School Crutches Controversy in 2008

13-YEAR-OLD AMBER ELALEM NEEDS HELP DOING JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THESE DAYS... FROM GETTING OFF THE COUCH...TO TAKING A SHOWER. THIS WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR STUDENT PLAYS THREE SPORTS AT HER SCHOOL... SOCCER, BASKETBALL AND TRACK. BUT SHE MAY NEVER PLAY ANY SPORT AGAIN. "I was mortified. I was absolutely shocked. I got her home took off the immobilizer and found her knee cap on the side of her knee." AMBER'S MOTHER SAYS HER HORROR BEGAN LAST MONTH -- WHEN SHE DROPPED AMBER OFF AT SCHOOL... ON CRUTCHES FOR A KNEE INJURY. THAT'S WHEN THE SCHOOL NURSE GAVE HER A CALL... "Telling me that she couldn't use her crutches at school or the elevator and I asked why and she said it was against their policy because other kids could get injured." AMBER'S MOTHER SAID THE SCHOOL NURSE REQUESTED A DOCTORS NOTE BE FAXED OVER... "I even called her back and I said if you don't get the paperwork call me and I'll deliver them to you." IN THE MEANTIME, AMBER CLAIMS THE SCHOOL NURSE TOOK THE CRUTCHES... AND SENT HER OFF TO CLASS. "When i got to like my fourth period class i asked my teacher if I could go back and try to get my crutches from the nurse... so I went to the office and asked if I could get my crutches back she said they still hadn't faxed over the paperwork and that was the time I called my mom." "We were driving home and she said did you know the nurse took my crutches first thing this morning... and has made me walk up and down the stairs and to all of my classes all day." NOW, AMBER'S FAMILY IS GOING AFTER THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL NURSE -- "As far as I'm concerned I'm a nurse and I don't think that was right taht she should just go and whip crutches away from an obviously injured child."