Purses banned at Middle School?

[Skatermom23]

DD (8th grade) has been carrying a purse around in school since 6th grade. She uses it mostly for her pencils, hand sanitizer and her monthly friend stuff. So, yesterday she goes to school and they have decided to ban all purses in middle school!

I called the school and apparently they have had a few purses stolen and parents were upset, so this in the result. I asked them what the girls were supposed to do when they have their periods. I was told they can go to their lockers and get what they need, go to the bathroom and then return to class. So far this year, the teachers have been less than willing to allow students passes to go to the restroom during class and with only 4 minutes between classes, it doesn't leave time to do what is necessary. Oh, and lets not forget the policy that students are only allowed in lockers during designated times and get detentions otherwise. The school claims they are willing to bend a little more. I can see it now, a girl going up to her teacher and having to justify her reason for a bathroom break and then getting caught at her locker during an unauthorized time and explaining that she is getting her tampon to the hall monitor!

So am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous??? And yes, it was a man who decided this course of action!

 

[Mike.Wazowski]

I completely agree that it is RIDICULOUS!
I know at my dd's middle school a lot of the kids have knock of purses and what not and the teachers have made a lot of nasty comments about how they have to buy their purses at walmart - they can't afford the expensive stuff... who cares - its always something isn't it - at that age..

 

[DawnCt1]

I think that the school doesn't want the kids to have nicer bags than the teachers! I have seen more kids with Coach bags that I am beginning to think that they only market them to pre teens and teens. Both my teenage nieces have Coach bags that they bought for themselves, (babysitting money, etc) and they KNOW that they get stolen and do not take them to school.

 

[JunieJay]

If my DD went to that school, I'd be raising a stink. Middle school girls do not need to be walking around with Tampons in their hands or pockets. They deserve to be treated with dignity and allowed to have a purse to ensure their privacy.

 

[golfgal]

No one carried purses when I was in high school or middle school except the kids that smoked . We just kept our 'supplies' in our locker or in a pencil case, etc. It was never really an issue.

 

[Skatermom23]

I think that the school doesn't want the kids to have nicer bags than the teachers! I have seen more kids with Coach bags that I am beginning to think that they only market them to pre teens and teens. Both my teenage nieces have Coach bags that they bought for themselves, (babysitting money, etc) and they KNOW that they get stolen and do not take them to school.

That was my other question to the school. Why are they responsible for the stolen purses? My DD has a few "low end" purses like Vera Bradley and XOXO and she knew that if it got stolen, then it was her loss. I would never blame the school for it.

 

[bananiem]

My dd's middle school doesn't allow purses. It's not a new rule. I haven't heard anybody making a big deal out of it. But if they have to go to the bathroom all they have to do is have a teacher sign a planner and take it with them. They can stop at their locker.

 

[bananiem]

I would never blame the school for it.

Ah, but there in lies the rub! There are plenty of parents who would.

 

[taximomfor4]

I would consider that rules are usually made in response to problems. Some people were up to no good with purses...so purses were banned. My sister (almost 30 now) has never, ever, ever carried a purse a day in her life. Yet she always has "supplies" available. I would just get your dd a little pencil case that goes into a binder or whatever, and have her keep supplies in that for a few days a month.

One of the high schools near here has a No Bags rule (no backpacks, purses, etc.) at ALL. I guess girls wear pants with pockets for a few days a month, or stop at their lockers. I would wait to see how this pans out. After some initial getting used to, it will probably be just fine...many schools already have this rule.

Beth

 

[LindsayDunn228]

No one carried purses when I was in high school or middle school except the kids that smoked . We just kept our 'supplies' in our locker or in a pencil case, etc. It was never really an issue.

Same here.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

This is interesting as it came up last month at DD's (6th grader) school. She has no "need" for a purse...yet. But she carries one with her contact lens supplies and a lip gloss. Hers is more for fun (she has a Vera B collection and a D&B wristlet), but also good to be in the habit for when that time comes.

Anyway, it was brought up and parents were enraged! They said girls needed them. They were reassured it would NOT happen after the uproar from the parents. BUT we have a new Principal who begins today (kids first day back), so time will tell how this goes.

I will be curious to read about others schools and this situation. As it is, kids cannot take backpacks into the classroom. Passes are signed in their planners for bathroom needs. They have to get a "key" to go to the bathroom due to a few kids spoiling that for others (boys "spraying" the bathroom on purpose, etc.) DD has never used a pass nor a key. She goes during lunch or PE if needed.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I think that the school doesn't want the kids to have nicer bags than the teachers! I have seen more kids with Coach bags that I am beginning to think that they only market them to pre teens and teens. Both my teenage nieces have Coach bags that they bought for themselves, (babysitting money, etc) and they KNOW that they get stolen and do not take them to school.

When my niece was in HS a few years ago they banned purses. These kids all had these high end bags which (of course) got stolen and (of course) the parents blamed the school. My niece bought products that were as small as possible to carry in her jeans pocket for those few days.

 

[wendy46001]

We never had a ban or anything but no one carried more then a folder from class to class... book bags were stored in lockers during the day....

We had pockets for that time of the month

 

[meandtheguys2]

Well, that is just silly. There are too many important issues in Middle School to be fussing about purses!

 

[monarchsfan16]

About 3/4 of the way through the school year when I was in 6th grade they imposed the rule that we could no longer have access to our backpacks during the school day. Kids were having things stolen right out of their backpacks. Backpacks were stored in a corner of the classroom during class time and we had no access to them until we moved to our next class. The following year all backpacks were required to be kept in (miniscule) lockers. Same with purses. We only were allowed at our locker at designated times as well, and only emergency bathroom visits were allowed, as determined by teachers
I learned to keep supplies in my lunchbox. I went to the bathroom on my way to lunch. Or if I knew I'd need to deal with it soon after visiting my locker, I'd just stick a supply in my pocket, or up my shirt sleeve. The joys of living in New England, we wear sweatshirts almost the entire school year
Even in high school I just kept stuff in my backpack. I never carried a purse. It just wasn't me

 

[Beth76]

And the girls can't use a backpack because........??????

 

[ducklite]

I completely agree that it is RIDICULOUS!
I know at my dd's middle school a lot of the kids have knock of purses and what not and the teachers have made a lot of nasty comments about how they have to buy their purses at walmart - they can't afford the expensive stuff... who cares - its always something isn't it - at that age..

That's freaking ridiculous. Teachers need to shut up. They don't know that it's not either a knock-off or something a family friend gave the child. IMHO teachers have no more right to make nsaty comments like taht about kids than kids do about teachers.

Anne (Who doesn't own a designer bag and could care less about them--I usually buy mine at Kohls.)

 

[poohandwendy]

That is a bunch of crap and I would be extremely pissed. A MS girl should be able to carry a purse so that she can have feminine items available, but private.

 

[poohandwendy]

And the girls can't use a backpack because........??????

Because they are bulky...and how does a backpack make any difference when it comes to theft issues?

 

[ducklite]

The sad thing here is that it's all a knee-jerk reaction to a bigger problem. If I were the school administration I'd be more concerned with ending CRIME in the school than circumventing the real issue by instituting a rule that punishes everyone.

If theives don't have pocketbooks to steal, they'll find something else. Next it will be shoelaces--then they'll make a rule that kids can only wear loafers or flip flops. The point is that they are blaming the victim, and that's a pathetic way to run a place of learning.

Anne