A Tacoma, Washington school refused to give a young girl sunscreen during a school outing. She has a severe sunburn. Turns out, according to this USA Today story, that it’s common for schools and camps to ban sunscreen and hats since they’re deemed medication and/or are seen as an opportunity for inappropriate touching. Hats are banned as gang symbols. Is there no common sense left among bureaucrats?
But sunscreen rules are common. They typically stem from state and local policies that stop kids from bringing any drug — including non-prescription drugs — to school, says Jeff Ashley, a California dermatologist who leads an advocacy group called Sun Safety for Kids.
Sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs, so many districts treat them like aspirin, just to be safe, he says.
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