<p>Tonight was the orientation meeting for parents of middle school students, which in our school system is grades five through eight. Two areas of disciplinary focus were discussed, bullying and drug/alcohol use. There is a long history of both in the school system. The proposed disciplinary policy for the coming year is that students found to be bullying will serve two days detention. Students found to be in possession of alcoholic beverage or drug will automatically be suspended seven days and will be referred to the district disciplinary committee for further punishment up to and including expulsion. Among the drugs specifically mentioned were aspirin, Advil, and Sudafed. Does anyone else live in a school district where possession of over-the-counter medicines results in automatic suspension? How is that working out?</p>
<p>In middle school I use to carry a bottle of advil in my bookpack. Not to hand out to other kids or ABBUSEE it. It was for personal use, I suffered from terrible cramps, and headaches. If I was to get caught with that at that middle school I could be expelled?</p>
<p>I know in my district we're not allowed to have over-the-counter meds (or any other meds except inhalers, epi-pens, etc. that are registered with the school nurse). Not sure what the punishment is, though, because no one that I know of has been caught. Everyone carries them, mostly in little tic-tac containers or something. It's silly because the nurse can't even give you Tylenol or anything without a doctor's note.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what the punishment in my school district for carrying over the counter meds is, but students are not allowed to carry them. When my son got braces in middle school, I took a bottle of ibuprofen to the nurses office. She kept it in a locked cabinet with his name on it. If he needed one, he had to go to the nurse to get it.</p>
<p>We were officially not allowed to carry them, but many students did, and the teachers didn't care.</p>
<p>I think suspension for Advil is ridiculous. If they have to, set up a tier system: detention for Advil, suspension for illicit Codeine.</p>
<p>At our public school you are not allowed to have advil or any over the counter med in your possession. I don't know what the punishment is.
I know several years ago my D had to have a signed Dr's note on file in the nurses office for an asthma inhaler. She also got terrible cramps and they wanted a signed dr's note for advil or midol as well. My D felt the rules were ridiculous and kept it in her car even though that would be a violation since the car was parked on school grounds.
Fast forward two years and my 2nd who takes ADD meds was allowed to carry it on him if he had the signed consent from the Dr on file in the office. I didn't want him carrying it around since I didn't want kids who didn't need it asking him for some. We were going through a phase where he was trying out different meds to see what one worked best and it was a pain to get a form signed each time we made a change. He eventually went on something that he was able to just take in the morning. I think the policy is out of whack when they won't let you carry tylenol but they were going to let my son walk around with a bottle of ritilin in his backpack.
I have a third who goes to a private school where they can carry advil or go to the office and they will give it to them. They have to be reminded once they go back to public school that they no longer have that option.</p>
<p>I work at a public middle school. Kids who take daily meds (like Ritalin) have it registered in the office and go there to take it at lunch, administered by an adult. They are not allowed to take over-the-counter meds-- they may have a parent come and give it to them, or have a doctor's note as per Ritalin. But as a teacher, I don't want students randomly taking medications on their own-- there have been fads of No-Doz, diet pills, etc. over the years, and I wouldn't want to have to police it. I think many schools have gone to a "zero tolerance" policy for that reason, even though it does seem rather absurd to equate taking Advil with drinking alcohol.</p>
<p>They get alittle crazy with the rules.</p>
<p>I do remember that once in like 10th grade we had a speaker come to our school, her son had died from one of his friends giving him tynoel or somethig and he was allegeric to it. She was basically there to tell us not to give our friends meds. Maybe thats the issue they want to prevent with all these rules.</p>
<p>Honestly, the kid should have known he was allergic. If he was too young to know he was allergic, he was probably too young to give himself medicine. High school students should be able to give themselves basic OTC meds, in my opinion. </p>
<p>Of course, a student can just as easily try a food he's never had before (pine nut, an unusual fruit, soybean, shrimp, etc.) in the cafeteria and die. It's sad and tragic, but it happens.</p>
<p>But, yes, of course kids shouldn't swap pills, and perscription drugs should never be shared.</p>
<p>I've always understood my high school's policy to be a C.Y.A. kind of deal--they don't really care if we break the rule as long as they're absolved of any liability.</p>
<p>allergic* </p>
<p>Yeah he should of known.</p>
<p>Here the fight for a while was the serving of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So many kids are allegic to peanut's so the county wants to take it off the school menu so kids who can't eat it won't have it as an option. It's nuts because its not fair for the kids who aren't allergic. And if schools would cater to the need of each child, we would even be able to wear clothes. Sometimes are just meant to be left alone.</p>
<p>We've got a zero tolerance policy in my district - no medication of any kind except inhalers (with permission). It sounds like yours is close, but not quite. I would hope that your district disciplinary committee would be able to sort through the situation to determine the appropriate response.</p>
<p>Yes I think the schools are over reacting and ridiculous. However, this zero tolerance thing on drugs, as extended to OTC cough drops in addition to tylenol, advil etc seems to be the rule.</p>
<p>If a kid needs a cough drop in our public school system, they are instructed to carry hard candies instead.</p>
<p>If your child wears contact lenses, check to see whether the contact liquid is regarded as a medication. If it is, the child may have to keep it in the nurse's office rather than his locker.</p>
<p>My school has had the Zero Tolerance Policy for everything for many years. Yes, they get carried away. Sharing Advil on the sports field is frequent and shouldn't be allowed, but much that is so heavily dealt with is normal kid behavior.</p>
<p>There are always exceptions to the rules. That is why a No Tolerance Policy is misguided.</p>
<p>I have found it to be very effective, if you feel that your child is being mistreated by this rule, to mention to the teacher or Principal that you will discuss it with Social Services.</p>
<p>Like other drugs, Tylenol, Advil and other OTCs can sometimes result in serious health consequences if abused or if taken by some individuals with certain health conditions or on other medications. </p>
<p>Savvy kids can easily swap something else into their Tylenol bottles. Or worse. How's this for scary?</p>
<p>Not sure I agree with the consequences, since I think they should be more case-specific but I do agree with zero tolerance. Do we really want to trust not just that our own 13-yr olds but more importantly, that all the OTHER 13-yr olds, have the knowledge and wisdom to always make correct choices?</p>
<p>Our middle school and high school do not allow students to carry any drugs...OTC, prescription, or " illegal narcotics." At the beginning of the year bottles of OTC can be sent to the nurses office and labeled with the student's name, but the nurse must dispense the meds. No meds, including OTC can be dispensed without parent permission. Illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco will net the student six weeks in alternative school. I believe OTC infractions are handled with ISS first, then alternative school for subsequent infractions.</p>
<p>Bullying can be handled in several ways, depending on if it has continued on after warnings, or has become physical in nature, or multiple students are involved etc....Any physical bullying is automatic ISS, and sometimes alternative school placement depending on the circumstances. Unfortunately if the bullied swings back it is considered a fight, not an assault, and both face punishment. :( Once, a group of upperclassmen started bullying (verbally) the freshmen in the hallway so the principal made them eat lunch with him (the principal) for a week at the same table.</p>
<p>For any lesser infractions our students have the choice of lunch tables (wiping them down during lunch period), activity period detention, or athletic discipline which may be pulling the football sled, running snakes or steps etc...</p>
<p>We have a very small school, however, and I think that is why this method is viable.</p>
<p>As an aside, I remember being shocked in our old district by the welcome to middle school speech. "No baggy, no saggy, no draggy. Underwear--please wear it, and wear it underneath your clothes...." My son said later "you can't have facial hair, and you can't drive to school." Remember these are 6,7 8 graders.</p>