NEWS: Teahcer facing suspension after refusing to let student use the restrooom

[green_the_fish]

Just thought my fellow ICers would be interested in reading the following story...


CLEARWATER, Fla. -- A Florida high school teacher who refused to let a student go to the restroom has been recommended for suspension.

The student instead used a trash can to relieve himself in a classroom closet.

The Pinellas County school system said Lesley Campbell violated school policy in November by unnecessarily embarrassing the high school junior.

Campbell said the teenager indicated he might use the trash can if she didn't let him go, but said she was astonished when he actually grabbed the can and headed for the closet.

Campbell teaches English and has taught at Clearwater High for 20 years.

She has requested a hearing on the recommended suspension.

-Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.


Well, I know I would definetely suspend a teacher for that! Then again, if I were the student, I would have just ignored her and walked over to the restroom anyway :ignore:

[sleepyangel30]

wow i would have used the trash too stupid teacher grrrrr... by the way. thanks for sharing this.

[TabbiH]

Is this the teacher's policy or a school policy? I've taught at some schools where they don't allow the students to leave class, but they can use the bathroom between classes.

[Dixiefireball]

I had to get a Dr's note for me when i was in school because of the teacher her in the state I live in its the teachers the reason students can't use the restroom exp. when your in middle or high school they believe you have enough time between classes to use the rest room and if your not talking you have that time. Which isn't always so, because of the lengh between the classes it some times takes the whole amount of time to get to one class to another one.
Even for my children i have to get a note for them every year for it to be on there record.
I remember one time i had a sub. teacher that wouldn't let me go without having to stay after school. I told her No i wouldn't because I had notes all over my files! she sent me to the office for smart monthing her. nothing was done because my parnets was up there at that school before the teacher was dismissed. I understand why they do it because if one studnet goes they all think they should be able too. but as long its not a every day thing. (unless they have a note.) then I don't think it should be a problem. if you gotta go you gotta go!

[Mel53H]

My oldest son was always getting in trouble for asking to go to the bathroom during classtime. I finally called the teacher and told her that he had a small bladder (which was the truth) and needed to go more often. Poor kid peed his pants because she would not let him go.They always thought that the students should go during recess or lunchtime, but my son would go then and then had to go during classtime as well. I informed each elemantary teacher after that that he needed to go more often than most kids and never had a problem after that.

[ICNDonna]

I think any child should be allowed restroom access, class or not. If the teachers feel it is a problem, my suggestion would be to allow the child to go, then talk with parents.

Donna

P.S. Mell, you don't live very far from me!

[Sarojini]

When I was in high school we were allowed to use the restroom as long as we asked politely and got a proper hall pass from the teacher. I know that I was not diagnosed with IC back then but would have symptoms all the same, and I was always allowed to go -- however, I was a straight-A student and, well, my mother worked at the school teaching math (it was a small town). I did witness some of the students who did not have the luxury of good grades behind them being denied the restroom and thought it was discriminatory -- just because they didn't get straight A's didn't necessarily mean they were going to the bathroom to smoke, etc. What if some of them had had IC?? I believe everyone should have restroom access too.

[Mel53H]

Yes, Donna we are a hop, skip, and jump from each other. It's a small world. :)

[sacausa]

WOW Clearwater Highschool is a really good school, I live pretty close to it.... I'm surprised something like that happened there.. although they do have a fairly bad problem with drug use so the teacher may have thought that, that was what the student wanted to do. It's still wrong though...

[melissacahill20]

When I was in 7th grade I had a teacher that would not let me use the restroom because she said I should of went after lunch like every body else but I never had to go then .So I walked out of class just about every day to use the restroom.So I got suspened for using the restroom that is when all the signs of IC started.I got my first bladder infection and uti's that year and from then on the pain and signs of IC slowly got worse I belive that no matter what age you are when you are in school you should be able to use the restroom when you need to .Even if you feel the urge to go every five min.I feel like I had no choice but to drop out of school when I got t the 10th grade because I had this horriable thing called IC I also had my first child when I was 16 years old and after that the signs were ten times worse.I do not think that any one in the school should be allowed to tell some when they should or should not need to use the restroom .I know with me they wanted to go when they wanted me to I am not a robot I can not and will not feel like I have to pee on comand.I think any teacher who will not allow a student to use the restroom should be punished for it there is to many kids that end up with uti's and bladder infections becuase the were not allowed to go to the bathroom.

[kadi]

Just to post as devil's advocate for a moment.

I have taught both middle and high school, so just want to give a teacher's POV on this. Students have been found having sex in the bathrooms during class time (on bathroom passes they both agreed to get at the same time, how romantic! ick), and students have used the bathroom passes to be out of class, bothering other classes to talk to their friends, graffiti-ing, starting fights, or vandalizing the bathrooms (plugging up the toilets & sinks, throwing damp paper towels at the ceilings, smearing excrement on the walls, urinating on the floors) . Most students are responsible about restroom use, but the few that aren't put us into a real legal bind, as we are responsible for them as minors.

I had major headaches over my restroom pass policy when I first started teaching high school. I gave every kid a pass to use in "emergency", but then got in trouble because I was basically promising 90 kids a free "out of class". So, following a coworker's suggestion, I offered extra credit if they didn't use it, prompting a parent complaint that I was basing their grades on their bladder capacity. (Right, me... Ridiculous because the points were worth virtually nothing)
So, my principal instructed me to give 15 minute "makeup" time (basically detention) to any kid who takes the pass to go to the bathroom. I have to say that it is amazing how many kids suddenly recover from their emergency need when told they have to stay after school.

The kids don't know this, but I often quietly let them go when they return after school for their detention. And I guess following the principal's directive keeps me out of trouble for excessive passes.

I really really hate as an IC patient to have to do things this way, and I always tell the kids that if they have a medical issue & need the restroom more often than the passing periods, that their parents can call me privately and they will be allowed to go whenever they need to. A few have done this--I never give those kids detention & just ask them to be low key about it.

As IC patients we often have terrible memories about accidents in class (I sure do!), and I still find it difficult sometimes to teach my entire class without leaving the room, but as a teacher, having seen some kids really abuse the system, and cause us no end of hassle that then takes hours & $ away from what we are trying to do for ALL the kids, I know we can't simply can't afford to be naive and assume they are all responsible...

[sacausa]

Kadi, I agree with you 100%.... another thing kids are doing in restrooms is drugs... at Clearwater high kids use drugs in the bathroom stalls and flush it down the toilet when a teacher/authority comes in.... thus avoiding any punishment because legally they have to be caught red handed... Unfortunately that's what's going on!

[mary124]

I know out here where my son goes to school, you are allowed to use the restrooms, regardless whether you are in class or not, as long as you have a pass.

Thanks for sharing the article.

[ICNDonna]

I have never been a teacher, but was a scout leader with 42 girls in my troop. What I found is that the vast majority of young people are honest and above board. I did have some problems in the troop and on some occasions did have to discuss situations with parents. That's why I qualified my response by saying that if there's a problem, parents need to be involved.

Donna

[yvette]

hate to be the devil's advocate here...but here goes....there's more to the story than what was relayed here, I was in sympathy of the student until I heard the rest/the other side of the story.......and if he did indeed have a true need then that should be made known to the teacher of his special needs via his parents/his doctors with the school staff....exasperating really...b/c those who really need to go are now deemed as *trouble makers*, "skippers", "wanderers" and the like...

[melissacahill20]

I know were you are coming from as a teacher because I have worked in the school district before not all kids are honest but most of the ones who like to cut class,etc are the ones that are normally in trouble alot.I never got in trouble until my 7th grade year the teacher that I had problems with all started because I refused to clean the caf. tables because I felt like that took away from me learning I am the only one who refused to do this because everyone else wanted to have a reason to cut class ect.Me on the other hand has I see it my mom and dad sent me to school to learn not to do the janitors job.That is when it became a issue on me going to the restroom.Even with doctor notes she had a problem with it.She also at that point would refuse to call on me when I raised my hand to answer question .She was my science teacher which until that year science was my fav. subject.I spent most of my seventh grade year in the office for walking out of class instead of getting my ed.I do not belive that all kids should be punished for having to go to the restroom and to be honest is nobodies business if they have health issue with that I have always been honest with the teacher about needing to tuse the restroom and when I was sent to the office I would tell the prin. what happen and why.Someone no matter what age should should not have to feel like they are being punished for have IC or other issue that are the same.But for all the bad things that you say happen with in you school district there should be a officer there at all times helping control those out of hand kids.There was at my school district and still is even in elementary.

[kadi]

We do have three campus supervisors (big strong security guys), an on-site police officer, and a number of teachers who give up their lunch period to monitor the halls & grounds with walkie talkies. Unfortunately with 2500 kids, it's not enough.

We had a gang-related stabbing on campus 2 weeks ago during the passing period between classes. Two kids were stabbed, our security guard saved one's life by tackling the kid with the knife, at great risk to himself. The attacker-student is in juvenile hall waiting to be tried as an adult for attempted murder. *

And on the issue about kids' health problems being no one's business? Well, if I'm legally for your minor child while they're in my class, I absolutely should know if they have a health problem, in case I need to get them medical assistance. Typically, I will only see the emergency card after there is a problem, and by then, the delay may be problematic. I never discuss a child's medical issues with anyone and would never embarrass them, but not knowing can be dangerous.

Frankly, most people have no idea how much we have to deal with. Some things take priority and the first one is to keep as many kids supervised, in class, and safe as possible.

All that said, Melissa, I am sorry for your experiences. There are unprofessional teachers out there, and I am always sorry to hear stories of people in my profession behaving poorly toward children...

*Hmm, maybe that's why I've had more flares lately than usual???

[Briza]

It is very unfortunate that this incident occurred, for both the teacher and the student. Having taught both middle and high school, and having had various other jobs before I began teaching, I can say that teaching is a job that puts such enormous responsibility on the teacher that you really must spend some time in the classroom to understand the decisions and judgement calls we must make on a minute-by-minute basis from the second we step foot on campus in the morning to the time we leave in the afternoon. We try to always make the right decision, but we are human and sometimes we make mistakes...and we feel very disappointed with ourselves and often guilty when we do something that in hind sight we wished we had handled differently. We live, we teach, we learn.

As mentioned in above posts, rr passes are regularly abused and often result in something happening outside the classroom...and the repercussions for the teacher can often be as bad as NOT letting a child leave the classroom.
I am fortunate that at the beginning of each school year the nurse at my school gives each teacher a confidential list of students in our classes that have medical conditions. The students are my responsibility, and it IS imperative that I know how to respond in case they become ill while in my class.

[melissacahill20]

I understand where you all are coming from.We never had more less gang related fights or any other fights that did not invole your fist.So in my case the only issue there should of been is playing around in the hallway.I do belive that if a student has a major health problem that my require medical asst. at some point they should know.In my case I did not know that I had a medical issuse becuase it all started that year.So the only thing to tell them was I had a infection.My son has chronic asthma every year I let his teacher know that he does have asthma and etc. The only reason I do that is becuase asthma is a ser.medical problem which as UTI'S are not a least not at the time I had them.Some kids have smaller bladers and others have larger bladder for a long time I was one of few that had a large bladder I could hold it all day until that 7th grade year.However I don't think I should of got suspened for needing to go pee.Some teacher abuse their power for me it was my 7th grade science teacher.I was always tought by my parnets to stand up for what you belive in will I belive and still do that it was wrong to make me feel like I should of stayed at home so I did not get in trouble for needing to pee.The teachers fav.word for me was hostial.My be I was but she was with me .I was always told to resp.your elders that one teacher tought me that you have to earn resp. to get it no matter what age level you are.You should never treat someone badly if you don't want to be treated that way.