Bill Would Legislate Maryland Students' Use of Sunscreen

WAPO ^ | March 29, 2005 | Daniel de Vise

[506trooper]

Montgomery County schools require a doctor's note for children to use sunscreen. Howard County requires a note from parents, and the lotion must be stored in the nurse's office. Anne Arundel students, by contrast, may carry and apply sunscreen with impunity.

A bill pending in the Maryland legislature, however, would require school health officers to make sure students are allowed to wear sunscreen when they go outdoors on sunny days, a right that is not universally recognized in schools, according to cancer prevention advocates.

...Snip....

Four school systems require a doctor's order for students to apply sunscreen. Eleven require at least a parent's note. Eight systems require students to leave the product with the school health officer. Rules can vary from school to school within each system.

my bold

[506trooper]

This may have been posted, although search didn't find it...if so my apologies

I know there are silly rules and laws on the books, but it boggles my mind to see something like this.

We need more rule makers

[bahblahbah]

Ugh, we need to completely privatize our education system.

[TomGuy]

Don't let McCain know that!!! He'll be legislating locks on home medicine cabinets.

[Phantom Lord]

If only I was smart enough to figure out what was wrong with government schools.

[Finger Monkey]

Blah, blah, blah, blah. More bureaucratic blather. Yet another reason to home school

[RushCrush]

First allergy medicine, now sunscreen. If they take away my mascara, I can't be responsible for my actions.

[Guillermo]

But if they want to get an abortion, on the other hand, the school will take them to the abortuary, without even notifying the parents, much lass having their consent...

[stylin_geek]

My first thought was "You've got to be kidding!!"

My second thought was "Obviously if legislatures have so little to do that they feel the need to legislate on this kind of thing, then it is time to either get rid of this legislature or limit how many times it can meet."

[clee1]

Just Damn! alert.

[506trooper]

What, and deprive our younguns of a puplick skool edumacation?

[plain talk]

"If you had a very young kid, and they put it in their eyes, it could hurt them," said Judith Covich, Montgomery's director of health and student services.

Incredible. The schools are probably afraid of frivolous lawsuits and bloodsucking lawyers. No wonder they can't teach the students with all these serious problems to worry about.

[506trooper]

"My first thought was "You've got to be kidding!!" "

Mine too, but they're not.....scary huh?

[506trooper]

" If they take away my mascara, I can't be responsible for my actions."

Got a doctor's note for that?

[RushCrush]

I've dated doctors. I'm sure I could easily get one. LOL

[RushCrush]

"Just Damn" ping

[KarlInOhio]

First thing the kids are allowed to apply the sunscreen themselves, next thing you know they're cooking up meth in the junior high science lab. We will only have a free country when we have laws, rules and regulations controlling everything we do from when we wake up until we go to sleep. < /sarcasm level=11>

[sure_fine]

when was the adult population of MD depleted? common sense just don't exist down there?

[506trooper]

If I could find a Magic: The Gathering "It's for the children" Mana Gathering card, I'd never lose.

[fredhead]

How about sue the school system for not providing protection for our kids from harmful UV rays that cause skin cancer???

[Ranxerox]

The schools are probably afraid of frivolous lawsuits and bloodsucking lawyers.

Well, maybe in states where rational thought prevails, but here in Maryland it's just the insanity of the liberal mind.