Parents Express Concerns Over School's Purse Policy

At the Sept. 13 school board meeting, several parents of students aired their concerns about a new policy instituted this year, which does not allow girls to take their purses with them to class.

School board member Charles Bartolet suggested the topic be placed on the next school board meeting agenda, with the hope that a solution agreeable to both parents and administrators can be reached.

Many of the parents who spoke said they were upset because their daughters need to carry feminine products with them, and that many of the girls would be embarrassed if they could not conceal these items in a purse.

“I came to you tonight to ask you to reconsider and compromise by allowing girls to carry an 8- by 10-inch purse,” Terry Nicholas said. “This ruling is heavy-handed and should be revised or repealed. This type of rule is not found in neighboring districts.”

She questioned the reasoning behind the decision and said she had heard answers ranging from cell phone use to distractions in class.

“Shouldn’t teachers be engaging their students?” she asked, with regard to the claim that purses are a distraction. “Cell phones are not a matter of national security. Why not ban pockets, boots, bras? In the real world, women do carry purses.”

Nicholas also said she had sent an e-mail to the district administration and all school board members, but did not receive a response.

“When I first heard this, I was a little upset, too,” board member Lanita Lum said about the new policy.

Lum explained that she went to one of the meetings the administration held for the girls, and that she had a change of heart.

“Do you know what some of these girls are doing—they’re cheating,” she said.

Lum said she had heard from students in the district that girls would hide cell phones and other items in their big purses in order to cheat on tests.

“Why are we making it so simple to cheat? I don’t want to come from a school district that succeeds because we cheat,” Lum said.

She also said she doesn’t want the young women to think that a purse defines them.

“The district never said purses were banned. That was the media. We have always understood what (the girls’) needs would be,” Superintendent Sandra Fellin told the parents.

“Teachers have been seeing progress with this. There has not been one referral,” said Saucon Valley High School Assistant Principal Lorie Gamble.

“The big problem is, if you don’t understand what’s permitted, how can students and parents know,” said Susan Smeltzer.

Gamble said anything with a strap is not allowed, but a very small clutch-type purse or pencil case is allowed.

This policy will be discussed again at the Sept. 27 school board meeting at Saucon Valley High School. Meetings are held at 7pm in the school's Audion room.