Students React to Medication Rule in Carter High

Some students are upset by the medication rule at Carter High school. 

The rule does not allow you to bring or take any medication without getting permission from a nurse or the office. Many students think that this rule is unfair and could use some improvement.

“I think that the rule is stupid, honestly,” says Sailor Bivens, a freshman. She continues to say that the rule especially isn’t fair for girls when they have their periods, as they need pain medication, usually, to relieve cramps and headaches. She feels that it is fair sometimes though, as you don’t want people misusing drugs, but it just isn’t fair to the people who need normal medication on occasion. The rule would be much better if we were allowed to take just the basic medications without having to see a nurse or the office.

Sailor isn’t the only one to have poor experiences and a dislike for the rule. 

“I have really bad headaches every day in band, and I’m unable to take medicine for it because of the rule,” says Pierce McNew, a junior. The rule seems fair in some situations, but unfair in others. It could be improved by changing it to allow students to take regular medicine whenever they want to, but they would have to take other prescription medications in the nurse’s office. 

However, some have different opinions on the matter, as they actually agree with the policy. 

Stacie Osborne, the school nurse, says, “I feel that this process is efficient in keeping our students safe and healthy. This also allows me, as the nurse, to be aware of medications that students are taking daily or as needed.” Drug use and overdoses aren’t uncommon in high school. Even though over-the-counter medications are usually harmless, we need these rules to keep it in check. She uses the example of, “A student has a headache and tells someone on the bus, the other student gives them a pill and says it’s Tylenol, the student takes the pill trusting that it is harmless…What can happen?”