Thames Valley board to provide free pads, tampons to elementary schools starting this fall

The Thames Valley District School Board in southwestern Ontario willextendits menstrual equity initiative to elementary schools in the fall, adding to the growing movement in Canada to provide free personal-care products to students.

As of September, students using female and all-gender washroom facilities in both elementary and secondary schools will have access to free pads and tampons.

The public school board, which servesthe London area, has been providing products to secondary schools since 2019.

Its latest move is part of efforts todestigmatize menstruation and alleviate period poverty.

TVDSB equity learning co-ordinator Matthew Sereda said the push to provide menstrual hygiene products for students initially began in partnership with local organizationHere for Her, as well as Tampon Tuesday.

"We had received feedback from students that accessing menstrual products was a barrier, especially students that identify as transgender and non-binary, because requesting a product from the public health nurse or a school administrator might potentially out the student," said Sereda.

The products will be provided by the Thames Valley facility services team.

'Destigmatizing menstruation'

In 2018, B.C. became the first province to adopt a free menstrual products policy in its public schools. The Toronto District School Boardbegan its initiative in September 2019, following on the heels of areas including Waterloo region and London.

Sereda said that aside from supporting schools'transgender and non-binary students, free supplies can givea sense of dignity to students from householdsthat cannot afford to purchase pads or tampons, Sereda said.

A 2018 report published by the London Community Foundation showed that in the city, one out of every four children lives in poverty.

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The free menstrual hygiene products will help promote education and awareness, said student trustee Mahek Dhaliwal.

"I think we just need to take that self-reflection and awareness, and help them out and support them. That's where we work towarddestigmatizing menstruation."