Because of a zero tolerance drug policy at her Fairfax County, Virginia public school, one teen was given a two week suspension when she was caught taking her birth control pill during lunch. From the Washington Post:

School officials say they can't take chances. They are concerned about liability and safety. Any pills, even nonprescription pills, could be shared with another student who has allergies. And it would be difficult to enforce rules if students were allowed to take some pills but not others.

"Most people would not know the difference between birth control or some Ritalin or Tylenol or codeine," said Clarence Jones, coordinator for the Fairfax school system's safe and drug-free youth program. "If they are just pulling something out of their pockets and sticking it in their mouths, we don't know what they are taking."

Jones said the rules allow appeals and a hearing, so special circumstances can be considered.

Deb Hauser of Advocates for Youth, a District-based organization that focuses on adolescent sexual health, said, "To put birth control in the same category as illegal drugs or handguns stigmatizes responsible behavior."

Luckily this teenager had made the decision to take birth control with her mother, so when the school called her about the incident, the only surprise was that she was being suspended (with the possibility of expulsion). But what about teens who don't tell their parents they are on birth control? It's obvious this policy has a lot of problems, and criminalizing ibuprofen and other over the counter drugs isn't going to solve the more serious drug problem this school is probably trying to address.

During two weeks of watching television game shows and trying to keep up with homework online, the Fairfax teen, an honor student and lettered athlete, had time to study the handbook closely. If she had been caught high on LSD, heroin or another illegal drug, she found, she would have been suspended for five days. Taking her prescribed birth-control pill on campus drew the same punishment as bringing a gun to school would have.

Thanks to Hannah for the link

View Original Post at feministing.com