Readers were passionate about a Capital News story “Okanagan school district happy to make menstruation products more available” that was posted on Facebook April 5.
Central Okanagan Public Schools may have been surprised by the B.C. governments release that tampons and pads must be free and available at all B.C. schools next year, but they’re not at all perturbed.
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“We’ve always had them available,” said chairperson Moyra Baxter. “We’re happy to do it, we do acknowledge that they might not have been that easy (to get) for all students.”
“They should be more easily available, so (students) can go get them when they need them.
READ MORE: Okanagan school district happy to make menstruation products more available
Jason Kendrick: So after some research, I found a study they did four years ago of 18 milliCanadianian women ages 12 to 49 that they published in the woman’s magazine chatelaine that found the average woman only needs to spend $50 to $65 dollers a year if you buy generic tampons and pads. So my question how is this unaffordable when the average price then was around $6 per month even if prices have gone up in the last four years $10 per month for the same generic products? And how many of thoes girls that will use the service or parents of said girls spend more than that a month on makup?
Charla Boonstoppel: Jason Kendrick sadly there will be girls who use these free products through the school just because they are there and waste a bunch of money… but for the girls whose parents are not providing for them, this will make a huge difference. I think they had better lock the supplies up so a guidance counselling has to be asked or something because otherwise like I said girls will just grab all this stuff because it’s there even if their parents are buying it for them already.
Jenn Wish: I would just like to point out that when you have blood oozing down your legs the last thing you want to do is walk to the office to ask for something when it could be provided in a bathroom!
Kerry Ostafew Morris: I agree Jenn. I know I wouldn’t ask and my daughter has called me to drive stuff to school for her because she’s embarrassed to ask. Especially in middle school/ elementary school I can see too many wanting to go ask at the office. Nevermind in an emergency.
READ MORE: B.C. schools must provide free tampons, pads to students by end of year
READ MORE: Study aims to help women with painful periods
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