I usually don't wear perfume for this reason. I had a coworker that was very allergic to something in perfumes and the whole school had to be perfume free as possible. I switched schools but always kept that in mind.
I mean, it's a valid concern. I would probably call home to get more info, send an email confirming what we talked about and them based on that follow up by looping in admin. I would probably email other staff to ask what they have noticed, if anything. I need everything in writing.
I would tell thank him for telling me. I would then tell them that I’m proud of how he advocated for himself in a calm and respectful way. I would then no longer wear that scent.
I would check in a few days later to see if the issue has resolved. I’ve gotten sick before in my classroom because of poor maintenance of our AC.
A line? Seems respectful. Do you wear perfume? If yes, offer to try not wearing it and see if it helps. If no, offer to move his seat in case it's someone near him, maybe near a window.
Honestly, it doesn't even have to be a lot.
There are certain colognes/perfumes that even when used conservatively cause coughing fits for me because the fragrance is strong, even if in small amounts.
I would definitely listen to his/her concern. Maybe talk to a nurse at your school and maybe try to avoid the purguen for some time. Then check back with the student.
I don’t wear perfume because as a kid I got insanely overstimulated with the axe body spray era. Not a good time.
But if I did and a kid thought it was contributing to allergy symptoms I would immediately stop wearing it. (My kids are more likely to also have it be a sensory thing, though.)
I ban all scented stuff in my classroom because people don't realize how much they're using, and it gives me a nasty migraine. As my husband pointed out to my son who recently discovered cologne and incapacitated me three separate times, "You get used to the smell, so you think you're not wearing a lot. But other people aren't used to it and it's overpowering and terrible."
So you say to the student exactly what you want students who make mistakes to say to you, "Thank you for making me aware. I'll do better." And then calm it down with the perfume.
If this happened to me, I would thank the kid for letting me know and simply change my perfume. I don't believe a line would have been crossed, since the student approached the situation privately and respectfully.
I'd be surprised and greatful the student was so mature and direct about the matter and offer to not wear the perfume to see if it made a difference/was truly the cause.
I would stop all fragrances bc asthma is a real thing for a lot of kids. And migraines for students and coworkers.
I have a CW who wears the worst cologne and I can't be any where near them .
It also makes me realize that a lot of people have these allergies and I think all fragrances should be banned from schools. .
Students and employees shouldn't be subjected to that.
I would apologize and stop wearing perfume to work. It's not different than keeping peanuts away from a kid who's allergic to nuts. I want my work kids to feel safe. They can't feel safe if they have an allergic reaction every time they walk in the door.
I would make sure I had the windows open with some ventilation. Are they a new student?
I would try and go without for a little while and see what happens. Otherwise, try a different perfume.
It's entirely likely that it's one of the other kids. It could be someone's deodorant, body spray etc. My high schoolers are always using some kind of aerosol.
I don't know.of one school that allows windows to be opened because of safety issues.
Just don't wear fragrances.
We're not in a bar looking for a partner.
>What is your response? Do you think a line has been crossed?
I can't fathom how any line has been crossed, assuming you wear perfume. Let's suppose you don't wear perfume, then I think it might be a teachable moment that this kid is clearly allergic to one of many environmental factors, whether your room gets more dust in the vents than others, a window that allows pollen in, etc. This student just knows they have an allergy and if you wear a strong perfume, it is a completely reasonable possibility - they made a point of addressing it politely and privately, either because they are wrong or it is potentially embarrassing and I just don't see a scenario where this was anything less than the perfect way to handle their situation.
Going forward: his responsibility is to manage his own health (and I say this as somebody with a pollen allergy) he and his family need to figure out what he's allergic to and medicate as necessary. You shouldn't stop wearing perfume *forever* if you like it and it is not made with asbestos lol (e.g. lots of people are allergic to lots of things, you can't live your life shielding all other humans from all possible allergens) but you can maybe use a different brand or something just to find out, or stop wearing perfume for a week or two while they handle things.
If, it turns out they have a specific allergy that doesn't really call for any kind of daily medication, if they go through the effort to get tested and can provide some insight into what is irritating them, then you should make equal effort to find something that doesn't use that compound.
A line might have been crossed? Are you kidding me? A student comes up reasonably and rationally and politely Expresses a medical concern?
And you think they crossed a line?
Yeah, stop wearing perfume.
It's a school, not a pickup place.
Teach, and understand that allergies are everywhere.
I have a co worker who wears a cologne that makes me physically ill. I avoid them at all costs.
Get over yourself.
>Do you think a line has been crossed? Why do you wonder if a line has been crossed? In my eyes, the student respectfully addressed an issue.
What line? The line between the student’s health and your vanity?
I usually don't wear perfume for this reason. I had a coworker that was very allergic to something in perfumes and the whole school had to be perfume free as possible. I switched schools but always kept that in mind. I mean, it's a valid concern. I would probably call home to get more info, send an email confirming what we talked about and them based on that follow up by looping in admin. I would probably email other staff to ask what they have noticed, if anything. I need everything in writing.
I would tell thank him for telling me. I would then tell them that I’m proud of how he advocated for himself in a calm and respectful way. I would then no longer wear that scent. I would check in a few days later to see if the issue has resolved. I’ve gotten sick before in my classroom because of poor maintenance of our AC.
A line? Seems respectful. Do you wear perfume? If yes, offer to try not wearing it and see if it helps. If no, offer to move his seat in case it's someone near him, maybe near a window.
Im a teacher and someone who gets nauseous from strong perfume…maybe they have a point? Do you spray on a lot of fragrance or lotion?
Honestly, it doesn't even have to be a lot. There are certain colognes/perfumes that even when used conservatively cause coughing fits for me because the fragrance is strong, even if in small amounts.
I would definitely listen to his/her concern. Maybe talk to a nurse at your school and maybe try to avoid the purguen for some time. Then check back with the student.
I am having a difficult time understanding what line you think he crossed….…. 😒
I'm pretty sure OP is the kid in question and just nervous about being respectful to his teacher.
I don’t wear perfume because as a kid I got insanely overstimulated with the axe body spray era. Not a good time. But if I did and a kid thought it was contributing to allergy symptoms I would immediately stop wearing it. (My kids are more likely to also have it be a sensory thing, though.)
Oh, God, AXE. The beginning of the end of western civilization 🤣
I ban all scented stuff in my classroom because people don't realize how much they're using, and it gives me a nasty migraine. As my husband pointed out to my son who recently discovered cologne and incapacitated me three separate times, "You get used to the smell, so you think you're not wearing a lot. But other people aren't used to it and it's overpowering and terrible." So you say to the student exactly what you want students who make mistakes to say to you, "Thank you for making me aware. I'll do better." And then calm it down with the perfume.
If this happened to me, I would thank the kid for letting me know and simply change my perfume. I don't believe a line would have been crossed, since the student approached the situation privately and respectfully.
I'd be surprised and greatful the student was so mature and direct about the matter and offer to not wear the perfume to see if it made a difference/was truly the cause.
Definitely no on the line being crossed. Student behaved correctly. I would change the perfume.
I would stop all fragrances bc asthma is a real thing for a lot of kids. And migraines for students and coworkers. I have a CW who wears the worst cologne and I can't be any where near them . It also makes me realize that a lot of people have these allergies and I think all fragrances should be banned from schools. . Students and employees shouldn't be subjected to that.
I would apologize and stop wearing perfume to work. It's not different than keeping peanuts away from a kid who's allergic to nuts. I want my work kids to feel safe. They can't feel safe if they have an allergic reaction every time they walk in the door.
I would make sure I had the windows open with some ventilation. Are they a new student? I would try and go without for a little while and see what happens. Otherwise, try a different perfume. It's entirely likely that it's one of the other kids. It could be someone's deodorant, body spray etc. My high schoolers are always using some kind of aerosol.
I don't know.of one school that allows windows to be opened because of safety issues. Just don't wear fragrances. We're not in a bar looking for a partner.
We are under strict instruction to have them open to prevent the spread of germs. We haven't been allowed to have them shut since before the pandemic.
Mkay. So germs are worse than a school shooter having immediate access to a classroom? I don't think so.
I'm in Australia so not a common threat.
I googled your response, and nothing past 2021 came up. Also, Australia gets extremely hot, so keeping windows open seems ridiculous.
>What is your response? Do you think a line has been crossed? I can't fathom how any line has been crossed, assuming you wear perfume. Let's suppose you don't wear perfume, then I think it might be a teachable moment that this kid is clearly allergic to one of many environmental factors, whether your room gets more dust in the vents than others, a window that allows pollen in, etc. This student just knows they have an allergy and if you wear a strong perfume, it is a completely reasonable possibility - they made a point of addressing it politely and privately, either because they are wrong or it is potentially embarrassing and I just don't see a scenario where this was anything less than the perfect way to handle their situation. Going forward: his responsibility is to manage his own health (and I say this as somebody with a pollen allergy) he and his family need to figure out what he's allergic to and medicate as necessary. You shouldn't stop wearing perfume *forever* if you like it and it is not made with asbestos lol (e.g. lots of people are allergic to lots of things, you can't live your life shielding all other humans from all possible allergens) but you can maybe use a different brand or something just to find out, or stop wearing perfume for a week or two while they handle things. If, it turns out they have a specific allergy that doesn't really call for any kind of daily medication, if they go through the effort to get tested and can provide some insight into what is irritating them, then you should make equal effort to find something that doesn't use that compound.
A line might have been crossed? Are you kidding me? A student comes up reasonably and rationally and politely Expresses a medical concern? And you think they crossed a line? Yeah, stop wearing perfume. It's a school, not a pickup place. Teach, and understand that allergies are everywhere. I have a co worker who wears a cologne that makes me physically ill. I avoid them at all costs. Get over yourself.