Free menstrual products in bathrooms

[Anonymous]

The Montgomery County Council is holding a meeting to discuss placing free menstrual products in bathrooms.

Am I the only one who thinks this is a really bad idea? Sure, it feels good and it’s very nice. The reality will be those dispensers are going to be vandalized, and the menstrual products will be stolen. I guarantee every time a new sash of tampons and pads are placed out they’ll be wiped out and then when a girl really needs it, there won’t be there.

This will end up being a giant waste of money between the constant repairs and replacement of the dispensers and the daily restocking of the menstrual products products.

Are Council members not aware of how bad high school bathrooms are? Middle school bathrooms aren’t fantastic but they’re not regularly vandalized like the high school bathrooms are.

I’m not opposed to menstrual products being kept in the health room but putting them in bathrooms will be a disaster.

[Anonymous]

MCPS has already been doing this for years.

[Anonymous]

I think we owe it to girls to try it before we declare it a failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we owe it to girls to try it before we declare it a failure.

Op here and I agree that we as parents we owe it to our girls to keep them properly supplied. That’s not the school‘s responsibility.

That said I don’t oppose products being kept in the health room, or in the main office. But I don’t support adding machines that will surely be vandalized and supplies plundered. That will be an enormous waste of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we owe it to girls to try it before we declare it a failure.

Op here and I agree that we as parents we owe it to our girls to keep them properly supplied. That’s not the school‘s responsibility.

That said I don’t oppose products being kept in the health room, or in the main office. But I don’t support adding machines that will surely be vandalized and supplies plundered. That will be an enormous waste of money.

It is as much the school’s responsibility as providing toilet paper. Do we not do that bc of potential vandals?

[Anonymous]

Stupid idea, the nurse has them no need to waste money they don’t have on dispensers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we owe it to girls to try it before we declare it a failure.

Op here and I agree that we as parents we owe it to our girls to keep them properly supplied. That’s not the school‘s responsibility.

That said I don’t oppose products being kept in the health room, or in the main office. But I don’t support adding machines that will surely be vandalized and supplies plundered. That will be an enormous waste of money.

It is as much the school’s responsibility as providing toilet paper. Do we not do that bc of potential vandals?

Exactly. Imagine telling students they have to go to the health room or the main office for a strip of toilet paper because sometimes kids pulled on the rolls and left it on the floor when the bathrooms were properly supplied.

[Anonymous]

Is this an MCPS meeting? Or Montgomery County Council meeting? What bathrooms (any public buildings in the county -- like libraries -- or is this specific to schools?) are they referring to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stupid idea, the nurse has them no need to waste money they don’t have on dispensers.

So every time a girl needs a pad or a tampon she needs to run to the nurse first? You must be a guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we owe it to girls to try it before we declare it a failure.

+1 I remember being too poor to buy an adequate amount of feminine hygiene supplies.

[Anonymous]

And that going to the nurse takes significantly longer.

I remember being a middle schooler with unpredictable periods (because they aren't regular when they first start) and the stress of days when you run out or forget and how embarrassing it was. It was awful and I hope we can stop that from happening.

[Anonymous]

Strong disagree, OP.

[Anonymous]

Are you a man, OP, or a woman who doesn't remember what it's like to not know when your period is going to come?

Because your opinion is so insensitive.

I think menstrual products should be in the health room AND in bathrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we owe it to girls to try it before we declare it a failure.

+1 I remember being too poor to buy an adequate amount of feminine hygiene supplies.

+2 If we assume that part of a school's role is to give students the tools they need to be successful while they are in the school building, then feeding them and giving them access to hygiene products is part of that overall goal.

[Anonymous]

If they stock them with a budget pad (as opposed to a thin version) the theft won’t be as great. It will get the girl through the day. I am all for trying and if the theft and damage is too much, just keep in health room