<p>Good point above that you could disallow food and other drinks in the classroom but allow Nalgene type bottles of water. Water is not that messy and a water bottle like a Nalgene bottle leaves no trash.</p>
<p>Sorry, none of your darlings are “pigs”, just my darlings, I guess. I still would not permit water bottles in the classroom with the exceptions I noted. Drink between classes. I don’t want to see the bottle or food or cell phone or ipod or cigarettes, or whatever. If you are that thirsty, excuse yourself and get a drink just like taking a whiz. It’s not good to hold it, I hear, but I’ve yet to see those Port-a-pots. </p>
<p>As for those crazy schedules, they should not be permitted by school nor by parent. Don’t blame the no food/drink rules for being unhealthy. That schedule is the problem. Keep your water bottle out of sight and take your swig outside of the classroom. College is a different thing. It is assumed that they have the maturity to take care of their food and drink. But if that is abused, that privilege can be taken away too.</p>
<p>I never knew about the Vodka in the water bottle thing until someone in my kid’s class brought it in and my stupid kid was the one who nearly died.</p>
<p>Growing up in Seattle, in elementary school we were encouraged to take a drink from the water fountain at every break in the day. In those days the acquifers of the area were renowned for their clean, great taste. Given the problems with the drinking water in the public schools today, the kids should be allowed to pack a small bottle from home in their knapsacks.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse - many schools in the Midwest do not have AC, so it can get hot in classrooms in August (they start mid-August) and September, and April/May. Our high school operates on a block schedule, so it is 90 minutes in between classes; kids don’t always have time to stop at their locker in between classeds, and the water from our water fountains is horrible (I won’t drink it so why should I expect the kids to drink it). Also, what about the kids who have a dance class for PE, or my kid, who had show choir every other day during school? Walk into the choir room anytime during rehearsal and the smell would put any messy, teenage boy’s bedroom to shame. In a 90 minute period, band kids often need something to wet their whistle. And marching band practices outside during the school day for 90-minutes blocks, every other day.</p>
<p>Yet our school began enforcing the no drinks/food in classrooms a couple of years ago, with much distress. Our choir director was able to finally get some sort of compromise from the administration, but it’s a shame that the kids who are probably least likely (note, I did not say immune) to be the ones breaking rules at school are the ones now most scrutinized. </p>
<p>So before someone says they’re unneeded, you might consider what kids other than your own are doing during the school day that might necessitate available drinking resources during classes.</p>
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<p>[Bottled</a> Water Facts](<a href=“http://www.bottledwaterblues.com/Bottled_Water_Facts.cfm]Bottled”>http://www.bottledwaterblues.com/Bottled_Water_Facts.cfm)</p>
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<p>[Water</a> Quality](<a href=“http://www.health-bytes.com/water.htm]Water”>http://www.health-bytes.com/water.htm)</p>
<p>(This has been a public service announcement from your local CC enviro-teacher:))</p>
<p>northeastmom - At D’s school, the students are encouraged to take lunch - and she does have a lunch period and a free period in her schedule this year. Last year she just had a lunch period. What happened last year was that the band teacher would schedule D’s lesson during her lunch period (so she wouldn’t have to miss a class - she preferred it that way) - but that only happened once every 6 days or so. </p>
<p>I really don’t understand why cptofthehouse has a problem with water in the classroom - I can understand no food or sugary drinks - but I don’t think the kids find water all that distracting. I have never heard of anybody complaining about it around here - it just isn’t an issue. My S did have one teacher who requested only waterbottes with those pop-up tops so that if they tipped over, there would be no mess. That was understandable. Also, if they bring water bottles to exams, they have to have the labels removed. Again, not a big deal.</p>
<p>As far as the vodka in the water bottles - that is horrible, and I haven’t heard about that happening here either. Zoosermom, I’m sorry about your kid and I’m glad he or she is ok. That is scary.</p>
<p>garland - we appreciate your public service announcement. Thanks for the reminder.</p>
<p>It’s true about the waste with the packaged water bottles. But bringing water in your own water bottle, such as a Nalgene bottle, should be allowed, in my opinion, even if not during class, but at least at school. Drinking water is healthy and then there are situations like athletes and singers who really need water when they are at school or their extracurriculars for 12 hour blocks. I can’t see disallowing water. Not everyone wants to use a water fountain either.</p>
<p>I didn’t use bottled water either, until I got to university. All of the tap water close to my room has a really pronounced (and frankly kind of disgusting) metallic taste to it. The only other reasonably convenient option is to keep bottled water in my room. I don’t like doing it, but it’s the best alternative.</p>
<p>“If thay ban all water bottles at Ds school, they might as well prohibit kids from bringing their own lunches and drinks!”</p>
<p>I agree. I don’t think all the kids should have to live under such a restrictive rule because some fool brings alcohol to school. If kids do that, punish them. Heck, expel them. But this is ridiculous…if some kid brings in hits of LSD, will the school ban paper?</p>
<p>And to think that I used to drink water out of the garden hose as a kid…</p>
<p>1of42, buy a Brita filtration pitcher - the filtered water tastes way better than plasticizer-infuzed aquafina. That’s what we do at home. Our tap water quality is excellent, but I just do not like the taste of chlorine.</p>
<p>Hanna,
I very much agree with you. If there is a problem with kids who bring alcohol to school, deal with them, not those who want water to stay hydrated in their very long days of school and extracurriculars. </p>
<p>I think my D can just laugh looking back on high school and how she was sent to the principal’s office for saving her water bottle purchased at the school at lunchtime so she could have water later in the day for musical rehearsals, dance, etc. What did this have to do with alcohol? She purchsed the bottled water at school. What’s wrong with getting to keep what you purchased past the 20 min. of lunchtime? She would have no other access to water for the rest of her day. Her school is located in an isolated area. She needs supplies to get through her day. Water doesn’t damage the school either. Saving water in the backpack for later in the day is a wise choice. I am so glad high school is over. My D can look back at some of this ridiculous stuff. Believe me, at college, she is encouraged to have water with her in her program. It’s a wise thing for a singer to do.</p>
<p>Also, the teacher who sniffed and sipped from my D’s Nalgene bottle in Biology class had no just cause to suspect anything. She didn’t like my D for other reasons and was admonishing her to the class about unrelated matters and chose to then examine her water in front of the class. This was an exemplary student at the school who had never gotten into any trouble or detentions, etc. The teacher was looking to find something to get her on. She just found water, however, and Nalgene bottles were allowed. :D</p>
<p>If she ever has to answer: “did you ever get disciplined at school?”, I guess she can answer…“yeah, for drinking water!” :D</p>
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<p>I agree with you too, Hanna. What is really strange is that all though we have this school rule for all, the couple of students who were suspended for alchohol related issues may still drive to school, leave school grounds when not in class, and may participate in similar school activities where they got into trouble with alcohol in the first place.</p>
<p>BunsenBurner: That’s not a bad idea. I considered it, but when I was thinking about the one we had at home (which is admittedly a little bit on the old side ;)) I thought it didn’t really take out any of the bad taste. Maybe it’s just because it was old.</p>
<p>I’ll consider that suggestion - it’s actually pretty good, except that one of those is very hard to fill up in a dorm with just sinks.</p>
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<p>Hydration IS a MEDICAL issue. ANYBODY can suffer from dehydration. It can affect performance, but more importantly it can affect the safety of an individual. Most often seen mentioned in athletics, hydration can affect others as well. You naturally lose water throughout the day. Water is ESSENTIAL.</p>
<p>I would think with all these “all-everythings” we have on here that the parents would understand. Athletes at my high school are told they should drink 1-1.5 bottles of water PER class period. Obviously not all students need this much, but that example provides plenty of reason to allow water in the classroom.</p>
<p>At my high school, we used to be able to have just about anything in class… water, soda, food, etc. Last year they disallowed everything but water.</p>
<p>On another note, I find it interesting that you seem to have no problem with underage drinking, but you have an issue with kids sneaking alcohol at school. Very interesting… both ways it’s illegal…</p>
<p>I completely agree with you that hydration is a medical issue and that it is healthy to drink water. Schools may argue that they are not denying hydrating oneself since slurps at the water fountain are allowed.</p>
<p>1of42, my son also used a Brita for the same reasons. The one he purchased was thin (made to fit in the door of a refrigerator) and he could fill it pretty easily from sink. We have delicious well water at home and he hated the taste of the water on campus–said the Brita made a world of difference.</p>
<p>Son had horrible tasting water at college, so after spending a fortune on bottled water last year I bought him a brita pitcher and four filters. He loves it and uses it non-stop.</p>
<p>We don’t have any rules regarding bringing or buying water bottles at the HS, but my kids can tell many stories about all of the cheating they see with the reglued labels. Hard to believe the teachers haven’t figured this out yet.</p>
<p>If kids want to store one in their lockers, they are welcome to hydrate between classes.</p>
<p>my daughter doesnt have enough time inbetween classes to go the bathroom or her locker let alone try and find a working drinking fountain.
1650 kids changing classes at same time- one main stairway 4 floors- some classes in adjacent buildings- 3 minutes in between class.</p>
<p>When I went to her classrooms at open house- we couldn’t make it from the 1st floor to the 4th. back to the 2nd floor, then out to the adjacent building, with parents on the stairway, who were relatively motivated to move along. I can imagine how it is with 4 times as many bodies chatting and dragging their feet :rolleyes:</p>
<p>They have allowed water bottles either Nalgene or disposable in all schools for quite a few years and I haven’t heard of any problems.</p>