Communication of Sun Safety Policy
District to Schools
Many public school districts in California have responded to the sun safety law by adopting a comprehensive sun safety policy. A research study, in which Sun Safety for Kids was a participant, found that even in most of the districts with a sun safety policy there was a lack of effective transmission of the policy from the district to its elementary schools. Thus, there was little implementation of sun safety practices in the schools.
UV radiation is a significant outdoor health hazard that is encountered everywhere including at school and at school‑sponsored outdoor activities. It poses a threat to personnel as well as students. We hope that schools will not only adopt a comprehensive sun safety policy but will also go the distance to ensure that the policy is effectively disseminated to parents, students, and personnel.
To Parents
Provide parents with background information that outlines why sun protection is so important in the fight against skin cancer. Explain the details of the school’s policy and urge parents to partner with the school to encourage student sun‑safe behavior both at school and at home. Remind parents to “walk the walk” themselves. Ensure that when parents search for details pertaining to the school’s sun safety policy, such as what type of hat is allowed, it will be relatively easy to find.
To Students
Sun safety policy and recommendations should be reviewed at the beginning of each school year, during the first week of March, and on Don’t Fry Day. This might be combined with sun safety classroom instruction and, in elementary school, a screening of The Sun Show. Keep sun safety on students’ radar through announcements and reminders tied to the UV index, sun safety tips, posters, items for sale (school hat, sunscreen, playshirt, etc), and of course seeing teachers who model sun‑safe behavior. Send students off for spring and summer vacation with the reminder to “Stay sun‑safe!”
To Teachers
Teachers might need to be informed of certain policies directly affecting them as employees, as well as policies pertaining to the student body which they could help to enforce. Pre‑service and in‑service training should include a policy review along with general sun safety education. In order to increase their level of motivation and willingness to model sun‑safe behavior, help teachers understand the stakes. They must know that they and their students can reduce the risk of dying from skin cancer through the practice of sun safety. Ask teachers to pay extra attention to those children whose skin cancer risk is elevated due to having very light pigmentation.
Other Personnel
Extend pre‑service and in‑service training to other school personnel who work outdoors or who are in a position to influence student behavior relative to sun safety.
