School talk about periods

[laundrybasket]

My dd goes toa small school, there is just 8 girls in her year, she is in year8. Last week the games teacher who is a man, had a talk with the girls about how they might be feeling embarrassed about body changes and could wear a t shirt when swimming....but also he asked them to put their hands up if they had started their period....wondering what people think of this and whether I should speak to the school...

I would say inappropriate on both grounds.

1. He should not be encouraging them to be embaressed about their changing bodies. A t shirt will prevent tgem swimming properly and is not generally wirn when swimming.

1. Whether or not a girl has started her periods should not be asked by anyone in public or private (mmedical professional excepted).

For him to give a 'talk' explaining what is expected if they are on their period - for example they may be excused- is different. Asking is just plsin wrong..

Tbh it SounDs like he was just trying to be sympathetic and not make it embarrassing but I guess as a make he only really gets the biology side (as he's never been through it) and was perhaps trying to hard to make it seem normal but achieved opposite.

Not an appropriate question though.

Wholly inappropriate.

Completely inappropriate on both counts. Shocking to expect girls to give that information publicly and for what purpose other than embarrassment? Also odd to suggest girls wear t-shirts when swimming, I can see that he might just be trying to be empathetic but this isn't the right way to do it. I would have been mortified to have a man talk to me about periods at this age but even if it had been a woman, I don't think these questions/comments are appropriate.

I'm actually shocked as it seems such an out of date way of dealing with this issue...no one ever asked me that question....mortifying for the girls who had started as most want that info kept to themselves and often don't even tell their best friends....

Totally inappropriate.

He should have suggested that the girls could wear rash vests (I think that's what they are called) or swimming costumes with short arms and legs (like shortie wetsuits) if 'they were more comfortable' without mentioning the reasons why they might choose to do so.

As for the period thing a general 'I'm sure a few if you may have started your periods and so you need to know the policy of x/y/z' would have been a better opener, less embarrassing for both those who have and haven't started.

Speak to the school. That was not handled very well.

I would speak to the school- at least it would stop it happening in future- it wasn't appropriate.