Teacher bars 6 yro from using bathroom, humiliation insues.

I'm surprised we don't hear stories about people who crap their pants at work because their boss/supervisor won't let them go to the bathroom.

Gotta get the kiddies used to being bossed around with impunity.

Personally, I think the little guy should have just pooped on her shoes. Can you imagine that phonecall? Sometimes, you gotta give the teachers a reminder of where their power ends. A little poo on the shoe would go a long way I think!! LOL!!

TheBorg

I've NEVER heard of a teacher physically preventing a child from going to the loo, its always a verbal refusal, and I think it's because they've been programmed to CONTROL the kids.
Physically refusing would cause them to think about it before they act; and then they realise how utterly rediculous refusal is, however, when its just words; they are acting out a programmed response!

No child should EVER have to wait to use the loo.

OP. Get legal advice! Make sure this never happens to another child!

Thank you all for comisserating with me. The e-mail response from the principal was weak and excusing the teachers responsibilities, as I expected. We will take this a little further. This is a small town (2500 ppl more or less). We moved here from Chicago as our last place of residence. My husband and I have both moved and traveled extensively. These types of situations happen all over. I can't help thinking that small minded people do small minded things.

The shame of it all is that someone's small minded power-trip has imprinted a bad childhood memory on a person that I love. How hard is it to be kind to each other?

I suppose this is a good opportunity to teach my children to protect themselves from ignorant people. At the same time to remember to show the kindness and respect to others that may pave a path to change.

My husband, a teacher, says sue. He says a teacher absolutely can not do that. He says that as a teacher you absolutely have a case. If it is a chronic issue then the teacher can call the parent , ask if there is a medical problem, then the ball is in the parents court. Emphasis on the CHRONIC.

If parents don't become a thorn in the schools side, how will things change? I am tired of hearing complaints from my husband about the issue in education that are the result of the parents not getting involved.

originally posted by: Voyaging
a reply to: frayedknot

Wow, I'm really sorry that your son was put through that. There really is no excuse for barring a human from having to use the restroom. This brings me back to 2nd grade; I had to go pee so bad during class, so I raised my hand only to have my teacher ignore me to the point of feeling I was going to explode so I got up and stood next to her so she wouldn't ignore me because, as a kid, I really didn't know what else to do. Well, she kept ignoring me in front of the whole class until I reached my biological limit and let it all out. It was so embarrassing that I still remember it vividly and I'm nearing 25.

Sam here, kindergarten, and I'm nearly 50! (I mean really dude, you were still pissing yourself in second grade?) Ha, JK.

This woman should be sat in a corner and refused bathroom access until she wets herself. Society would be so much easier with an 'eye for an eye' system.

a reply to: frayedknot

I would like to thank you for this thread, as it became a talking point between my daughter and I (she's 6). I told her that if she was to the point of a near accident to EMPHASIZE that it's an emergency, and if the teacher still refused...f**k em and go anyway. So please know your son's terrible situation wasn't for naught....a meager silver lining, but I'm trying to make something positive out of it.

The principal's response was weak? Oh it's on like Donkey Kong now. Take a day off work and request a meeting with the teachers involved, the principal AND THE SUPERINTENDENT. And make it clear that if they don't address your concerns to your satisfaction you will be speaking in front of the next school board meeting...with a lawyer. Lawyers cost money, and I'm not sure what legal footing a case like this actually has... but maybe it would be enough of a bluff to scare them straight.

I don't think it would be too much to ask for a written apology from the teachers. That would prove that they understand the gravity of the situation, and even if they don't really mean the apology it would make them think twice before doing it again. IMHO

Good luck! You have my support!

a reply to: frayedknot

Thats insane.

I had a problem with a gym teacher once. He was a pretty boy prick. Nasty and just a complete jerk.

I had to pee once. BAD. We were running laps. I asked to go to the bathroom that was visible from where he was standing. It was in the gym. He refused and said I needed to finish the laps. He was big on mile runs.

I remembered another kid who pissed himself running laps the month before and what he went through. I was sooo angry that the teacher would do it again and to me. I ended up finishing the mile run in record time. I ran foaming at the mouth cursing at him every time I passed him while lapping my whole class several times. They cheered me on! It was cool. The gym teacher just silently told me to go ahead and avoided eye contact.

He never did that crap again. If I didnt take out my anger on the run I would have done something stupid and he knew it. He knew he went too far and that he better not make a thing about it, because peoples parents were hearing about it that night over dinner.

Some teachers do get on power trips. Those bad ones should be taught a lesson by someone. Its not that they need it to be better educators. They need for life to humble them and show them that they are not an authority figure. They are servants performing a public service, even in private school. NOTHING should motivate you to deny someone a natural and unavoidable bodily function. Thats just you acting like jerk when you say "no"...and then proceed to smile inside knowing the poor kid is going to humiliate himself for the rest of his time at that school.

I would sue just to get the protocol changed, in that school. Litigation always gets people's attention, especially when you get a piss poor response from the principal.

Lawsuits don't have to be just about money. This is absolutely unacceptable.

a reply to: frayedknot

As a 6-th grader, my finger was badly sprained (disgustingly visibly twisted and swollen) during recess. I told the teacher right away, who said "don't be a baby." Hours later another teacher saw it and was shocked I hadn't already been treated.

I hated that teacher the remainder of the year, and purposely ignored her during class. Luckily, I knew all the material they were teaching by the time I was in 3rd grade.

a reply to: frayedknot

I'm really sorry this happened.

Rebel 5

a reply to: frayedknot

Please DO NOT stop at just emaling the principal. You need to be in his/her office when he/she walks in the door Monday morning. If you dont feel you have been properly heard then go to the superintendent of your area. The local media would certainly be my next stop.

They didn't ban him, they asked him to clean up first. Big difference. He had an accident. Sounds like you just want to put the blame somewhere else.

a reply to: frayedknot

This type of behavior is common in some people they feel the need to dominate children in all aspects. Or the adult teacher has control issues or may even be a narcissist as those type of people look for jobs with authority over persons that are helpless to do anything about how they are treated by the person in authority over them.

just my thought as i don't have children but I would teach children in general that going to the bathroom is ok even if a teacher says not to. That it is ok to ask to go to the restroom but after asking if they are refused or ignored by a teacher it is ok to go anyway to use the restroom if they really have to go. And if there school was like my school was with classroom doors locked during class and they are refused and get out of class because the teacher has basically barred the door from opening tell them its ok to urinate or poop in the classroom floor if it comes to that instead of soiling them selves. That way next time teacher will know they mean business when they ask to go potty.

I once witnessed a teacher at the school i attended do this to several students over a period of a year towards the end of the year a fellow student just couldn't hold it any longer and pooped in the back of the class room behind a cork board out of sight needless to say that teacher never stopped anyone from going to restroom like that again

a reply to: frayedknot

I remember when I was in second grade I had a teacher who would sometimes refuse to let kids go to the bathroom. Once a girl had to go really bad, was not allowed, and peed on her seat. She is probably scarred for life because of that humiliaton. Not letting a child use the bathroom when they have to go is CHILD ABUSE. Any teacher who does this should be fired IMO.

originally posted by: thebtheb

originally posted by: Voyaging
a reply to: frayedknot

Wow, I'm really sorry that your son was put through that. There really is no excuse for barring a human from having to use the restroom. This brings me back to 2nd grade; I had to go pee so bad during class, so I raised my hand only to have my teacher ignore me to the point of feeling I was going to explode so I got up and stood next to her so she wouldn't ignore me because, as a kid, I really didn't know what else to do. Well, she kept ignoring me in front of the whole class until I reached my biological limit and let it all out. It was so embarrassing that I still remember it vividly and I'm nearing 25.

Sam here, kindergarten, and I'm nearly 50! (I mean really dude, you were still pissing yourself in second grade?) Ha, JK.

I thought this only happened in the OLD days and I am even older than you! teacher wouldn't let me go...pooped, some kid close complained of the "smell" then she sent me to the bathroom...one day a girl had to go and they wouldn't let her go..I vividly remember her crying walking all the way down the aisle, pee going everywhere.....

not something you think about often, but, when you hear this kind of story, it takes you back. hope you help your child and others so this doesn't happen again....red flag for sure that he doesn't want you to talk to his teacher

a reply to: frayedknot

Reminds me of the time when I was in 6th grade and suddenly needed to use the facility. The teacher of this class (social studies) had a rule of insisting that students used the restroom before class. However, before class I was fine. I raised my had to be excused to the restroom.

The teacher then decided to tell the rest of the class that maybe we should bring in a portable toilet just so I could use the restroom during class. I finally was allowed to leave, but only after much embarrassment.

Unfortunately, episodes like this aren't easily forgotten amongst other 6th graders and I was constantly asked (in baby voice no less) by my classmates if I needed to use the potty.

Power trip, yes, just like in the OP's case.