Everyone has heard of the toilet paper shortage across the U.S. and other countries, due to a production decrease during Covid-19. That was four years ago and the issue has been resolved after many disputes between political leaders, customers and managers, and a “Karen” yelling at a taped-up slip of paper reading, “One Pack of Two Rolls per Household.” However, lesser known is the tissue shortage crisis here at San Marcos.
Since the beginning of San Marcos High School, in 1958, a similar issue has occurred, but was brought back into light since the SBUnified School District announced relocating 20% of their budget to tissue funds for classrooms (see other article). Until that initiative truly happens though our community is still left wondering why this tissue issue has occurred and why it is still happening and why it has not been addressed until this moment.
Students of San Marcos have repeatedly gone days upon days of sniffling, wiping their snot on the cuffs of their sweatshirt, and being forced to sneeze on their table mate. Due to these conditions, presented by the lack of tissue boxes in classrooms, even a snot epidemic has risen to the point of affecting family members of students of San Marcos as well.
“I haven’t seen my great-aunt in, like, five years, but she refuses to leave her home in Australia and come to our house for Easter because she’s afraid of re-contracting the disease,” said junior A. Choo. “It’s hard out here with no tissues.”
Choo is currently the co-founder of the club Major Urgency of Kleenex Used by Students (M.U.K.U.S. for short) along with senior Tish Eutankz. Together, the duo has partnered with Kleenex themselves and other large paper brands to bring awareness to this problem at San Marcos. Last week they held a fundraiser outside CVS Pharmacy (prior to SBUSD’s announcement), across the street from San Marcos High School, to spread awareness of the snot epidemic and encourage others to participate in the club. Current members of the club want to mention that they are accepting any donations (such as monetary donations or a tissue or a box full) and that you can email them at [email protected] for more information regarding their activities/events. (Visit the CDC website for cures to the snot epidemic though.) M.U.K.U.S. also has an instagram prospective members can check out.
Despite these extensive attempts students (with support from their teachers) have taken in hope of employing a special clause under Article IV of Student Wellness, Section 2.1 of the Santa Barbara School District Constitution, no such real action has been taken by the committee.
“It’s really frustrating because, every single day I have to watch my friend’s noses turn red and drip, even the noses of people I’m not familiar with, and it just breaks my heart that no improvement has happened. It really does,” said Utanks. “20% doesn’t make up for what we, collectively, have suffered through.”
Because of the club’s outreach, this tissue issue has drawn the attention of Charmin who has decided to send out a surveyor to assess the damage.
“Commitment like from high school students warms my heart,” said Hank Eere, Chief of Tissue Distribution at Charmin. “Things like this encourage me to get out of bed in the morning and solve tissue issues at schools.”
Mr. Eere will be a guest at San Marcos starting this week to conduct surveys of students impacted by the San Marcos Snot Epidemic and lack of tissues in classrooms. After his investigation, depending on what he finds, either San Marcos will be shut down to contain the snot or we will be sued for wrongful termination of issues in classrooms.
