stock image of a Band-Aid being administered.Getty

“This legislation only reaffirms the fundamental rights of parents to access health care information and make their children’s health care decision,” it adds.

The Parents' Rights in Medical Decision-Making Act’s main text further defines the new constraints as effecting a school nurse’s decision to administer “diagnosis, screening, examination, prevention, treatment, cure, care, or relief of any physical or mental health condition, illness, injury, defect or disease” to a student without a parent’s prior approval.

A stock image of a child walking towards a school bus.Getty

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PEOPLE reached out to the Idaho School Boards Association and the Boise School District for further comment on the decision, but they did not immediately respond.

Another Idaho school district, West Ada, told the publication, “West Ada has been using the same consent to treat protocol for over 15 years. While we maintain our established practices, we are now operating with an increased level of awareness in light of recent legislation.”

source: people.com