Female menstrual products are now accessible in some bathrooms at Collinsville High School.

By the law, Public Act 100-0163, established in 2018, Illinois schools must provide free feminine hygiene products in bathrooms for grades 6-12. After many conversations and push backs from female students and teachers, CHS has finally added this convenience for students. 

“I honestly wish I knew why this took so long,” said Collinsville’s student advisor, Maleah Gilliland. “I do not think that it should have taken a law to be passed for this to happen, but that is what happened. We have a large population of students that come from low-income homes  and most of the time, paying for food has more of an impact than a tampon in their world.”

CHS nurses have always provided any product students were in need of. The student was just required to go down to the nurse’s office and request that product. However, not all students were aware of this resource nor comfortable enough to use it. With the addition of some dispensers in restrooms, girls can comfortably cater to their own needs whenever they are in need.

“These products are for them and every other student who might have just forgotten one or just ran out,” said Gilliland.

Collinsville is not the only local school adjusting to this new law. The O’Fallon and Belleville school districts have also reported their new addition to girls’ restrooms. Schools all have the common concern of students taking more than they need, fearing the products they invested in may be wasted. 

Providing these necessities in school bathrooms is applauded by all, but the work is not over. The Illinois law also includes that the dispensers of these products should be in every bathroom located in the school. As of right now, there is only one dispenser on each floor.