No Soap in school bathrooms

[Minnie's Friend]

At my dd's school, they squirt them with Purell at lunchtime or did last year in kindergarten if they didn't make it down to the bathroom to wash up good.

They are lucky that they do have soap and towels but for them the sinks are in the hallway so they come out of the bathroom and wash up right in the hallway so they are not able to make messes or waste things.

 

[Michelle67]

That's awful! I wouldn't be satisfied with sending Purell in for my kid (or my kid's class) because they still touch the doorknobs and shared surfaces that all the other kids touch! If push came to shove and the school or district couldn't be made to step up, then I'd think that soap was a better use of some PTA money than ice cream day or whatever. Protecting our kids and teaching them proper hygeine is more important.

Fortunately, our schools have soap AND posters reminding the kids to wash properly. I know for sure because I've used their restrooms at the school.

I've had to send soap in for my daughters because of eczema and sensitive skin, but that's fine with me---the issue was the industrial strength soap, not no soap at all.

 

[castleview]

That's awful! I wouldn't be satisfied with sending Purell in for my kid (or my kid's class) because they still touch the doorknobs and shared surfaces that all the other kids touch! If push came to shove and the school or district couldn't be made to step up, then I'd think that soap was a better use of some PTA money than ice cream day or whatever. Protecting our kids and teaching them proper hygeine is more important.

Fortunately, our schools have soap AND posters reminding the kids to wash properly. I know for sure because I've used their restrooms at the school.

I've had to send soap in for my daughters because of eczema and sensitive skin, but that's fine with me---the issue was the industrial strength soap, not no soap at all.

Is Purell good for kids with eczema? My DD gets it in the winter (although she seems to be outgrowing it) and I worry about the Purell with her.

 

[angelat]

After reading a lot of the posts saying Purrell dries out the hands, I am starting to think that perhaps sending in a couple of bottles of hand soap for the class each month wouldn't be a bad alternative to the purrell. One bottle for the girls to take and one bottle for the boys to take. and just ask the teacher to let them use it. $4 0r $5 each month is worth it to me.

Thanks for the replies!!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Agreed. Purell should not be used routinely. Soap and water ....yes.

Purell IMHO is only for those times when soap and water is not an option. Ask any physician, the best way to prevent the spread of germs & disease is by washing our hands with soap and water.

So if I am getting this right, the kids go to the bathroom and the only option they have is to rinse their hands with water? Even if they get a squirt of purell in the classroom they have still touched the doors and hall passes... and probably their own faces ... eww

We didn't have soap in our college dorm bathrooms, we also didn't have paper towels either. We all brought our soap and towel with us when we went potty. The bathrooms in the classroom buildings has soap and towels or dryers.

 

[c4a]

The soap disappeared from our schools a couple years ago. GROSS!! Now, the parents are asked to donate 1 economy sized bottle of antibacterial hand sanitizer for their child's class. The school supply list doesn't give a brand preference. The bottle sits on the teacher's desk. It is better than nothing-my worry is what about the germ transference between the bathroom and the sanitizer bottle (distance wise). Hands trailing along the hall wall, across the water fountain, stop to get a drink, the class room door knob...

 

[My sister's princess]

So when the kids that get sent to school sick (another common thread on DIS) blow their noses they have no way to wash the boogies off!!!! EEEEEWWWWWWW

 

[Par8hed]

Purell IMHO is only for those times when soap and water is not an option. Ask any physician, the best way to prevent the spread of germs & disease is by washing our hands with soap and water.
.

Exactly. The problem with using Purell or any antibacterial product is that they A)weaken our immunity to the bacteria and B) the bacteria eventually become resistant and develop into superbugs such as MRSA.

People need to strengthen their own immune systems. Soap and water is the way to go. Occasional use of a Purell when nothing else is available is OK.

And as you stated...ask any Physician.

 

[C.Ann]

Wow! I never heard of such a thing.. When I see DGD this weekend I'll have to try to remember to ask her if they have soap in their rest rooms at school..

I also agree that it should be plain soap - not antibacterial soap.. Doctors are repeatedly stating that the overuse of antibacterial soaps; air purifiers; overuse of antibiotics; sanitizing our homes equal to that of operating rooms; and parents general fears of letting their children get dirty or exposed to germs in any fashion is what has caused the dramatic rise in children suffering from asthma; allergies; becoming extremely ill from routine childhood illnesses; etc.. In our quest to be "germ free" we are becoming our own worst enemy - the source of super bugs and all of the things I have listed above..

That said, I would be very upset to find that there is no plain soap available for children to wash their hands in the rest rooms at school..

 

[Talking Hands]

So, my DH and I went to our DS open house at his school last night. (This is a brand new school btw-built in 2008) My DH had to use the bathroom and when he came out he asked our son if all the bathrooms were like that. I said, "like what?" He informed me that there was not only no soap, but no soap dispensers either!! Our DS told us only the cafeteria bathroom had soap in it. I placed a call to the school this morning and am awaiting a return call after they speak with the CUSTODIAN. I imagine this will have to be escalated to the school board.

Until I see an solution, I am going to BJs and getting a large bottle of Purell for my DS classroom!

I googled this and found this problem is across the country. No wonder MRSA is breaking out in all the schools! Does anyone else see a major problem here??

This has been going on long before MRSA. I had to send wipes with my daughters when they weer in school and they are 26 and 30 now. Would send a refillable travel wipes container and refill from a big on at home. I still carry one in my backpack at school or Disney.

 

[Rora]

I was a freshman in high school about 8 years ago. For the entire 4 years I was in high school, there was NEVER soap in the bathrooms.

So gross.

 

[Barbossa]

I placed a call to the school this morning and am awaiting a return call after they speak with the CUSTODIAN.

I highly doubt that the lack of soap is the fault of the custodian. Like my kids' school and many public schools in this country, there aren't sufficient funds allocated to purchase enough school supplies, be it paper, pens, pencils, or possibly hand soap. The teachers at my kids' school have to purchase supplies out of their own pocket, maybe the custodian has to do the same.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

We have soap dispensers, but they are not always full. (I work in an elementary school.) Same goes for TP and paper towels. One bathroom was recently without a trash can, so the paper towels (when there were any), were thrown all over the place. (BTW, that was in the TEACHER'S bathroom!) The toilets routinely flood, so the floor is wet almost always.

Some teachers use soap dispensers as hall passes; helps out some, but it's still ridiculous that we have to buy soap.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

After reading a lot of the posts saying Purrell dries out the hands, I am starting to think that perhaps sending in a couple of bottles of hand soap for the class each month wouldn't be a bad alternative to the purrell. One bottle for the girls to take and one bottle for the boys to take. and just ask the teacher to let them use it. $4 0r $5 each month is worth it to me.

Thanks for the replies!!

Purell is mostly alcohol. Alcohol dries out the skin. So, Purell does dry out the skin. Besides, ultimately, it's really not healthy either.


I would think that no soap in restrooms would be a Health hazard. And not just to the students and teachers in the schools. What about those germs that have then been spread to the clothes, hair, food, etc? They can then spread it on at home to the parents and any younger children in the home. Possibly putting their lives in danger.

I would not be just contacting the school or just the school board. I'd be contacting the local or even state Health Department. And if that doesn't do it, every single news outlet you can think of. Get the word out that the kids health is at severe risk.

At little bit of germs every now and then is fine. But absolutely no soap in the schools is insane. I'll have to ask my best friend if her kids' school has soap or not.

 

[creativeamanda]

You'll find that lack of soap in school bathrooms is a common problem. It really irks me, because I have already missed 3 days this year because of illnesses that were spread through school.

FWIW, my kids' school rarely has soap, either. It actually was a complaint voiced at the last schoolboard meeting.

 

[MAKmom]

Our school has no soap. It is because the kids throw it around.

 

[bigbabyblues]

DS goes to a small private school, and there has always been soap in the bathrooms when I've been there (it's also a church). There is also a sink with soap and paper towels in each classroom.

 

[MrsPete]

This is a little off topic, but years ago we used to have a problem with kids stealing the toilet paper out of the bathrooms. They didn't have it regularly at home.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

This is outrageous. The first thing you are taught when you go into any kind of medical training program is handwashing and the proper technique. This is the #1 way to prevent disease, it is the #1 universal precaution in ALL hospitals.

Our hospital has soap, but also has the "alcohol" dispensers for those that prefer that. That "alcohol" stuff makes my hand feel nasty and it isn't good to use it very often. Killing too many germs can also make one sick, but there should always be soap available especially for childlren.

Suzanne

 

[Stacerita]

Thank goodness DD's school has soap in the bathrooms.