stupid school rules

[Beth76]

Well hopefully it was just the security people who thought it was a drug. I wouldn't know that it wasn't a drug. I suppose it's possible that the school's policy would include things like vitamins and supplements, but I doubt it. Hopefully OP can get this taken care of without too much hassle.

 

[rubyslipperlover]

when we have bomb scares at our school, the faculty searches lockers, as well as any backpacks or pocketbooks that may be in the lockers. they've never found bombs or weapons, but several times they've found marijuana. those students were suspended.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Whether or not it being a "dietary supplement" matters is going to depend on exactly how the school phrased the rule. Some ban all pills of any kind, even vitamin's so they don't have to send stuff off, have it tested etc.
If the rule is phrased that a lactaid would be covered I think your wasting your time fighting, take DD out for a nice day at the mall and consider it a lesson learned

 

[peachgirl]

they make you drink the milk with their crap school lunches

Just wondering how on earth is it that they force students to drink milk with their "crap" lunches?

I can't imagine a school forcing a child to eat or drink anything, let alone force them to eat something that they are allergic or have a reaction to. If your daughter has a medical condition that indicates she shouldn't drink milk, all it would take is a note from her physician stating that.

As far as the suspension...as others have said, it depends on the wording of the policy. Our rule is 0 tolerance, no pills of any kind, not even vitamins can be self administered. Had she attended here, she would have been suspended. It's too bad, but these days that's just the way it is.

 

[rubyslipperlover]

you have a point, Alex. though I don't know if a rule phrased like that would pass muster.

it occurs to me thatuntil this thread I had no idea what my dd's school's policy was, so I looked it up. ours is a common sense approach that bans illicit substances and misuse of over the counter and prescription medications.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

You want to see stupid? How about 1 year for an advil?

http://headaches.about.com/cs/advocacy/a/advil_student.htm

 

[rubyslipperlover]

how about this -- from the OP's home state of PA?

Menstrual cramps + Aleve = suspension for honor student
Zero tolerance: Student suspended for taking medicine

Updated 01 Feb 2005: Student apologizes, returns to class. (Details at bottom of post.)

Haverford Township School District has a zero tolerance policy toward drugs. It prohibits students "from carrying on their person any medication that is prescribed or purchased over the counter." If a student does need medication (including over the counter items) they need a letter from their doctor and it must be administered by the school nurse. An honors student at Haverford High School ran afoul of the policy.

It began innocently enough when a senior female student experiencing menstrual cramps asked a friend for a Tylenol or Advil. The classmate had none, but in an effort to be helpful, asked a third student, who supplied a generic form of Aleve. Aleve is a non-prescription strength form of Anaprox, sold over the counter as a fever reducer, and for temporary relief of minor aches and pains.

The young woman took the Aleve, but continued experiencing discomfort and went to the nurse. When questioned, the student told the truth and admitted obtaining Aleve from another student. An assistant principal was summoned to the scene.
A violation of this magnitude mandates an immediate suspension prior to meeting with the principal (maximum of 3 days, which was the length sentenced). Parents were outraged.

A call from irate parents expedited a hearing with Haverford Principal Nicholas Rotoli. Parents felt the punishment was inappropriate. A level 5 violation is applicable in cases where a student "possesses drug-related paraphernalia and/or possesses, uses or is under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or mood-altering substances," according to school district policy.

The student’s mother argued, "There has to be a distinction between someone who takes a cough drop or a Midol, opposed to a kid who’s smoking reefer ..It’s like throwing a hand grenade on an anthill. The world isn’t black and white ..The school didn’t look at who this child is. They didn’t delve into history or character ..This is a kid who wants to be in school, loves to be in school, and gives back to the community."
Rotoli relented under pressure and let the girl return after a day.



UPDATE

Student sorry about violation

[Principal Nicholas] Rotoli said that he talked to the student and her mother last week, and that the student apologized. He said she had admitted she violated the policy and made a mistake.

"We can't have the attitude of only enforcing our policies against non-honor-roll students," Rotoli said. "We have to be as fair as possible."

He said the student and classmate who secured the pill, whose violations could have earned a maximum three-day suspension, were suspended a half-day. They returned to school Monday, he said.

Rotoli said the infraction also would not be recorded in the students' permanent records.
Rotoli is mistaken. Nobody is asking that schools exempt honor roll students from their rules. What we are asking is that schools take into consideration the student and their intent instead of and grouping violations into a class of offense and applying a predetermined penalty to all items in the class regardless of the particulars of the event.

In any case this particular instance has worked out well. The student did break the rules, she has apologized, she was suspended for a day. It's too bad the case needed national attention before being equitably handled.

http://zerointelligence.net/archives/cat_pennsylvania.php

 

[LadyBears]

my DD17 a junior in high school .....she is lactose intolerant and they make you drink the milk with their crap school lunches

Wow that stinks....I don't understand though why she would drink the milk anyway...dont they have juice or something besides milk?? At 17 I can't imagine they monitor what the kids eat....heck my daughter is in kindergarten and they have a choice between milk, juice and bottled water with lunches and half the time they don't even open the drink, just throw it away

aprilgail2 wrote exactly what I was going to write!!

Couldn't your DD bring a "bag lunch" with her own drink? I have never heard of any school making any kids buy the school lunches.

Back to the main topic - I would fight it.

From the U. S. Food and Drug Administration What is a dietary supplement?
Congress defined the term "dietary supplement" in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. The "dietary ingredients" in these products may include: vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, glandulars, and metabolites. Dietary supplements can also be extracts or concentrates, and may be found in many forms such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, or powders. They can also be in other forms, such as a bar, but if they are, information on their label must not represent the product as a conventional food or a sole item of a meal or diet. Whatever their form may be, DSHEA places dietary supplements in a special category under the general umbrella of "foods," not drugs, and requires that every supplement be labeled a dietary supplement

 

[Bojo]

Just wondering if those who say "fight it" have actualluy read the policy? I know I haven't and would hate to jump to conclusions of if the policy was violated without knowing what the policy is!

 

[golfgal]

The other side of the coin is that kids are bringing drugs/alcohol into schools and using them while in school. Five freshmen at our small rural school were just suspending for putting vodka into water bottles and drinking in school. One of the girls stupidly was waiving the bottle around asking if anyone wanted some of her "water" and a teacher took it from her. Our district allows advil, tylenol and asthma inhalers with a parent's note, but other then that, you have to have a dr's note and the meds must be kept in the nurses office.

I would agree that I would contest her susupension, but don't count on any results. Zero tollarance policies have taken an common sense out of rule inforcement, but it also saves a lot of headaches for people when parents start shouting "discrimination" (and not a race thing, but even just different rules for say athletes and non-athletes). Personal searchs at schools have been upheld through the Supereme Court numerous times. They are legal because schools, lockers, etc are not priviate property. When a school has a written policy like your school does, it allows them to conduct searches for anyone on the grounds and anyone caught violating the rules are subject to the penalties. I don't like zero tolarance policies, but no one seems to have come up with a better solution. Heck, the State of Minnesota is proposing a ban on selling sudafed and similar meds because of the meth problem. It is just WAY out of hand.

 

[Kermit]

I agree that it is sad that your daughter is having to go through this. However, I don't have a problem with the school not even allowing supplements. While Lactaid is quite harmless, ephedera (sp?) was a supplement before it was made illegal. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing caffiene pills are probably supplements, too. You wouldn't want kids popping those at school. It is unfortunate, but she'll probably end up being more detail-oriented when it comes to following rules in the future, and that could end up helping her some day.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Wow I'd better check our school policy. I send DD#1 to school with advil when she has cramps, and I know she's gotten it from other girls when she didn't have any. Her cramps are nasty.
Robin M.

 

[korzmom]

thanks for all your opinions, i read the handbook and i guess she did "break the rule" so she paid her price and now we laugh about it!!! it doesnt stop the problems at the school and thats the sad part, because the REAL DRUG USERS will find a way to get past these inspections.....the HONEST kids take their fall. oh well, live and learn. (we had a nice quiet afternoon together,without her siblings!)

 

[HollyJoy]

While I agree that this case is rather ridiculous.. come on, a lactaid? , the school still has a rule, and I guess if they didn't stick to it 100%, there would be exceptions out the yin yang! Could you talk with the school nurse and arrange for your daughter to go to the nurses office before lunch for a lactaid?

 

[nativetxn]

Sometimes rules are just stinky. Sorry that your daughter has to miss a day of school. Hopefully, she won't get too far behind in her work.

Katholyn

 

[Figment]

The rule is a good one. There are many perscription/illicit substances that may appear to be a non-harmful substance. Teachers & Administrators are not medical professional. By banning all substances, the gray areas are erased, and the notion that "well a tylenol is ok, but not a tylenol pm" or "this cold medicine is ok, but this other one has a trace of alcohol". Too many grey areas that will lead to problems and LITIGATION. I would contact the school, explain it as a misunderstanding, & ask for a number of detentions, to avoid a suspension being noted on her permanent transcript.

 

[Chicago526]

I carried a small bottle of Advil with me at all times through out h.s. I had major bad cramps and rather than risking forgetting them when I had my period, I just always had them with me!

Good thing I never got searched! :0

 

[Ronda93]

I want to get back to how they force feed her milk and crap.

 

[PlutoPony]

In our school system, we (parents) can leave OTC and prescription medicine in the nurses office for a student's use AS NEEDED. Just need to fill out appropriate paperwork and leave in original packaging. Only caveat is that if the student takes it 3 days in a row, you must bring in a doctor's note in order for continued use. Maybe a system like this exists in your schools that would work in these type situations?

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

After reading this thread makes me question what the policy was when I was in HS. I graduated in 1999 and all through HS I carried Tylenol, Aleve, and IBProfin. If the same policy was put into place at my HS, it was a good thing I never got searched.