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mrs_p

(3,236 posts)

89. This mom is a friend of a friend

Mon Jun 25, 2012, 10:44 PM

Jun 2012

A couple of thoughts. I don't know her, so am not trying to defend her. But, this is a reminder to me of how judgmental people can be without knowing all the facts...

It was raining in the morning. This is Tacoma, WA (where I grew up). Although we get hot days, this is not like Colorado (where I am living now), where you go outside and burn right away. We often have constant cloud-cover from about September to June. Seriously. I don't blame the mother for not putting sunscreen on in the a.m. It was raining - she thought the field day would be moved indoors.

Teachers were commenting on the children's sunburns. This mom is actually an advocate for teachers (in fact, our mutual friend is married to a teacher). She was upset with the policy. She wasn't bashing teachers in general. But the policy that would not allow them to intervene.

Finally, read her blog. She lays out her reasoning. And an update says Tacoma Public School policy will be changing. http://lifephotographed.com/2012/06/your-questions-about-our-story-answered/

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mom angry after kids badly sunburned during field trip (school ban on sunscreen) [View all] Liberal_in_LA Jun 2012 OP

I am once again flabbergasted at the fools following rules! hedgehog Jun 2012 #1

Isn't that insane? Does that mean kids can't wear caps in freezing weather? pnwmom Jun 2012 #130

A ban on sunscreen? CaliforniaPeggy Jun 2012 #2

There are sound reasons Peggy MichiganVote Jun 2012 #9

Those aren't "sound reasons." They're bullshit reasons. TheWraith Jun 2012 #26

So how much does it really cost you to have other people do your thinking for you? MichiganVote Jun 2012 #72

Good reasons bongbong Jun 2012 #42

It's really all, as you say, lawsuit mitigation 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #47

Actually its to prevent harm to children-imagine that. MichiganVote Jun 2012 #73

Except the likelihood of children being burned is greater than the likelihood pnwmom Jun 2012 #110

let children live and learn blueamy66 Jun 2012 #139

Sunscreens can be dangerous. Many people have reactions. They should pulled the kids off Honeycombe8 Jun 2012 #82

If they had allowed the girls to apply their own sunscreen sent by their mother, pnwmom Jun 2012 #104

The article didn't say the mother sent sunscreen. That was the problem. It also doesn't Honeycombe8 Jun 2012 #108

The article says that the school's policy didn't allow any student to use sunscreen pnwmom Jun 2012 #109

Not the article I read. The mother complains that the school didn't "give the girls suncreen" Honeycombe8 Jun 2012 #112

It's the policy of requiring a prescription for sunscreen that I object to. n/t pnwmom Jun 2012 #113

The policy is stupid but these quotes make it clear the mother knew about the policy. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2012 #118

The point to me is that policies like this exist in most states and they shouldn't. pnwmom Jun 2012 #120

I disagree with the reasons. A sunburn is much more likely than an allergic reaction pnwmom Jun 2012 #102

Does this mean kids have to get frostbite in the winter because they can't wear caps pnwmom Jun 2012 #105

good god almighty. maybe they should just ban school okieinpain Jun 2012 #107

Parents can also apply sunscreen to their offspring BEFORE a field trip . . . Petrushka Jun 2012 #128

Most parents would probably think a sunscreen wouldn't be needed if it was raining gateley Jun 2012 #131

If a child is so very fair-skinned as that woman's children are, it seems reasonable . . . Petrushka Jun 2012 #133

Most people aren't that sunscreen savvy. I've had people incredulous when I mention gateley Jun 2012 #140

For Cripe's Sake blueamy66 Jun 2012 #138

I blame the school district AND the mother. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2012 #3

That's where I am at as well. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #22

Mom shouldn't have needed to send any silly ass doctors note for sunscreen TheKentuckian Jun 2012 #135

I think they worry about Politicalboi Jun 2012 #38

I don't think the rule applies to home-applied sunscreen. I could be wrong. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2012 #44

If some other kid wearing the sunscreen touched an "allergic" kid, there could be a problem, gkhouston Jun 2012 #68

Applying at home might not have been enough - it isn't for me REP Jun 2012 #77

As a mom, ITA. I have to jump through the hoops Butterbean Jun 2012 #74

Not having HATS contributed to those sunburns HereSince1628 Jun 2012 #103

How can you defend a hat rule outside? pnwmom Jun 2012 #111

Then why didn't she send sunscreen to school with the kids if she didn't know about the policy? Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2012 #114

How do you know she didn't send sunscreen? I didn't see that anywhere. pnwmom Jun 2012 #116

Are you saying the school prevented the girls from applying SC? Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2012 #117

This is what the article said: pnwmom Jun 2012 #121

I'm not sure why you are posting this. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2012 #123

To show that the school policy -- which she didn't know about and neither did I -- required pnwmom Jun 2012 #124

Duh bpj62 Jun 2012 #4

Maybe someone is worried kids will get high off the sunscreen. Quantess Jun 2012 #5

The reasons include that children share items in school including over the counter MichiganVote Jun 2012 #7

There was a long thread on Facebook. Some of the teachers at this school were replying there. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #19

You're preachin' to the choir proud-story of my workaday life :) MichiganVote Jun 2012 #23

Me too. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #91

If that's true, why did the school have her outside for long at all? LeftyMom Jun 2012 #25

One of the teachers said the office had tried to call her mom. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #33

It can take months to get a doctor's visit for a routine matter. LeftyMom Jun 2012 #41

Doctors fax notes to school all the time. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #51

Here we go again..... AnneD Jun 2012 #59

It's all so stupid proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #62

2nd that MichiganVote Jun 2012 #87

Schools apparently consider anything purchased in a drugstore to be kestrel91316 Jun 2012 #49

The school bans it because it's a state law B2G Jun 2012 #6

That's the third-dumbest law I've read about in hours. Posteritatis Jun 2012 #12

You'll get no argument from me on that B2G Jun 2012 #13

I second that. BeanMusical Jun 2012 #79

Maybe those states have toxic sunscreen CleanLucre Jun 2012 #142

Hey Mom, ever consider making your kid wear a hat... joeybee12 Jun 2012 #8

RTFA. She didn't put sunscreen on them in the AM because it was raining. LeftyMom Jun 2012 #16

Most sunscreens now are waterproof... joeybee12 Jun 2012 #31

Waterproof sunscreens aren't immediately waterproof jeff47 Jun 2012 #39

No sunscreens are actually waterproof, no matter what they claim. pnwmom Jun 2012 #126

The minute it stopped, if I was that mom, I would have left work and gone to the school proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #92

You do realize that sounds perfectly ridiculous, don't you? LeftyMom Jun 2012 #95

It's "perfectly ridiculous" to be a responsible parent? proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #96

Is it ridiculous to be a responsible teacher? I hope not. pnwmom Jun 2012 #129

If you were a teacher applying sunscreen to yourself while you were watching pnwmom Jun 2012 #127

Hats are gang symbols and thus are banned 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #48

Hey, joeybee12, did you read this part? pnwmom Jun 2012 #125

I don't know about school rules these days, but GreatCaesarsGhost Jun 2012 #10

Er, plenty of people? (nt) Posteritatis Jun 2012 #11

Me B2G Jun 2012 #15

There's a difference on being outside and in the sun for 5 hours. GreatCaesarsGhost Jun 2012 #24

this is so important we needed two threads about it? with dozens of combined posts? yet HiPointDem Jun 2012 #14

It's ridiculous proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #17

Uh, because it's *sunscreen*?? B2G Jun 2012 #18

Sunscreen is an over the counter medicine proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #20

I'm shocked by this. LeftyMom Jun 2012 #27

Someone upthread said it was a law in California proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #30

I wouldn't know personally. No kid in PS, and zero tolerance was just taking hold when I escaped. LeftyMom Jun 2012 #36

It's not medicine Mosby Jun 2012 #28

The schools consider it a medicine. It's listed as such in the handbook in my district. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #29

I don't doubt you Mosby Jun 2012 #35

Neither do I but it's not up to me. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #65

So if the girls had applied makeup... krispos42 Jun 2012 #99

Most sunscreens will be a thing of the past in just a few years I have a hunch Iwasthere Jun 2012 #43

pass the woo dionysus Jun 2012 #93

Sunscreen isn't "medicine". It's a skin care product considered safe enough for anyone of any age or kestrel91316 Jun 2012 #50

It is whatever the school district policy says it is. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #64

yup MichiganVote Jun 2012 #21

Absurd law... it's nanny-state laws like that that make me so upset when the OneTenthofOnePercent Jun 2012 #32

It is ridiculous that the school bans sunscreen notadmblnd Jun 2012 #34

Yes, they say that in Florida too HockeyMom Jun 2012 #40

It was raining when they went to school. Also, sunscreen is supposed to be reapplied pnwmom Jun 2012 #106

Applying Sunscreen bpj62 Jun 2012 #37

"Violet". An appropriate name. 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #45

I have a medical condition where I cannot be out in the sun and heat HockeyMom Jun 2012 #46

I was told to put sunscreen on my daughter before she went to school. ejpoeta Jun 2012 #52

maybe they've never heard of hats there nt msongs Jun 2012 #53

The Stupid... slackmaster Jun 2012 #54

Lol Skinner Jun 2012 #76

More Zero-Thinking from both schools and parents. PavePusher Jun 2012 #55

As someone who recently had Mohs surgery for a basal cell carcinoma frazzled Jun 2012 #56

I agree. Robb Jun 2012 #57

Allergic reactions to sunscreen: noamnety Jun 2012 #69

Excuse me frazzled Jun 2012 #70

We've had ER visits due to skin contact noamnety Jun 2012 #88

However did we manage before sunscreen? FarCenter Jun 2012 #58

I got really tanned, sometimes burned, on Southern California beaches four and five decades ago. hunter Jun 2012 #60

Now people go to tanning salons to get that condition FarCenter Jun 2012 #63

you sound like me shanti Jun 2012 #80

A lot of people with albinism generally didn't. Posteritatis Jun 2012 #61

I do know a person who has lost all her skin pigment FarCenter Jun 2012 #66

It's why skin cancer is the number one most common cancer today. frazzled Jun 2012 #71

You managed fine at the time, but now your generation has high rates morningfog Jun 2012 #98

However did we manage before a lot of modern technology? Quite simple - we died. Early. Zalatix Jun 2012 #137

Wouldn't the fear of sunburn be more likely to pan out treestar Jun 2012 #67

Did Mom say if she applied sunscreen before school? They make some pretty gnarly.. Tikki Jun 2012 #75

Wiping sweat off face removes the sunscreen, no matter how heavy-duty REP Jun 2012 #78

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Jun 2012 #81

like the story about the bullied bus monitor? I thought for sure that was an American story. Liberal_in_LA Jun 2012 #83

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Jun 2012 #86

you think a story about sunscreen policy in a school in tacoma wa = "most pertinent"? HiPointDem Jun 2012 #132

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Jun 2012 #143

do you live in tacoma and do your kids go to school in that district? HiPointDem Jun 2012 #144

Very poor judgement by the school rebecca_herman Jun 2012 #84

Why didn't the mom douse them with the shit before they left the house? lonestarnot Jun 2012 #85

it was raining that morning mrs_p Jun 2012 #90

This mom is a friend of a friend mrs_p Jun 2012 #89

The sunscreen would have had to have been reapplied in a few hours, too. Lars39 Jun 2012 #122

Simple solution... Glassunion Jun 2012 #94

Common sense is obviously something lost to "the olden days." Vinca Jun 2012 #97

i didnt often use sunscreen on my kids. my inlaws have used that against me forever seabeyond Jun 2012 #100

Uhhhhh Iggy Jun 2012 #101

After reading threads like this, I'm still amazed I managed to reach 60+... Buns_of_Fire Jun 2012 #115

Don't worry, plenty of your peers are dead. Robb Jun 2012 #119

the issue was resolved 6 days ago but du-ers are still enraged. HiPointDem Jun 2012 #134

They made these poor delicate precious dears GO OUTSIDE? datasuspect Jun 2012 #136

Mom why didn't you keep your kids from going on the field trip? CleanLucre Jun 2012 #141