'My daughter's school tracks her period cycle - it's creepy and inappropriate'

She doesn't understand why her daughter's school is tracking her period (stock)

A mum has shared her disgust after learning her 14-year-old daughter's school has been tracking her periods. The 37-year-old explained how her daughter recently started menstruating - and does not yet have a 'steady cycle', which is common in girls who are experiencing their period for the first time.

But it seems her daughter's school has noticed "irregularities" in her cycle too, sparking a call home from the nurse. The mum, from New Jersey, US, said on Reddit: "My daughter’s school nurse called me today to 'let me know' that my daughter’s cycle is irregular and I should contact her doctor if it happens two more times this year.

"The nurse said the school documents when the nurse's services are used and that it was noted that my daughter’s period lasted 'longer than normal' last month and that my daughter asked for a pad today, which meant her cycle was only 19 days and is also not normal."

While acknowledging her concerns, she explained how her daughter recently started her period and that 'irregularities' should be expected for the first few months. However, the nurse refused to accept this as the answer, with the mum adding: "As the nurse was talking, I felt it was really strange that the school was not only documenting but tracking her cycle.

"I asked the nurse who had access to the documentation and why they were tracking it. She said anytime the nurse’s services are used it must be documented, the list is password protected and only the medical staff at the school have access to the information."

When her daughter returned home from school, she asked her who she'd spoken to about her period and came to learn her dad called up the school last month to excuse her from the Presidential Fitness Test for that day.

She added: "A few days later my daughter asked the Nurse for a pad and the Nurse told her that her cycle has been going on for too long (it was day 6). The Nurse asked my daughter if she was sure she had it and if there was blood in her underwear, she said yes.

"My daughter said today she asked the nurse for a pad and the nurse told her it was “too soon” for her period as she is only on “day 19”. Thinking on it my daughter technically only used the nurse’s services twice and they knew her last periods start & finish dates, her cycle length and determined it was irregular."

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She shared how she had previously sent her daughter to school with a 'period purse', containing pads, but she forgot to refill it prompting the visit to the nurse. Wanting to know whether she's overreacting about the situation, she said: "I asked her why she needed the Nurse’s pads when I bought her supplies from Costco for both my and her father’s houses, she said she 'didn’t think' to refill the period purse.

"I wanted to know if any other parents have experienced their child’s school tracking their child’s cycle and if this was normal? She is my oldest child and she just started her cycle last month, so I’m not sure what is considered “normal” for the school to do. Perhaps I’m just being a bit paranoid with the county’s current environment, but I don’t recall my middle school tracking my cycle when I was a child.

"And if this is as strange as I think it is, who do I go to, to have the school stop tracking her cycle?" In response, one user said: "Privacy issues aside, I’m not sure where the nurse is getting her information about normal menstrual cycles. 6 days for a period is perfectly normal."

Another user added: "I have been a school nurse for six years. This is not normal and I would never keep track of this information. Plus, anyone should know that the first year or two are very irregular. That is simply not within the scope for a school nurse." A third user said: "What in the Handmaid’s Tale is this."

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