Purses banned at Middle School?

[taximomfor4]

sorry for being indelicate

but nothing that could be described as "teensy weensy and sooooo cute that fold up flat and can fit into a pocket" would have ever gotten me through even 1/2 a day until lunch when I was in middle school.

I agree with the others. I don't believe in treating adolescents as criminals simply because they are adolescents and they adults in the community are too cheap to provide a school with adequate staffing to monitor the hall and bathroom situations. I think they deserve respect and dignity, until they personally do something that proves they don't deserve respect and dignity.

Trust me, I can commiserate. he true armor would be in the locker, I suppose. But I think sometimes the most obvious solution is often the most implemented. Kids are stealing purses, and you can't catch all the thieves (without more security or whatever??) Then forbid purses. Not unheard of these days, with weapons in schools, etc. Some schools that forbid bags of any kind are just trying to make it more difficult to bring weapons to school. In dh's school, they have a drug problem they don't want spread around (don't want good families to panic and run, even though the "good families" are the ones whose kids have the drug problems). They have all kinds of silly rules right now that they try, for other silly reasons, but mostly to try and curb the drug sales in school. Perhaps there is a secret problem similar to this in the OP's school. Who is to say. It could be a cell phone (texting in the classroom is becoming rampant) issue. It could be an ipod problem (dh has busted kids with an earbud in one ear during class). If it is widespread enough, everyone gets inconvenienced.

I am not saying not to complain to the school. What I am saying is that, if the rule sticks, there are creative options available to deal.

Beth

 

[Skatermom23]

sorry for being indelicate

but nothing that could be described as "teensy weensy and sooooo cute that fold up flat and can fit into a pocket" would have ever gotten me through even 1/2 a day until lunch when I was in middle school.
.

Thanks for posting this. I wasn't going to respond to the "teensy weensy" comment from taximomfor4 because the comment means she doesn't have a dd with um "flow" issues.

 

[iloveboardwalk]

"Is that a tampon in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

I don't carry anything in my pockets, a lot of my pants don't even have pockets. It's uncomfortable and it's unreasonable to expect middle school girls, who are already self-concious as it is, to make elaborate plans for their hygeine products.

The administration should formulate a plan to catch the thieves, not punish everyone. I would never ask a middle school girl to do what I wouldn't do myself. It is the ultimate in disrespect, I hate it when kids are treated this way just because they are kids.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I would never ask a middle school girl to do what I wouldn't do myself. It is the ultimate in disrespect, I hate it when kids are treated this way just because they are kids.

Don't you all remember how awful that time in your life was? Blech!

 

[iloveboardwalk]

Don't you all remember how awful that time in your life was? Blech!

I am reminded, monthly. It's why I am so opposed to this lazy solution to the problem at the OP's DD's school. The life of a 13 year old girl is crappy enough without having a pad or tampon hanging out of your pockets.

 

[qtwns]

We stuffed ours down our socks!

 

[MushyMushy]

sorry for being indelicate

but nothing that could be described as "teensy weensy and sooooo cute that fold up flat and can fit into a pocket" would have ever gotten me through even 1/2 a day until lunch when I was in middle school.

I agree with the others. I don't believe in treating adolescents as criminals simply because they are adolescents and they adults in the community are too cheap to provide a school with adequate staffing to monitor the hall and bathroom situations. I think they deserve respect and dignity, until they personally do something that proves they don't deserve respect and dignity.

AMEN!

 

[DisneyDotty]

I hear you!

A sorta-related story--my niece has swimming in PE right now, and her PE teacher told the girls they could only miss 3 days for their cycle--total, out of 2 months of swimming! Hello--don't PE teachers have some understanding of a female's menstrual cycle? Well, my sister talked to the PE teacher (much to niece's embarrassment! ) and said that her daughter would be missing more than 3 days, and no, she would not be wearing a tampon just to get through swimming. PE teacher told her those days would be unexcused.
Okay then--let her go in the pool and have them have to clean it afterward! How barbaric!
(I'm very cranky about swimming during h.s. PE--we used to have to line up naked to ask for our disgusting, stretched-out school swimsuits. And if we had our monthly, we still had to wear the swimsuit over our underwear, sit on a bench near the pool, and endure the taunts of "Ragtime!" by the boys who were also in the swimming class. I hated it. Just hated it. There has to be a lawsuit there somewhere! )

 

[goofyforlife]

I hear you!

A sorta-related story--my niece has swimming in PE right now, and her PE teacher told the girls they could only miss 3 days for their cycle--total, out of 2 months of swimming! Hello--don't PE teachers have some understanding of a female's menstrual cycle? Well, my sister talked to the PE teacher (much to niece's embarrassment! ) and said that her daughter would be missing more than 3 days, and no, she would not be wearing a tampon just to get through swimming. PE teacher told her those days would be unexcused.

That kinda rule would have never flown with a friend of mine.... She has visits from her friend every two-three weeks (since she started).

I was pretty irregular but i remember one time (just before i left for college) when i went for almost nine weeks without a visit. (just stress people...just stress) and my friend had her visits three or four times before i got mine...

BTW if my dd was treated like you were... i would so have been in that principals office big time......

 

[Fitswimmer]

OP--why don't you call the school and suggest that they provide free sani supplies in the bathrooms? Seems to me that if the schools are forbidding purses and not allowing time to go to the lockers, that's the only reasonable solution.
My DD's middle school doesn't allow purses, eitiher. Never has. But they do at least let the girls go to their lockers.
It just doesn't make any sense to me. Kids have always had designer crap--remember pappagallo purses? Alligator sweaters? Why does the school have to monitor that? When does it have time to teach?! But I also have strong concerns about teachers who restrict the use of the bathroom. I taught h.s. over ten years--if a kid needed to use the bathroom, I wasn't about to question it. Rarely had anyone abuse this, and I could deal one-on-one with those who did. I HATE when everyone is punished for the misdeeds of a few! Grrrrr!

If they put sani supplies in the bathrooms for free, the janitorial staff would be spending their entire day dealing with sani products being stuffed in toilets. Sorry, but "kids will be kids" and that temptation would be just too great.

Everyone is always punished for the misdeeds of a few. Think about the security tags on everything you buy, the tamper proof packaging and the banning of liquids and gels on planes. Most people wouldn't shoplift, poison Tylenol or sneak a bomb on a plane, but the whole population has to deal with the safeguards because of the few that would.

 

[Minnesota!]

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.

Agreed!

 

[ducklite]

Everyone is always punished for the misdeeds of a few. Think about the security tags on everything you buy, the tamper proof packaging and the banning of liquids and gels on planes. Most people wouldn't shoplift, poison Tylenol or sneak a bomb on a plane, but the whole population has to deal with the safeguards because of the few that would.

I do'nt see security tags, better product packaging, or even an x-ray of luggage nearly as invasive and insensitive as this "rule."

Anne

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

This reminds me of when I was in middle school and they banned certain items from being carried in your purse, but not purses themselves.

They only banned certain items from your purse after a girl whacked a guy over the head with her purse and nearly gave him a concussion because she had a can of Aquanet in there.

TOV

 

[jodifla]

It's a sign of the times, unfortunately. Everyone has lost their common sense and their reasoning skills. Instead, they rely on the "zero tolerance" mantra.

I especially love how we've basically turned schools into prisons and teens into inmates, who can't even be trusted to carry a purse with maxi pads and some makeup in them.

 

[DaBoo]

My DD REQUIRED uniform skirt does not have a pocket.

 

[famofsix]

I hear you!

A sorta-related story--my niece has swimming in PE right now, and her PE teacher told the girls they could only miss 3 days for their cycle--total, out of 2 months of swimming! Hello--don't PE teachers have some understanding of a female's menstrual cycle? Well, my sister talked to the PE teacher (much to niece's embarrassment! ) and said that her daughter would be missing more than 3 days, and no, she would not be wearing a tampon just to get through swimming. PE teacher told her those days would be unexcused.
Okay then--let her go in the pool and have them have to clean it afterward! How barbaric!
(I'm very cranky about swimming during h.s. PE--we used to have to line up naked to ask for our disgusting, stretched-out school swimsuits. And if we had our monthly, we still had to wear the swimsuit over our underwear, sit on a bench near the pool, and endure the taunts of "Ragtime!" by the boys who were also in the swimming class. I hated it. Just hated it. There has to be a lawsuit there somewhere! )

I think I would need intense therapy after this

 

[hydster]

No bags/backpacks/purses are allowed in class at my dd's middle school either. To avoid the issue I just send her with change so that if she needs to buy them they are easily and discreetly bought in the privacy of the girls bathroom or locker room. The school is very vigilant about making sure all of the dispensers are filled each morning before school or after school. They also sell them for very cheap. But if the school wasn't vigilant that would really stink therefore I have dd keep extras in her backpack and in her gym locker just in case.

It makes it a lot less embarrassing for my dd to deal with and after all the boys "know" what's in that purse *according to my dd that is* so it's less lame in her words.

 

[MELSMICE]

Considering that girls carry their "personal items" in their purses, I find banning all purses a little over the top.

 

[DVC Jen]

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!

I totally agree with you. Both of my DDs have been denied a trip to the restroom. I have told both of them that if their time comes at school and they have to go and are denied by their teacher to just get up and - GO. I would then deal with the teacher and school principal myself.

I realize that there can and is abuse with the restrooms in middle and high schools. But you can also bet your sweet diddy if one of my girls was humiliated because she was not allowed to take care of such a personal issue - the teacher who was responsible for not letting her go - would think twice before denying another student.

 

[RrCoAsTeR]

It sucks.

But, if worst comes to worst, right before school, pack lunch, or at least chips or something, and right after school.

Pencil cases in a binder work, too

Things in pockets often pass for lip gloss