Pupil Suspended for Bringing Peppermint Oil to School
The story reads as follows:
The mother of a 10-year-old girl suspended from her school in
Commack (NY) for bringing in peppermint oil says she is
considering legal action if school officials don't apologize and
revoke her daughter's suspension. Sara Greiner, 10, a fifth grade
pupil, was suspended for one day after bringing organic peppermint
oil to school and putting several drops in her water bottle and in
the water of several classmates, said her mother, Corrine
Morton-Greiner, 46. "Peppermint oil is an unregulated over-the-counter
drug," the district said in a news release on its website. Morton-Greiner
said the oil, which she and her daughter use at home as a soothing
remedy to flavor their water, is organic and contains no alcohol.
The story is important because it holds the possibility of bringing awareness to complementary therapies. I personally use organic essential oils, and recommend them to my clients. It should be noted that essential oils do not contain alcohol. They are plant based and many essential oils are food grade, meaning they are safe to ingest. Some which are not food grade are used on the skin or are diffused for inhalation purposes. All essential oils have a high vibration and are balancing and healing for the human body.
In my healing practice, I work with many clients (adults and children) who are very sensitive and who use plant based remedies for health maintenance as well as prevention of disease. In fact, many of my clients respond better to subtle vibrational and plant based remedies than they do to traditional Western medications.
I personally add essential oils to my water, tea, and food on a regular basis. I carry them with me wherever I go and have been known to take them out in a restaurant and add them to whatever I'm having. Usually that results in people asking about them and wanting to try them, just as in the story of Sara Greiner in Commack, NY. I hope that Sara continues to use essential oils and does not "shut down" as a result of the authorities in her life punishing her for using a natural remedy that can help her to enhance her immune system, focus better, digest her lunch, and cope with the stress of being a fifth grader in a school system that does not truly understand her on a daily basis.
If you have a thought on this topic, please consider posting a comment to this blog. And please feel free to pass this on to anyone you know that may benefit from the information it contains.
Blessings,
Mary
www.IntegratedEnergyHealing.com
www.AlternativeAutismSolutions.com
Categories: Healing
Tags: NY Commack peppermint oil essential oils Corrine Morton-Grenier Sara Grenier
Dear Mary,
As the mother of the pupil in question, I truly appreciate your support! Your artcle is beautifully written and speaks to an important issue. My daughter has ADD. Although very intelligent, she does have trouble with focus and organization. A Girl Scout troop leader is a distributor of the peppermint oil and uses it with her children. That is how I became aware of this particular product and its uses. The school is now stating that the bottle says to "keep out of the reach of children." Well, Sara's deoderant says that as well, but she has her own deoderant in her room. Tubes of toothpaste say this, pertaining to children under "6 years of age." How many people hide their toothpaste from their five or six year old child's view? Sunscreen says the same thing. How many people hand sunscreen to their 10 year old children and tell them to put it on themselves? It amazes me the lengths that the school is going to in order to avoid a simple revocation of the suspension from her school record and an apology for this insulting foolishness. I was misquoted regarding a law suit. I will only pursue this action if the written and verbal assaults on my daughter and our family continue continue. What we are requesting is much simpler, the restoration of my daughter's dignity and our family's peace of mind that a district cannot get away with such arbitrary assault on our children's character. I am far less interested in punitive damages, and far more interested in justice! Thank you for your kind words of appreciation!
Corrie Morton-Greiner
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I actually have another point to add. What makes this whole incident alarmingly insensitive is that my children's schools are aware that we are going through some difficult times in our family due to illness. One of Sara's grandparents is extremely ill, and the whole family has been very upset about this. School counselors and classroom teachers have been made aware of this. I imagine that it is information that would naturally be forwarded to the building principal. My daughter is a sweet and extremely sensitive child that has never been in the principal's office for any disciplinary action before, and this suspension has been a shocking experience. How cruel is it to suspend a good child two days before the holiday vacation, especially when she has been struggling with so much family sadness over the illness in question? Where is the humanity in education? How can theoretically resonsible and caring adults bully children in this way?
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Hi Corrine,
Thanks so much for commenting. It's hard when people jump to conclusions and think the worst instead of giving the benefit of the doubt and asking questions with an open mind and heart. I am sorry for what happened to you and your daughter, but it's clear that you have made the best out of a bad situation. Please know that you and Sara are helping others open their minds to the larger truth in all of this. In essence, you are helping move the educational system forward, even the powers that be go kicking and screaming all the way! Now is the time and I'm glad you are playing your role. Your continued support of your daughter will go a long way in how she perceives this in the end, as she is a very wise and sensitive soul. I can tell that even though we have never met. Keep up the good work and tell Sara to do the same!
Blessings,
Mary
www.IntegratedEnergyHealing.com
www.AlternativeAutismSolutions.com
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