Indiana school bans purses in the classroom
Categories: Teens & tweens, Education
In an effort to keep kids as safe as possible, many schools have banned backpacks in the classroom, forcing students to keep them in their lockers instead. But an Indiana high school is taking that idea one step further, telling female students that they can't carry their purses either. And that new rule has girls and parents alike upset.
At a recent school board meeting, parents challenged the rule. Telling school officials that girls need purses for privacy, one mom attempted to cram a feminine hygiene product into her pocket to show how difficult it can be. "Girls this age are easily embarrassed; they don't want people to know they have their period," she said. Parents are also worried that purses stashed in lockers might be stolen.
Big purses are in style right now, which is probably what is at the center of this issue. The school principal implemented the plan when he noticed that girls were carrying bags that -- size-wise -- were essentially backpacks. Maybe what this school needs is a purse dress code?
Does your high school have a backpack or purse ban? Do you think they should?
At a recent school board meeting, parents challenged the rule. Telling school officials that girls need purses for privacy, one mom attempted to cram a feminine hygiene product into her pocket to show how difficult it can be. "Girls this age are easily embarrassed; they don't want people to know they have their period," she said. Parents are also worried that purses stashed in lockers might be stolen.
Big purses are in style right now, which is probably what is at the center of this issue. The school principal implemented the plan when he noticed that girls were carrying bags that -- size-wise -- were essentially backpacks. Maybe what this school needs is a purse dress code?
Does your high school have a backpack or purse ban? Do you think they should?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Heather 9-12-2008 @ 5:28PM
If it is the size of the purse, why don't they just put a size limit on it. Tell the girls they can carry one only if it is under say 8 inches. That size is redily available at any Walmart, and would easily fit a few feminine products inside.
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brianmsommer 9-13-2008 @ 10:27PM
I am a teacher and I agree with this rule. If girls used purses just for privates needs that is one thing BUT students use them for carrying phones in class as well as food...and I think people are forgetting the whole reason for the rule is safety. In a large purse girls could carry weapons to class...
Andi 9-13-2008 @ 3:57PM
My school, NJ, has one. Our bags can't be more than 12 x 12
George 9-13-2008 @ 5:05PM
Hey, fair is fair. No purses should be allowed on planes either. No diaper bags, no totes, no carry on whatsoever! If there are no backpacks allowed, then purses should be banned also. No briefcases. girls for a long time have been carryig weaponsand booze and drugs into school and hiding those items for their boyfriends, so I agree with the school in Indiana. As for the girls who are embarassed that boys might know they are having their period, the boys know because the girls tell them. Is it any more embarassing for the girls to walk around showing their breasts nd other private parts with the clothes, they are wearing or aren't wearing?
Jamie 9-13-2008 @ 5:12PM
I agree that girls need to be able to carry their purses to carry feminine hygiene items!At the middle school where I teach, we tell the girls that their purses must be smaller than a text book. If a text book can fit into it, it is too big.
shaborkin_88 9-13-2008 @ 6:49PM
Honestly, if you ban bookbags then purses should be banned as well. Even the smallest purse can carry a potentially lethal weapon inside it. If the object is making kids as safe as possible, then banning purses is acceptable in my opinion.
I don't see why a girl can't stop at her locker when she requests a pass to use the bathroom? Teachers will have to be told that a girl may potentially need a few more minutes allowance because she may need to use the ladies room for a hygienic purpose as well.
In todays world, the safer we can make schools the better. And if someone needs to be slightly inconvenienced in order to make it safer, then they should just be glad the school is interested in their safety and deal with it.
jennie 9-14-2008 @ 4:53PM
george, you're a moron! saying no to a diaper bag on a plane is insane if you have a little one. i've traveled by plane TWICE since my daughter was 3 weeks old!!! you CANNOT have a baby on a plane and NOT have a diaper bag!! i've had to feed my daughter and change her diapers on my two trips during the flight. you try having a baby that needs to be fed and/or needs to be changed and not have a diaper bag that has the formula or breast milk and the diapers and wipes. you would be miserable from all the crying, probably messy from a poopy blowout and all the passengers and crew would HATE you, all for not having a diaper bag that you could use in minutes.
now for the purse thing, i carried my purse every once in awhile in high school. i would just end up putting everything into my babkpack. my school tried to limit going to lockers in between periods but that wasn't even an option most of the time. beginning of my senior year they tried to have us share a locker with one other person-that was ok, then the school gave the seniors their own lockers without reassigning the old ones-so i ended up with two, then i got a boyfriend and i used his locker-in all i had three lockers and they were all convienent for all of my classes. needless to say that was in 98. banning bookbags is ridiculous!!! those books now can be at least 1 1/2 inches thick!!! if the schools have the need to do that then they should provide every single student with a computer notebook and then give all the students textbook cds and provide every girl with a small pencil case for tampons and the like-and not the gards shit either-it's got to be tampax or playtex since they want to be hardasses about it.
Corrinne 9-14-2008 @ 7:17PM
I think a SMALL purse should be allowed. I had my period and 4th grade and got picked on all the time. I didn't even tell my best friend.
And George, I NEVER told boys I had my period. It was incredibly embarassing for me at that time. I only graduated in 2003, so I'm not that far behind the times. I would have been humiliated to have to carry around tampons or pads in full view of everyone.
Kids are cruel. In retrespect the girls that picked on me were probably jealous, but that doesn't make it any easier when you're the kid being harassed.
jackie 9-12-2008 @ 5:32PM
This is stupid. As a former Indiana student, it s tough to get to the restroom between classes, let alone not to be able to carry feminine products in a purse for use in the restroom. Try going to the restroom, climbing two flights of stairs in five minutes...you don't have time to stop at your locker.
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Stefanie 9-12-2008 @ 5:37PM
My high school in Wisconsin only allows you to carry clutches. They aren't allowed to have handles. Last year it had to be smaller than a sheet of regular paper-8.5x11. I think it's inconvenient to only allow clutches because girls like to carry everything with them. I hate carrying my calculator on top of other stuff because it falls all the time. I invested in a large pencil bag-a makeup bag from aerie. You can find them anywhere. It's big enough for your pencils, but it barely fits my graphing calculator, which I need daily. My school has strict policies, but the purse rule is probably the worst.
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casey 9-12-2008 @ 7:47PM
well i go to a high school in Virginia and we can have purses and bookbags while we are going from class to class...they havent said nothing about how big the purse has to be or how small it has to be...i am just glad my school is not like this one because i would still bring my purse to school.I dont care if they banded them or not....they cant stop me from bringing a purse to school.
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AGB1953 9-12-2008 @ 8:24PM
Oh yes they can.
Kate Spade 9-13-2008 @ 4:50PM
Casey, it's " they haven't said ANYTHING about how big..." and it's BANNED not banded (banded would be like a snakeskin. example; a coral snake) Advice: Go to class (English) and don't worry about your purse. You are correct though, they CANNOT stop you from bringing your purse to school, but they can stop you from carrying it around.
ccwstauffer 9-13-2008 @ 4:59PM
Casey
I am glad your school does not put too many restrictions on you. However please pay attention in your English class....They haven't say nothing should be they haven't said anything, and band should be banned. I don't mean to nitpick, but incorrect usage of the language can cost you a job in the future
missjanenc 9-13-2008 @ 5:15PM
casey, instead of worrying about whether or not you can carry a purse, why don't you concentrate on your spelling and English.
afinefred 9-13-2008 @ 5:40PM
Wow...read your comment on purses. So your school allows big purses but doesn't teach spelling, grammar or how to use a spell checker. I feel sorry for you and the quality of your education.
Pavlina 9-12-2008 @ 8:00PM
Hunh. I don't remember carrying a purse in high school, I'm sure I didn't. Maybe the better solution would be to offer free supplies in the girls bathrooms, then all would be made null and no need for a purse. I don't really understand why a high school girl would need a purse while in class anyway. What for? They don't need their mobile phone during class, nor any brush, comb or beauty product, meds, etc. No need for a purse.
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sammi 9-12-2008 @ 8:55PM
Because periods happen, we don't control when, and they don't always conveniently happen between classes. My school was BIG, was not always able to get to my locker between classes. Menstruation is usually a very private, sensitive subject for girls this age. While most teachers I think would freely give girls a pass to go to their locker in this case, I'd have been too mortified to ask!
I was a tomboy, kinda rebellious, but I carried a purse. We weren't limited from carrying backpacks, but those are too "open" at times. Most men AND boys know not to touch a female's purse...because at that age, the boys would be just as mortified to come across tampons and such!
No way does this survive...daughters and moms won't allow it. Limit the size, sure. And the clutch thing is just stupid and cumbersome. I have a tiny strapped purse when I go out at night.
SKW 9-13-2008 @ 3:58PM
sammi: I don't see how carrying period stuff in your purse is any more convenient than having them for free in the bathroom. Unless a girl plans on inserting a tampon in the middle of class, she's going to have to go to the bathroom anyway. The only problem with the having them in the bathroom thing I can think of is everyone uses different things. Some girls use small tampons, some use large, some use heavy pads, some wear light pads. I know when I bleed a light pad lasts me about 10 minutes before I have to change.
I never carried a purse in school so this wouldn't affect me at all. I still don't carry one. I have a book bag and my phone, wallet, MP3 player, asthma inhaler and keys all go in my pockets. It's pretty easy.
Chris 9-13-2008 @ 5:21PM
SKW makes a great point when mentioning the Asthma inhaler. Life saving medical supplies, such as inhalers and epipens (both of which I have to carry) need to be readily available. My school has a back pack ban, but alsmot everyone carries a smaller bag of some sort.