Thank you to all who took the time to sign and share this petition.  It looks like KSD will now allow students to bring their own hand sanitizer and non-toxic wipes to school.  While this doesn’t introduce the wide use of hand sanitizer use, it does allow students to protect themselves in between hand washings.  KSD statement below:

”Hand Sanitizers and Hand Wipes

Frequent and thorough hand washing continues to be the best tool for preventing the transmission of disease. We also understand that some individuals would like the option of using hand sanitizers and hand wipes as well. As a result, the Kennewick School District will allow parents to send their students to school with hand sanitizers and hand wipes for personal use, with some stipulations.

The stipulations are as follows:

Hand sanitizers and hand wipes should be stored in a student’s individual backpack, purse or bag at all times and should not be shared with other students. 
 
Non-toxic hand wipes, or baby wipes, are allowed. Household cleaning wipes, such as Clorox and Lysol wipes, are NOT allowed.
It is important to remember that frequent hand washing is the most important technique for preventing the transmission of disease. Hand sanitizers are not as effective as washing with soap and water. Hand sanitizers and hand wipes should not be used as a replacement for standard hand washing with soap and water.

Proper hand washing requires the use of soap and water, vigorous washing under a stream of temperate (warm), running water, and drying with single-use disposable towels. 

According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Infectious Disease Control Guide for School Staff:

‘Hand sanitizers are never appropriate when there is significant contamination such as occurs during a visit to a petting zoo or farm, after handling an animal, after changing a diaper, after playing outside, before preparing food or eating, after touching an infected wound, or after using the bathroom. Hand sanitizers have not been shown to be effective against norovirus or Clostridium difficile spores or for soiled hands. Caution is recommended to avoid accidental ingestion or abuse of hand sanitizers by students.’

School Volunteers
The district wants to remind school volunteers that if they are feeling sick or have flu/cold symptoms, they should not come to school.”