Latest news with #ElaineDavis
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mount Savage county's first elementary to earn Green status
CUMBERLAND — An Allegany County school will be honored with a Maryland Green School Award — the first elementary school in the county to achieve the status. Mount Savage Elementary will join the ranks of 693 Maryland Green Schools, Allegany County Public Schools said Monday. Mountain Ridge High School received program recertification. The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education program recognizes schools that include environmental education in its curricula, model best management practices at the school and address community environmental issues. The award signifies a school's commitment to protecting Earth and reducing the school's impact. 'Continued support and participation in the Green School process shows the commitment to environmental literacy within the county,' said Eric Van Slyke, the school system's secondary science supervisor. Mount Savage students, under the direction of science teacher Elaine Davis, learn to plant fruit trees in a systematic manner. She has also shown them 'how to create pollinator gardens, which are extremely valuable to the environment by providing vital food and shelter for pollinators,' said Principal Laura Holland. Teacher Samantha Nolan and Melissa Sindy have started a Green School Club for students, who are in the process of making a monarch habitat. 'We are proud to say we are the first elementary school in Allegany County to have achieved Green School status,' Holland said.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill would prohibit Red 40 in foods sold in Tennessee school lunch programs
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A bill making its way through the Tennessee General Assembly would prohibit any foods or drinks sold on school campuses from containing Red 40, with certain exceptions. Brought by Rep. Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville) and Sen. Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), the bill would prohibit any foods provided through the school nutrition program from containing Allura Red AC, also known as Red 40, in any public schools, public charter school, or a 'third party expressly authorized' by the school system or charter school. According to Davis, the bill would not apply to foods sold at concession stands, for school fundraisers, or foods available in vending machines on campuses. Davis said during a House subcommittee in March the substance wasn't simply a 'harmless color additive,' but rather, a synthetic dye derived from petroleum. Additionally, Davis said Red 40 is linked to a range of health concerns, including hyperactivity, attention disorder and behavioral issues in children. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently banned the use of Red No. 3 in foods and ingested drugs due to its link to causing cancer in certain rats; though, the FDA admitted the way the dye causes cancer in male rats 'does not occur in humans.' The bill is set for discussion among the full House Monday, according to information from the state capitol website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tennessee lawmakers should ensure every school offers free menstrual products
This is the second year we have had the unique privilege to discuss tampons and pads with Tennessee lawmakers, 83% of whom are men. However, most lawmakers aren't uncomfortable discussing periods. Many of our majority male legislators have daughters, granddaughters, or sisters, making this a familiar issue. Not to mention, the primary function of their elected office is to represent the concerns of their constituents on the hill, nearly half of whom menstruate. This is a matter of public responsibility. Period poverty, or insufficient access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and period education, is a reality for women and menstruating people across the country. For students who come from low-income or under-resourced families, periods often mean missing school. One in four students has stayed home during their period due to lack of access to menstrual products. Others may use toilet paper, rags, old clothes, or other unhygienic materials during their menstrual cycle. Fifty percent of teenage students have worn menstrual products longer than recommended, proving the point that it is not just materials that are needed, but education as well. Conversations with students and teachers across Tennessee reveal two clear truths: students need free period products in schools, and teachers, counselors, and nurses should not have to pay for them. Yet, many do. A school counselor in rural East Tennessee, with nearly two decades of experience, told us students have regularly come to her for period products throughout her career − even asking for help in the restroom. Opinion: I chose to end my pregnancy for health reasons. I had to leave Tennessee to do it Another teacher working in Metro Nashville Public Schools keeps a stash of pads in their desk, buying boxes out of their own pocket so no student has to go without. Period poverty isn't just a public health issue − it's a mental health issue. Two-thirds of teens say a lack of period products causes them stress, which means focusing and participating in class is significantly hampered when students are too busy worried about bleeding through their clothes. Sofiya Patra, a student at an MNPS school, described the shame of being caught unprepared: 'It's embarrassing. It's mortifying,' she said. 'It degrades you. If you've ever been in a situation where it leaks through, it's not something you want to experience in front of anyone.' For too many students, this isn't just an occasional worry − it's a recurring reality that chips away at their confidence and sense of dignity in the classroom. No student should have to choose between their education and managing a natural bodily function. Yet, too many do. That's why AWAKE introduced the Menstrual Hygiene Product Accessibility Act (House Bill 39/Senate Bill 155 − to ensure that Tennessee students have access to the basic necessities they need to stay in school and focus on learning. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Elaine Davis and Sen. Raumesh Akbari, gained significant support in 2024 but failed for lack of funding. Meanwhile, lawmakers found about $4.8 million to put juveniles through adult criminal courts rather than courts designed for their rehabilitation and nearly $400,000 for law enforcement to surveil and report 'persons not lawfully present' in Tennessee. This year, we have a real chance to change that. With a significantly lower price tag (about $150,000 compared to $5 million) and growing recognition of the need, lawmakers must act now to pass this bill. Lawmakers listen when their constituents speak up, so let them know that no student should have to miss class or feel ashamed because they can't afford a pad or tampon. Kelli Nowers is executive director and Natalie Schilling is policy and advocacy associate at AWAKE Tennessee, which advocates for the systemic advancement of women and young people in Tennessee through education initiatives and policy change. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Free menstrual products benefit Tennessee school students | Opinion
