Two children hospitalized with sunburns after school forbade them from applying sunscreen

Two children hospitalized with sunburns after school forbade them from applying sunscreen. “Children cannot apply the block to themselves unless they have a doctor’s note as the district considers sunscreen an over-the-counter medication requiring prescription.” Ummm, an over-the-counter medication is sold without a prescription, hence the designation “over-the-counter.” Regardless, how about at least getting the kids into the shade before they burst into flames?

This post was last modified on June 26, 2012

Bonfire of the Absurdities: After 35 year career writing software for IBM mainframes, am now self-employed contractor thinking of joining a union and striking for higher wages. Cured morbid fear of heights when I learned to look at them as lengths standing on end. Uncompromising in refusal to accept browser cookies. Amateur investor who has accumulated a small fortune in the market after starting out years ago with a large one. For recreation, I run, hike, kayak and play tennis but will not consider synchronized swimming under any circumstances.

View Comments (18)

  • My lady, who is an RN by trade, was particularly aghast at the "over the counter medication requiring prescription" bit. Anybody that says that is showing their ignorance, which is considerable.

  • On the one hand you hear about the schools forbidding sunblock and aspirin. On the other hand you hear about them traumatizing students with inappropriate sex ed lessons given too early. Liberalism constantly seems to error to one extreme or the other. I think it's about their hatred of common sense because they think they have a special knowledge which will inevitably be an improvement on the wisdom of the ages. In a word, Arrogance.

    • ".....inappropriate sex ed lessons given too early"

      We're getting there. I think Jerry Sandusky was giving oral history lessons in the shower.

  • If this school consider over the counter meds to be prescription meds they must consider stupidity to be smart.

  • Seems to me the parents aren't all that bright either. Your daughter is an albino and you don't think field day might be a problem? Really? If it was my daughter I'd be there with a great big umbrella, or keep her out of the field day altogether. My daughter had her own issues with field day a few weeks ago: http://jpattitude.com/120609.php

    The nation's schools are a friggin' mess.

    • The way it sounds to me, they sent sunblock to school and the kids weren't allowed to apply it, weren't allowed to wear hats, and the teachers didn't allow them to seek shelter. Can't blame the parents for that one.

  • "Children in all states except for California are not allowed to apply or bring the product to school, ABC News reports, partially because it is considered a medication."

    I'm in Texas and have never heard of sunscreen being prohibited. My 13yo daughter has vitiligo and puts on sunscreen everyday before going outside in athletics. No teacher has ever said a word to her. And if you have to get a prescription for it do the kids have to go to the nurse's office to get it every time.. like you have to do with regular medication? How stupid!

  • Susie, we sure are sorry about that nasty skin cancer you've developed, but you know we only had your best interests at heart when we wouldn't let you apply that sunscreen without a doctor's note.

  • How long will it be before good people effectively organize to overthrow the fools that ruin the school system and the student's chances for success? Seems pretty strange that there isn't much collective outrage about these criminal stunts at our expense... Until that changes, we should expect things will only get worse and if we don't change it soon, it might never be changed.

  • The adults haven't been present in the nations education system since about 1977, or whenever it was that carter created the dept. of ed.

    • Abolishing the Department of Education would be a step in the right direction but, sadly, federal agencies, once established, last forever.