Eighth-grader urges Howard County schools to stock menstrual products after empty dispensers found

An eighth-grade student told the Howard County Board of Education on May 1 that school dispensers for menstrual products remain empty and urged the board to fund supplies in the FY2026 operating budget.

Chris Green, an eighth grader, said the district installed dispensers in girls’ restrooms at secondary schools but does not currently stock them. “The machines lay bare, never housing any product since the day they appeared,” Green said. He told the board a surge in available funding for student well-being in the FY2026 proposal presents an opportunity to supply the dispensers.

Green referenced state law when making his request. “Section 7-449 of the Maryland Education Code states, ‘each county board shall ensure that each public school provide, at no charge to students, menstrual hygiene products via dispensers in the women's restrooms at the school,’” he said. Green told the board that although dispensers are installed, the district’s operating budget did not include a line item to supply them.

Why it matters: Green tied the request to student health, attendance and equity, citing studies that link lack of access to menstrual products with missed school days. He asked the board to prioritize a modest operating allocation to keep dispensers stocked, noting the district already placed the dispensers in restrooms.

No board action or vote was recorded during the hearing excerpt. The testimony asks the Board and superintendent to ensure existing dispensers are maintained with stock, consistent with the state education code cited by the speaker.