At the beginning of the legislative season, a bill was introduced that would have created a program in which free menstrual products would be provided in school bathrooms around Nebraska. The original iteration of this bill was indefinitely postponed mid-April, but the idea of free menstrual products in schools was carried on through the passage of LB 1284. The bill creates provisions for a variety of education related programs, one of which is a pilot program for free menstrual product distribution in school bathrooms.
The bill states that priority will be given to districts where forty percent of students are at poverty level or classifies as a needs improvement school.
“Because of the Pink Tax, a lot of those students can’t afford hygiene products, and since these are so desperately needed, starting in schools that have a high poverty rate is a better idea so that people have access to hygienic products[/pullquote],” junior Lauren Kelly said.
While free products are currently offered at MSHS, students must go to the nurse’s office in order to get them, and for many, it can feel like a hassle.
“Sometimes I’m in desperate need of a pad or a tampon, and there’s none in the bathroom, and I don’t want to all the way down to the nurse’s office to get one, so having free ones in the bathrooms is like a perfect idea,” Kelly said.
Others say they feel that going to the nurse for products can be uncomfortable.
“Morally, this new system would be better. Going to the nurse’s office to get stuff can be embarrassing. You have to talk about why you’re there, and she writes it down in the little book,” sophomore Magnolia Moriarty said.
The legislature intends to dedicate no more than $250,000 to carry out the program, which has lead to concerns.
“That’s not enough,” said nurse Sharon Brisson-Schnitker, “They’re expensive, terribly expensive. I only hand out 5 to 6 products a day, but for 180 days it totals to over $500. That will add up,” she said.
The passage of the bill has also brought up additional worries about mishandling the distribution of products, leading to stealing or misconduct.
“The only problem with having them in the bathrooms is that people grab handfuls, so they’ll have to keep refilling it, and it might cost more,” Brisson-Schnitker said. “We had machines in the bathrooms and they just kept getting destroyed, and that’s why we don’t have that anymore.”
Students say they are looking forward to the increased access of menstrual products, while also acknowledging concerns that the new program presents.
“I think it’ll be good. I know that with the history of the devious licks trend, having them out might become an issue, but also I’ve been to the Community Playhouse, and they have them for free there without problems,” Moriarty said. “I just hope people don’t take advantage of it and get it taken away.”
