This is a good one...
On Friday, 1-27-06, my son called me from school to tell me of a strange but true incident that turned into a semi-large problem.
Sitting in his science class waiting for the teacher to arrive as she was tardy, she (the teacher,) immediately complains of an offensive fragrance coming from the classroom.
To elaborate on this, my son had mentioned some days prior that this teacher is new to the job, and acts a bit different. (That is a deep subject in itself.)
He said the woman is allergic to perfume, deodorant, cologne, etc., and she requested that no student wears any of the above while in her classroom.
Anyway, the trouble begins Friday morning when she develops a severe allergic reaction to something in this room, and immediately orders any students wearing fragrant products to leave the room.
Several students, including my 16 yr. Old son did, and as a result missed the next class because of the following trauma.
It seems the reaction was so intense, that the office called 911 and an ambulance arrives to treat the affected woman.
When my son walked past the principal's office, he was told by the principal himself to "take a peek out that window, TJ, now how do you feel about wearing deodorant", looking into the ambulance, insinuating that my son was the cause of this problem. That erupted my temper at that statement.
After the woman was treated and returned inside the building, an assembly was formed with the students and faculty members discussing the situation.
A letter was drafted and sent to all of the parents that afternoon stating that all students are required to refrain from using deodorant, cologne etc. They stated that from now on any hygeine products should be purchased from a health food store, fragrance-free, if needed.
I haven't heard from the principal yet, as I jumped at the chance to speak with him on Friday afternoon via telephone. He didn't bother to call me back...
If any of the other parents have a lick of sense, they will act as I will on this issue.
I am sorry for this woman's unfortunate ailment. However, I have filled out many an employment application in my lifetime, and there has always been a space to list any physical ailments that may affect my performance on the job. If you cannot fulfill those job requirements, (i.E., lifting something heavy, corrective lenses, medications that would impair, and "smelling",) usually you would not be hired, or at least be able to control those ailments with some form of medications to keep it at bay.
The faculty at Twin Valley High School in Wilmington, Vermont has overdone it. There is no way that they can force our children to refrain from using personal hygiene products purchased at normal places such as etc., that are fragrance-free.
Besides, I have spent 16 years teaching my son how and when to bathe, and the proper techniques in which to keep his body from developing an odor, and we have achieved this successfully with shampoo, deodorant, and whatever happened to be on sale in the isle at the time. It is my right to purchase products from wherever I choose to, and not have to pay extra at some hippy-owned incense and health food store that will jack up the prices of these products locally now that they have the market cornered with a captive audience from this school's members.
I hope I have explained this silly situation clearly enough that if anyone else encounters such a scenario, they will realize that there are some civil liberties that actually work FOR them once in a while.
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