LAW: A California bill requiring schools to provide free hygiene products to low-income students comes into effect.
By Esther Whang, Staff Writer
California Governor Jerry Brown signed off a bill stating that schools with high poverty levels have to supply menstrual products to their students. This applies to students in grades six through twelve. The bill was created due to the frequent school absences of girls who cannot afford to buy feminine hygiene products. “I’ve heard many stories from many young girls that struggle with their period on a monthly basis, affecting their school, morale, and health,” Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, creator of the bill, said.
Although the passing of the bill is necessary, it will come with a cost. According to The Sacramento Bee, “a legislative analysis estimated it will cost millions of dollars to install tampon dispensers at school across the state and hundreds of thousands annually to stock them.” Governor Brown signed off the bill to “make a positive difference for women, children, and families across the state.” So even if it comes with a cost, the passing of the bill was necessary to make sure girls don’t lose their motivation to learn.
It may not seem like a big deal, but females’ “time of the month” can be stressful if they don’t have their feminine products. In some schools in New York City, students can go to the nurse if they need hygienic products. But in other schools, students need to ask the counselor for permission to go to the nurse, who would then make them explain their reason why they didn’t have the sanitary product, which can be embarrassing for some students. Students who can’t afford sanitary products are at risk of bleeding through and will be forced to miss class, which would cause their grades to drop.
Because low-income families would rather spend their money on food than sanitary products, some students have to use hygienic products longer than they are supposed to, which puts them at more of a risk for toxic shock syndrome, cervical cancer, and other ailments that can be caused by overuse. With the implementation of this bill, more girls in California will be at less risk of being affected by any of these conditions, and health and attendance rates are predicted to go up.
Sanitary products are an essential part of women’s lives, and without them, young women wouldn’t be able to focus on school or their futures. Without a sufficient supply of sanitary products, girls would be more at risk of ruining their health. The ten dollars that could be spent on extra food can instead be spent on sanitary products, which play a significant role in a woman’s life.
Assemblywoman Garcia, now known as the “tampon queen,” hopes to get more bills passed regarding female students’ health in California.