Sunscreen school policy I need advice I'm pissed

This is what I found on King County Health:

"...
Washington State Law REQUIRES that parents give permission for the use of any medication, including sunscreen. .."

From that link:
[link to www.kingcounty.gov]

WOW, WOW, WOW!

I just requested the name of their licenser and that's the response:
A copy of your contract is in his backpack. I have told you our school policy regarding sunscreen (see previous email), as have ....'s teachers. Please, understand that we have a lot on our plates and cannot continue to debate this topic. Our rules are in place to safeguard the children in our care. Please, supply ... with a commercial sunscreen or one prescribed by pediatrician with prescription…or accept his remaining in the shade during recess. Thank you.

Last Edited by Lilac.Nights on 06/10/2015 06:36 PM

It will last just fine. I've been making my own cosmetics, lotions, sunscreens, and salves for years. If there's a concern about the scent, buy coconut essential oil. But since all sunscreens smell different, and some are unscented, it shouldn't be a problem. OP you can look up recipes online for homemade body lotion.

Then you're an idiot for not reading the fine print, dumbass.

Derp.

Because they're a private school, you fucking twit.

Are you dense or what?

Keep paying, dummy.

Their last response:

"Yes, you need to sign a permission slip for the specific brand of sunscreen or for or any kind of over the counter medication or lotion, etc. This permission does not mean that you can contravene the school policy and choose not to have him wear sunscreen at all. You just need to sign permission for Water Babies or for whatever brand you select.
..., I will not respond to further nagging. Our policy is our policy. We put our policies in place to keep our kiddos safe and healthy. If you do not like school policy, you may of course withdraw ... from school, but your contract (in his backpack) requires you to pay the full tuition for the year. Thank you."

and my response:

"I believe that, as a parent, I can request any information regarding the school I need and the way my child is being treated there. My son has rights!

I've not been disrespectful or rude in any way.

I also quoted what I have found on the King County website and nowhere did I see a law that requires ... to wear sunscreen. Can you please give me the exact law as I can't find it?

Tuition is earned based on services provided.

Do not refer to my son as your "kiddo", please!

I'm coming to pick him up in 30 min."

No he's not right. Eczema is an autoimmune disease. As in genetics. Sure it can be controlled/managed with dietary and environmental precautions, but it cannot be "cured" as the genetic tendency is in the DNA.

LMAO @ "nagging".

Nailed it! lol

OP's a nag.

More exposure to the sun=getting burnt less..I'm fair skinned and after so many days of being in the sun I stop getting sunburnt.

Idk what you can do but this policy really isn't a good idea.

Or as we like to call em.

Nagger!

If only I was black

Even our sons school here in MA. They WILL NOT apply sunscreen to the children.

It's a liability thing. If they apply it "wrong" someone will sue. If they say they will apply it and they don't, they will get sued.


I know this living in MA. You'd think being in a state like WA, you would be used to this by now.

No?

You should have remained calm and respectful, regardless of the other person. You should have spoken to them face to face. The exclamation marks make you look like you're losing control of yourself.

Maybe I lost my cool a bit, but requesting information is "nagging"?

I got a reply from the attorney website:

"
You don't have legal recourse here. Although I agree with you that the sunscreen requirement seems over-zealous, there is nothing illegal or improper about it and comes out of "good intentions." Also, since this is a private school, you are free to withdraw your child, so in that respect, you have no legal recourse.

So, if you can't put sunscreen (or are afraid to put sunscreen on your child), what do you do at home? Maybe check out EWG (Environmental Working Groups) guide to sunscreens, maybe there is a product in the myriad of available sunscreens that might actually work. [link to www.ewg.org]

Short of that, I would suggest requesting a meeting and try to negotiate some sort of resolution...which is likely that your son, for better or worse, will need to wear long pants, long sleeved shirt and wide brim hat to play outside.

"

The requiring information is not the 'nagging,' it's your tone that is.

A couple of links that might help:
from 'Organic Authority,' a list of non-chemical brands:
[link to www.organicauthority.com]
good info on commercial sunscreens, dangerous chemicals to avoid and why:
[link to www.globalhealingcenter.com]
Natural News - Mike Adams' take on it, with recommendations:
[link to www.naturalnews.com]

Check out your local health food store too. I understand you've probably thought of that but I didn't see you mention it here. I'm presuming you live in a high-population area, because that's why you have busy-bodies in the schools and you're bound to know of some good health places and food co-ops locally. Yes, by all means fight the system if you can, but in the meantime, you can still get around the chemicals and nobody can force you to put carcinogens on your kids.

That response was when I asked who their licenser is.

Let me ask you this. Do you have to provide the sun screen? If so, why dont you go buy some and then replace the contents with a great natural lotion and call it good. They would be none the wiser right.

Problem solved.

THEN:

Start an activist group, or get on the board and start a petition for the school to change the policy.

Last Edited by A Mery Can on 06/11/2015 11:19 AM

I just think some things are better done in person. I had a little boy who was sick one day, not himself, falling asleep, complained that his stomach hurt. I sent him to the office, and he was sent home. Next you thing you know, I get an email from his Mom saying he's fine and that he 'skipped' to the car when his nanny picked him up. I replied back that he wasn't himself, and that he was glassy eyed, and complaining of stomach pain. She emailed me back and would have continued if I replied.

Her husband came to me the next day to apologize for his wife's behaviour. He said she had lost her job and was stressed. He also told me not to reply at all to any of her future emails because she will continue them ALL day. Hence the reason I don't engage via email for anything the least bit serious.

For people that want to follow my non story :

I was able to put my hands on their policy, so this is what's there regarding sunscreen:
"...Weather permitting, children and teachers will be outside at least

twice per day. Children will wear sunscreen for outdoor activities in sunny

weather, and drinking water is always available.
..."

So it looks like there's nothing there regarding what will happen with kids that do not wear sunscreen, on one other part of the policy they say that they will provide alternative entertainment for kids that do not participate in certain activities. Then why was my son made to sit by himself in a corner of the yard while other kids are playing?

on the other hand we have this:
"Nonprescription Medication

Nonprescription medication in the following categories may be given with the

written consent of the parent. Dosage, duration, and method of administration

must comply with manufacturer’s label of the age and weight of your child.

antihistamines

non-aspirin fever reducers/pain relievers

decongestants

anti-itching ointment

sunscreen

diaper ointments and/or powders"

I was told by one of my son's teachers that sunscreen WAS applied once without my written consent, clearly violating their own policy.


I'm speaking with a lawyer within one hour.
I'm going to see if I can get out of the contract. I do not wish to pay a school that calls parents questions "nagging".

Is this a Montessori school? If so, that was your first huge mistake.

Also, I read this in another thread you made about this school:

"I can hardly contain myself. I've been very upset the whole day! This school is really good. That teacher is new and is white American. The rest are all Indian born."

What did you mean by that?

Vitamin B complex deficiency is associated with increased susceptibility to sunburns and developing sun burn marks.

It is not the same school. That teacher in the Montessori school was completely out of place there. I tried to warn the school about her. They heard my concerns and agreed that her way of teaching is not acceptable. She was using some stupid "stop and go"? thing where she would put a huge board in the middle of the room and for each student, she would put a huge green face(for good behavior), orange for whatever and red "frowny" face for bad behavior.
The previous years my son would come home with new knowledge daily. It was so amazing to see him talking about magnets and electricity and all of the countries in the world, animal etc....all of a sudden it was all about what face he got that day. There ware a few other problems as well.

We decided that we are going to move him to another school.
..and now this.


I actually spoke to a attorney and he found a few things that were in violation with this school.

Like the fact that they didn't provide us with the policy when we were signing the contract. The fact that they applied sunscreen on him once without our written consent as their "precious policy" requires.

On top of that, that same policy only says that kids will wear sunscreen outside. So it looks like her decision to keep my son in the corner is made out at the moment. There's nothing like that in the policy.

But ultimately it is going down to the medical facts. If I could get a medical opinion that my son was going to be harmed by application of anything on his skin, we could get out of the rest of the contract, and I'm confident I can get it.
He also suggested to think of emotional distress, he found enough to be confident that this is something we could win if it comes down to going to court.

The principal is out of control, completely unreasonable and pure narcissist.

The attorney also told me that the first principal above all for a schools is that "they can't do harm to a child". In my case I did warn of medical problems and I was ignored. My child punished, even though there is nothing he can do about it.

I'll see if I can get that medical note early next week.

Thank you!
I will defiantly fight it, these people are out of control.

Even though the idea is great with the replacement

and I have the best brand sunscreen in my opinion in my house, clean of all harmful staff, I still can't apply ANYTHING on his skin.

Just days before that issue arose, my son was in the ER, his torso and neck covered with enormous size hives. The ER doc told us to stop any medication and topical things completely, natural or not.

You are NUTS and making up bullshit stories to post here.

Just use coconut oil. It's completly safe and has an spf of 4.

who would make up a lame story like that?