School policy for young kids going to the bathroom?

[aprilgail2]

Not in the school my wife teaches in. THey can't leave students and there isn't always another teacher available to watch the class.

Not like that here, at my daughter school at times the teacher is called to the office for something and they have the teacher in the next room watch both classes-they do the same when they have to use the bathroom.

 

[Cindy B]

Whaaawat? The principal at your school needs to get some security in there. Children should have safe bathrooms. My son goes to an inner city school too and the kids in his school can go any time they want. If we had this kind of problem, parents would come in and take care of it.

OP-your daughter's teacher is an idiot. With two children having repeated accidents she should have quickly figured out that her 'rewards' system was horribly flawed. Since she hasn't gotten that perhaps you should help her along. I would NEVER have allowed any teacher of my child to have treated him this way. never.

We have two officers onsite. We also have administrators and teachers that patrol the halls. It is a large school with almost 1000 kids. Parental involvement is well... not very strong. It is a very dangerous city--in a very dangerous area. Believe it or not, I'm in the nicer area!

I don't make the rules... I just have to enforce them.

 

[Mandychelle79]

I had the exact opposite happen at my dd's school. At 5 she has a bladder that can last and last We actually argue every morning about her needing to use the potty. I basically told the teacher if she says she doesnt have to go, she really doesnt have to go.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Im a kindergarten teacher and have 23 kids in my class...if one goes to the bathroom, they all "need" to go. That said, I always let them go--as of now, it is not too crazy with them going to the bathroom..we have one in our room and we go to the hall bathroom 1-2 times a day as well..I would not want to say no to a child and then they have an accidnet because of it

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

As a teacher, I can understand the thought process behind the policy.

I currently teach 7th grade special ed half days, and there are definitely students or whom the bathroom functions as an escapist behavior. There is one student in particular who literally every single day when she comes into 5th hour she has to go somewhere. If it's not the bathroom, it's the counselor or the nurse. What slays me is this class is right after lunch, and they always have plenty of time to use the restroom, they also have a passing period in between.

What we have done on our team is give the kids four hall passes for each class per quarter. If they ask me if they can go to the bathroom I will ask them if they are absolutely sure they cannot hold it until the end of the hour. If they say they can't, then they bring me their hall pass and I cross it off. If they use all four passes, then they have to take a tardy. At least 3/4 of the time though, they say they can hold it and they wait til passing period. Obviously, elementary school is a little different since you don't have an opportunity every 50 minutes during passing period.

The struggle for me as a teacher is to discern which students truly need to use the restroom, and which are using it to get out of class. We are actually trained in my grad program to pay attention to patterns of behavior and take action if we find that a student always has to use the restroom during a specific class, or when there is a test, etc.

Obvously this is not the case with the OPs daughter, but I thought maybe I could give you all some perspective of the other side of the issue. For the record, if a child has to go, I do not deny them the opportunity. If I notice a problem I bring it up with the counselor, nurse, and their parent so we can see if it is a true physical need or if the behavior is serving an alternate purpose.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I can't even believe that there has to be a discussion about "allowing" someone to use the bathroom. If the kid has to go they should be able to use the restroom. Period.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Thought of something else I meant to add:

When I was in 7th grade, two boys who really "had to go" during class set fire to separate bathrooms. Thank God the school was new and was pretty fire proof. It smoked up the whole school though and we were outside for an hour in December without coats. We then had to return to a smoky school. I could easily see the school restricting bathroom use after that, but thankfully they didn't. However, as a pp described, there are some schools with serious behavioral problems.

It's easy for us who probably come from middle class or higher backgrounds to say that the kids in these schools should be able to go whenever they want, the school has the responsibility to make it safe, and if it happened at your school there would be parental involvement. However, these schools are like their own world. These schools are in areas where there is no parental involvement, typically the parents and students could care less. Even with resource officers, there is nobody to monitor the every hallway and every bathroom in between periods to make sure that students do not engage in illegal behaviors. It's not a good policy, but I completely understand why that school has the policy in place.

 

[Cindy B]

Thought of something else I meant to add:

When I was in 7th grade, two boys who really "had to go" during class set fire to separate bathrooms. Thank God the school was new and was pretty fire proof. It smoked up the whole school though and we were outside for an hour in December without coats. We then had to return to a smoky school. I could easily see the school restricting bathroom use after that, but thankfully they didn't. However, as a pp described, there are some schools with serious behavioral problems.

It's easy for us who probably come from middle class or higher backgrounds to say that the kids in these schools should be able to go whenever they want, the school has the responsibility to make it safe, and if it happened at your school there would be parental involvement. However, these schools are like their own world. These schools are in areas where there is no parental involvement, typically the parents and students could care less. Even with resource officers, there is nobody to monitor the every hallway and every bathroom in between periods to make sure that students do not engage in illegal behaviors. It's not a good policy, but I completely understand why that school has the policy in place.

I really appreciate your post. Yes, this is my reality. Locked bathrooms, walking escorts and set scheduled times.

It is easy to say - why aren't these kids allowed? Why do the bathrooms remain locked? It isn't safe- pure, plain and simple. Coming from my safe suburban home, this whole concept truly rocked my world.

The whole concept of freedom has changed for me in this school. It is a very very very different environment than what anyone else can/could/will ever imagine.

This is a very dangerous area. It is a dangerous town. And believe it or not, it is only about 10 minutes away from my nice suburban neighborhood.

In a perfect world, kids could go to the bathroom whenever they wanted. In a perfect world, these kids would have all the resources they need. In a perfect world, everyone would have parental involvement and great test scores.

In a perfect world, I would not have to adhere to a uniform so the people in the neighborhood won't bother me. (translate that to mug or attack me) In a perfect world, I wouldn't have to park my car directly near my classroom so I can watch it during the day.

Unfortunately, it is not a perfect world. I do have to worry about my kids safety in the bathroom and my own safety when I leave at night. I only leave for my car with somone else and under the eyes of the male staff.

These kids have so little and they try so hard--even with the rules that exist. I am thrilled when I see them remember something-- or get excited over something little like a pinecone.

 

[mytwotinks]

I really appreciate your post. Yes, this is my reality. Locked bathrooms, walking escorts and set scheduled times.

It is easy to say - why aren't these kids allowed? Why do the bathrooms remain locked? It isn't safe- pure, plain and simple. Coming from my safe suburban home, this whole concept truly rocked my world.

The whole concept of freedom has changed for me in this school. It is a very very very different environment than what anyone else can/could/will ever imagine.

This is a very dangerous area. It is a dangerous town. And believe it or not, it is only about 10 minutes away from my nice suburban neighborhood.

In a perfect world, kids could go to the bathroom whenever they wanted. In a perfect world, these kids would have all the resources they need. In a perfect world, everyone would have parental involvement and great test scores.

In a perfect world, I would not have to adhere to a uniform so the people in the neighborhood won't bother me. (translate that to mug or attack me) In a perfect world, I wouldn't have to park my car directly near my classroom so I can watch it during the day.

Unfortunately, it is not a perfect world. I do have to worry about my kids safety in the bathroom and my own safety when I leave at night. I only leave for my car with somone else and under the eyes of the male staff.

These kids have so little and they try so hard--even with the rules that exist. I am thrilled when I see them remember something-- or get excited over something little like a pinecone.

I do completely understand why this has to be a policy, but my child would not physically be able to attend this school.

I am so blessed that my kids are in a school where I don't have to worry for their safety when they walk to the bathroom by themselves. It breaks my heart for your students that they live in an environment like this. I'm so glad that they have a teacher that is excited to be there with them!

 

[Papa Deuce]

Well, I have no idea what my wife wrote in the letter to the school, but it sure worked! Apparently what this teacher was doing was within school policy. Both of my daughters came home with a generic letter ( all kids got one ) saying that this was no longer going to be how bathroom breaks would be handled.

Maybe it was something new for the whole school and maybe MANY parents complained; I don't know. But I am glad that it has been addressed. Kids can now go at lunch and recess, as well as one morning and one afternoon break. And if a child really has to go outside of that time, it will happen.

 

[livie1205]

As a teacher, I can understand the thought process behind the policy.

I currently teach 7th grade special ed half days, and there are definitely students or whom the bathroom functions as an escapist behavior. There is one student in particular who literally every single day when she comes into 5th hour she has to go somewhere. If it's not the bathroom, it's the counselor or the nurse. What slays me is this class is right after lunch, and they always have plenty of time to use the restroom, they also have a passing period in between.

What we have done on our team is give the kids four hall passes for each class per quarter. If they ask me if they can go to the bathroom I will ask them if they are absolutely sure they cannot hold it until the end of the hour. If they say they can't, then they bring me their hall pass and I cross it off. If they use all four passes, then they have to take a tardy. At least 3/4 of the time though, they say they can hold it and they wait til passing period. Obviously, elementary school is a little different since you don't have an opportunity every 50 minutes during passing period.

The struggle for me as a teacher is to discern which students truly need to use the restroom, and which are using it to get out of class. We are actually trained in my grad program to pay attention to patterns of behavior and take action if we find that a student always has to use the restroom during a specific class, or when there is a test, etc.

Obvously this is not the case with the OPs daughter, but I thought maybe I could give you all some perspective of the other side of the issue. For the record, if a child has to go, I do not deny them the opportunity. If I notice a problem I bring it up with the counselor, nurse, and their parent so we can see if it is a true physical need or if the behavior is serving an alternate purpose.

my ds school does this and although not happened yet the first time he comes home with a tardy for going to the bathroom we are going to have a BIG problem.The holding it thing is not good and it can cause a problem if done over and over.

 

[declansdad]

Well, I have no idea what my wife wrote in the letter to the school, but it sure worked! Apparently what this teacher was doing was within school policy. Both of my daughters came home with a generic letter ( all kids got one ) saying that this was no longer going to be how bathroom breaks would be handled.

Maybe it was something new for the whole school and maybe MANY parents complained; I don't know. But I am glad that it has been addressed. Kids can now go at lunch and recess, as well as one morning and one afternoon break. And if a child really has to go outside of that time, it will happen.

Glad it worked out. Seems like a reasonable policy to me.

 

[declansdad]

my ds school does this and although not happened yet the first time he comes home with a tardy for going to the bathroom we are going to have a BIG problem.The holding it thing is not good and it can cause a problem if done over and over.

Please make a suggestion on how this could be handled without the tardy?

 

[MM27]

My school has a policy of one student out of the room at a time, regardless of where they are going. They do this because we have had problems with kids "hooking up" in the bathroom and under the stairs, we had a couple of third graders one year set the garbage can on fire in the boys bathroom, a bunch of boys thought it would be funny to stand on the sink and of course they broke it, etc. I'm sure those kids "really had to go" too. Sometimes you'll see a kid looking into the hallway and all of a sudden they have to go really bad. Know why? Their friend from another class is in the hallway trying to get them to come out and hang with them. So yes, sometimes I don't allow kids to go to the bathroom.

We have a security guard, but my school is very large and he can't be everywhere.

 

[rparmfamily]

Glad it's working out for you!! I have a 7 yr old and she also has constipation issues so we've (at the suggestion of her DR) increased fluids and she goes a lot too. Luckily, we've only had a few times where she's HAD to go during classtime. No accidents, if that happened, I'd be one TICKED mama!!! (at the teacher, not my DD)