Students Getting Burned with Poor School Sun Safety
by Joelle Applebe
According to experts, American schools are receiving a big, red “F” for their ability to educate and protect our kids from the dangers of skin cancer.
Recent studies found that American schools are failing miserably when it comes to protecting students from the ultraviolet rays that cause skin cancer. It gets worse: not only are these schools failing to help protect our kids, they actually discourage those students who attempt to protect themselves.
In recent years, a study was conducted at schools across the United States to see what steps were being taken to encourage students to take precautions in the sun. The somber indications are that most schools were doing absolutely nothing. Only three percent of schools had guidelines in place to share with their students. Those sun-smart schools are planning outdoor activities during off-peak sunlight hours and offering alternate indoor activities on high UV index days.
Children taking part in outdoor activities should be encouraged to wear hats, sleeves and sunscreen during the peak sunlight hours of 11 am to 3 pm. Again, only a little more than three percent of schools have made the grade by following these protective guidelines.
Another frightening statistic shows that in more than 66 percent of schools, teachers are not allowed to apply sunscreen on students, unless they have been given a doctor’s written prescription. Making matters even worse, fewer than five percent of schools have sunscreen available for those students who request it. This is not the lesson that we should be teaching our kids. Most schools ban hats to reduce the spread of head lice, and sunglasses are also banned at most schools. In regards to outdoor school areas, fewer than 20 percent have shaded areas available to provide students with a protective escape from the sun.
It seems that school principals are in need of some lessons in sun safety. At the time of this research study, nearly 70 percent of school principals felt that it was a waste of time and resources to be concerned about the outdoor safety of their students. Some claim to have had no idea that students spending a lot of time in the direct sunlight on the school playground could face an increased risk of skin cancer. A full 84 percent of principals, however, admitted that their students often spent a lot time outdoors during peak sunlight hours.
Our children need and deserve protection. If schools are unable to provide this type of care, they’ll need to make some changes. Here are some of the improvements suggested in the report:
* Trees provide an excellent natural source of shade for students. Planting trees helps to beautify the schoolyard, too.
* Structures should be built to create shaded areas, and wider overhangs could be added to all school buildings. This alone would offer protection for many students.
* Schools should make every effort to schedule as many outdoor activities as possible before or after peak sunlight hours.
* The use of sunscreen should be considered mandatory for all students, and not just permitted for a select few. No student should need a doctor’s note to receive daily sunscreen application.
* Students must be allowed to wear hats and sunglasses during outdoor activities.
* The health class curriculum should include lessons on skin cancer, to explain the causes, effects and prevention of this potentially deadly disease.
It can be tough to encourage children and teenagers to make smart choices, particularly when the negative effects may not come into play until decades later. Still, these lessons must be taught, and school is the sensible place to start. As teachers, principals and parents, we all share a responsibility and a duty to keep our kids well educated and safe.
Schools that have been found to discourage kids from making healthy choices are definitely failing. It’s time to send our teachers and principals back to the classroom, because if they fail at sun safety, our kids will be the ones who suffer.
About the Author:
About the Author:
Contributor Joelle Applebe enjoys writing articles for a variety of popular Internet sites, on healthy choice and healthy body topics. You can get a unique content version of this article .