using pg_query in a function not working

[Marc Fromm <Marc.Fromm@xxxxxxx>]

I have to sql statements in functions to use in my code. Even though the echo statements show the sql is valid the sql does not seem to execute and I get the error, "PHP Warning:  pg_fetch_object() expects parameter 1 to be resource, boolean given in . . . line 154 . . ."
Line 154: while($val = pg_fetch_object($student))

##############################

Function Calls:

$insert = recordSentList($empid, $list, "printed"); // No record gets inserted into the table

$student = getStudent($list);
while($val = pg_fetch_object($student)) //No records get listed
{

##############################

Functions:

function recordSentList($empid, $list, $method){
    $today = date("m/d/Y", strtotime("now"));
                $sql = "INSERT INTO lists_sent (
                                                               lists_sent_employers_id,
                                                                lists_sent_type,
                                                                lists_sent_date,
                                                                lists_sent_method)
                                                VALUES (
                                                                '$empid',
                                                                '$list',
                                                                '$today',
                                                                '$method')";
                echo "$sql<br />"; // slq statement looks accurate
                $result = pg_query($conn,$sql);
                echo "Insert Errors: " . pg_errormessage($conn) . "<br />"; //No errors are reported
                return $result;
}

function getStudent($list){
                $removaldate = date("m/d/Y",mktime(0, 0, 0, date("m")-3, date("d")-7,  date("Y")));
                $sql = "SELECT * FROM students WHERE ";
                if($list == "child_care_list"){
                                $sql .= "child_care_list > '" . $removaldate . "' ";
                                $sql .= "AND child_care_list IS NOT NULL ";
                                $sql .= "ORDER BY student_lname ASC, student_fname ASC";
                } elseif ($list == "day_labor_list") {
                                $sql .= "day_labor_list > '" . $removaldate . "' ";
                                $sql .= "AND day_labor_list IS NOT NULL ";
                                $sql .= "ORDER BY student_lname ASC, student_fname ASC";
                } else {
                                $sql .= "tutor_list > '" . $removaldate . "' ";
                                $sql .= "AND tutor_list IS NOT NULL ";
                                $sql .= "ORDER BY student_lname ASC, student_fname ASC";
                }
                echo "$sql<br />"; // slq statement looks accurate
                $result = pg_query($conn,$sql);
                echo "Select Errors: " . pg_errormessage($conn) . "<br />";//No errors are reported
                echo "Rows: " . pg_num_rows($result) . "<br />";//No number is displayed
                if ((!$result) or (empty($result))){
                                return false;
                 }
                return $result;
}

Marc Fromm
Information Technology Specialist II
Financial Aid Department
Western Washington University
Phone: 360-650-3351
Fax:   360-788-0251