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Greendale School Board tables medication policy after debate over essential oils and stock inhalers
Summary
The Greendale School Board deferred final approval of Policy 53.30 (administration of medication) after members debated language that would ban essential oils and discussed adding stock bronchodilators for emergency use; the item was tabled for legal review and possible redrafting.
The Greendale School Board on June 30 tabled a second-reading vote on Policy 53.30, the district’s administration-of-medication and emergency-care policy, after members raised legal and health concerns about a sentence in the policy that would prohibit essential oils in schools.
At the meeting Speaker 2 (district presenter) described the policy change as adding “stock bronchodilators,” saying the district already stocks EpiPens and Narcan and would like to make inhalers available in an emergency to someone not previously diagnosed with asthma. The provision was presented as an addition to existing emergency medications overseen by trained staff.
During discussion, several board members questioned whether the policy should explicitly prohibit essential oils. Board Member (Speaker 9) proposed striking the entire line that references essential oils. Other members expressed concerns about allergic reactions and sharing of substances among students. One board member said that if essential oils were treated as medicine the policy’s existing prohibition on students sharing medication could apply; another suggested adding language to prohibit sharing while permitting individual use.
Because the legal implications of wording changes were disputed, the board withdrew the strike motion and instead voted to table the policy until the July 14 meeting so the language can be reviewed by legal counsel and the medical advisor. Board Member (Speaker 9) said the tabling motion was intended to allow legal review of whether essential oils should be categorized as medication or a personal item before the board takes final action.
What’s next: The policy will return to the July 14 meeting with legal counsel’s recommendations and any proposed redraft. The board recorded the tabling motion and a roll-call vote to table the item for legal review.
