Parents seeking answers after girl, 6, was choked by scarf on playground

Supervisors were present at a northeast Calgary school Monday when a young girl was choked after her scarf got caught on the playground, but parents at O. S. Geiger School continue to raise concerns about how the school handled the incident.

Police were called to assist paramedics and fire crews at a school playground on Monday in Castleridge over the lunch hour for reports of a medical emergency.

They received reports that the child, choked by a scarf caught in playground equipment, was unresponsive and not breathing, but after CPR was able to breathe on her own.

EMS said they transported the six- year- old to Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Like the other parents at the school, Marcy Monford didn’t find out about the incident until she read the letter sent home with her six- year- old son.

Her child had actually been playing with the girl whose scarf got caught in the mechanism of a glider on the playground, she said. Though he doesn’t fully understand the magnitude of the situation he witnessed, Monford said he’s shaken up.

“He keeps telling me that he can’t get the picture out of his head,” Monford said. “He’s been with the crisis team today and yesterday.”

Monford and other parents are demanding answers from the school about what happened. In a letter sent home to parents on Tuesday, the school said that supervisors were outside for lunch recess and “responded to the situation immediately,” calling 911 without delay.

“The thing that concerns me the most about the school is how they handled it,” Monford said. “No parent was informed, so you can imagine how we all felt showing up at the school with news crews and ambulances on the field.”

A CBE spokesperson wouldn’t confirm how many supervisors were present on the playground at lunch. “The CBE’s noon supervision program allows for flexibility for individual schools to provide a range of services to meet the needs of their students and school communities,” said Megan Geyer in an e- mail.

“Noon supervisors are trained employees who follow protocols and best practices to ensure that students have a healthy and safe environment in which to eat and play. These guidelines include a thorough outline of what to do in emergency and medical situations.”

Amanda Fehr, whose daughter attends kindergarten at O. S. Geiger, received the same notes as Monford, but said they contained few details. Neither memo outlines what transpired at the playground aside from stating that an accident occurred.

“Why haven’t we been informed, especially as parents of the school, what’s going on?” she said. “Why haven’t we been told even how she’s doing or what precautions they may be taking now?”

Fehr said she still has many questions. “How many supervisors per child were out here? Was there enough supervision?” she added.

According to the CBE, the principal of the school determines the number of supervisors on duty.

No parent was informed, so you can imagine how we all felt showing up at the school with news crews and ambulances on the field. MARCY MONFORD