Catholic board moves forward on providing free feminine hygiene products

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It was a “proud moment” for student trustee Jada Malott when the local Catholic school board started the ball rolling Tuesday on providing free menstrual hygiene products for students in school washrooms.

“It’s a very progressive and practical step we took,” Malott said of the motion, crafted by her with the help of Trustee Kim Bouchard. It directs administration to investigate installing dispensers for both pads and tampons “at no cost to students,” in designated washrooms in every elementary and secondary school for implementation in the 2021-22 school year. That’s the same timeline the public board is working toward. And the City of Windsor is also investigating providing free pads and tampons in its washrooms, after Malott and her dad Mike Malott made the request during budget deliberations in January.

If all three end up providing the products for free, it would put this region at the forefront of a national trend that recognizes these products should be provided free in public washrooms, she said, just as toilet paper, soap and paper towels are provided free.

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“This really assists in the destigmatization of periods, so I think every workplace should supply these products for employees and the general public,” said Malott, a Grade 11 student at St. Joseph’s Catholic High School who serves as a student trustee.

“I have a lot of friends who can attest to the story of being in school and needing a menstrual hygiene product and unfortunately they aren’t available in the washrooms, so they have to leave the bathroom and go ask a friend, ask a teacher, ask a secretary,” she said, referring to the fact the products are available free for the asking at the school office.

“It’s stressful, it’s frustrating, it can be a little bit dehumanizing to have to look around for something to take care of a normal bodily function.”

Board chairman Fulvio Valentinis said the vote was unanimous to move forward on the initiative. He credited Malott with doing the legwork on the motion.

The cost of providing the products free, plus the cost of installing dispensers, will be part of budget preparations next year. The motion also says that in the meantime, the board will consider providing the products in designated washrooms in every school as a way “to eliminate the need for additional movement (walking to the office) in the schools during COVID.”

bcross@postmedia.com