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<p>WHEREAS: The Cambridge Public School District (CPSD) has made a commitment to providing access to menstrual products to students; and has been a leader in menstrual equity,</p> <p>WHEREAS: CPSD has been a leader in this area thanks to a policy order put in place in 2016, as a result of Motion C16-298, sponsored by then Building and Grounds Subcommittee Chair Member Manikka Bowman and then Subcommittee Members Fred Fantini and Patty Nolan, and because of the advocacy of CPSD students and the leadership of Member Bowman during her service on the School Committee; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: Recent research shows nearly a quarter of all students in the United States experience “period poverty” – the inability to access menstrual hygiene products and many people miss out on school time because of lack of access to period products; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: Legislation that includes expanding menstrual equity to all schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, known as the I AM Bill, is being considered by the Massachusetts State Legislature; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: CPSD is committed to continual review and improvement; therefore, be it</p> <p>RESOLVED: That CPSD will update its policy to clarify that menstrual products will be accessible at no cost to all menstruators using our buildings including students, staff, and visitors and that the policy includes all CPSD buildings; and be it further</p> <p>RESOLVED: That menstrual products will be accessible to all students, staff, and visitors in a gender-inclusive manner following best practices, including with regard to the locations of products and dispensers, the labeling of products and dispensers, and the communications about this availability; and be it further</p> <p>RESOLVED: That menstrual products will be easily accessible to all who need them and that the availability of menstrual products at no cost is clearly communicated to the entire school community every year, and on the labeling on dispensers; and be it further<br />RESOLVED: That dispensers are clearly labeled with contact information for alerting CPSD of the need to restock or repair the dispensers; and be it further<br />RESOLVED: That providing menstrual products is accounted for in every annual CPSD budget, and that it is part of the assigned work of the CPSD Facilities Department to maintain dispensers, keep them fully stocked, and consult with CPSD’s healthcare partners to ensure that the products being provided are the best available for the needs of those we are serving.</p>