(New Zealand) Government to roll out free period products at schools

[Steven P. Administrators]

Quote

 

A programme to offer free period products to school students is to be expanded nationwide from June.

 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti made the announcement at Fairfield College in Hamilton on Thursday.

 

The school is one of 15 schools and kura in the Waikato which were part of the Access to Period Products pilot scheme since term three last year.

 

From June, primary, intermediate and high schools across the country can opt into the scheme, expected to cost around $25 million over three years.

 

 

Image credit: DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF

Quote

 

Speaking to Fairfield College students, staff, period poverty charities and Ngāti Wairere, Ardern made the promise to keep removing barriers that young people face.

 

”There’s lots of barriers that shouldn’t exist for our young people,” Ardern said.

 

“And one of the things stopping our young people from going to school is an issue called period poverty.

 

“One in 12 of our students possibly miss school because they don’t have access to period products. That’s just not right and not in a country like New Zealand.

 

 

Source and full article: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300233603/government-to-roll-out-free-period-products-at-schools

 

When this appeared in my feed, my first thought was that conservatives in other countries like the U.S. would be against social programs like this. It will probably be added to taxation in some form or another in NZ, but how can you justify kids staying at home because they can't afford the most basics in life? 

[DocM]

This is catching on in the US as well, but it's being implemented by the States and local district school boards, which have primary control over public schools - not the Federal govt. 

 

OTOH, this is not entirely new, when I was in high school (1960's) the girl's gym teacher had feminine supplies in her office. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by DocM

[tmorris1]

They are not free.  Taxpayers are paying for them

[Brandon H Supervisor]

feminine hygiene products really should just be made a basic human right all over the world.

 

not like women choose to bleed down there every month; why should they suffer if they can't afford the products? That's one industry that really shouldn't be about profit IMO

[DocM]

6 minutes ago, tmorris1 said:

They are not free.  Taxpayers are paying for them

 

The applicable term is in loco parentis, Latin for "in the place of a parent."  Schools assume this pseudo-parental role for (x)-hours a day and IMHO the responsibilities which go with it, including the above supplies. 

[+Biscuits Brown MVC]

Yeah, its been about 40 years since I was in high school but I remember they were available to the girls in my school (Chicago suburbs).

[techbeck]

1 hour ago, DocM said:

OTOH, this is not entirely new, when I was in high school (1960's) the girl's gym teacher had feminine supplies in her office. 

There were available in the womens/girls locker and restrooms in my highschool as well.   Also, condoms are available in some highschools in the US.