Teacher's Reward Program Charges Second-Graders for Bathroom Breaks

Originally posted by smyleegrl
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

And are teachers not allowed to make mistakes?

I agree, what happened was the result of a stupid policy. But just like every profession, there's a learning curve. Experience brings its own rewards and all that.

I'm sure this teacher feels terrible about what happened. I don't think she was on a power trip or sadisticly keeping her students from the bathroom. But that's just my humble opinion, of course.

for any experience to be gained you need to see results there were no disciplinary actions taken and the teachers policies are still in place
lesson learned? doubtful
and i can tell you with certainty that all my public school teachers prior to college with the exception of one english teacher and the physics/chem/biology teachers were woefully ill equipped to teach the material they were expected to and generally taught the test and not the subject itself

as for your answer regarding classes being 5-7 hours when the material can generally be taught in 2-3
i find it lacking sure there may in some cases be children that do not learn as quickly but do you really think its justified to essentially waste more than half the time for the majority of students who dont have any kind of problem (potentially turning an inquisitive young mind away from the education process.... because this does happen and quite often)
and for reference i went to a private school k-8 (excluding 2nd which was at a public school) and nearly half my class was hispanic and spoke impeccably even in kindergarten ....the classes were just as long.... just as much wasted time.... and yet when i went to a public highschool i found myself going over material we had covered in grades 5 and 6 and forced to retake classes i had already passed
in some cases such as english we used the exact same vocabulary book that was used in 5th grade
(and no the teachers were not payed more... in fact they got paid less than half of what the average is for public school teachers)

the problem definitely seems to be institutional

and yet just another reason why i personally homeschool my children... please don't send your kid to public daycares.. they won't even let them go to the bathroom... geez whats next.. no lunch because you don't have enough good behavior bucks to pay for it.

Isn't making someone "pee themselves" considered inhumane treatment under the Geneva Convention?
Maybe this teacher should go off to Guantanamo for a day where she'll learn what it feels like.

When I was in elementary school at a young age, even daycare before that, I'd had a few teachers/responsible persons who were downright mean. Teachers need to be role models for their students, not take advantage of their power over them.
I hope this family sues the school district; oftentimes that's the only time they will pay attention.

I remember when I was in year 2. My teacher refused to let me use the restroom. My desk was pushed up next to her desk because I was bouncing a ball at play time and another girl ran in front of me and tripped over the ball that I was bouncing. I was not allowed to participate in play time for two months because of this. My desk had to be pushed up against hers during this time and she refused to let me go to the restroom and I ended up wetting my pants. My mother had to come to the school to change me. I suppose that since there was no negative impact on the teacher that it was worth it for her. I remember after that my mother told me to just go to the bathroom anyway even if the teacher says not to after that. I did that and it got me into a lot of trouble, but not at home. That's all that matters.

My daughter was in first grade and she came home wearing clothing I did not send her to school in. Thankfully the kids did not pick on her because most had, had the same problem. I went to the school the next morning and was told,she could not interrupt something that she was teaching to let a kid go to the bathroom. "They might miss something." My reply was how much do you think a kid who happens to be dancing in their sea, trying not to pee their pants is hearing? I got up and said There is a bathroom in the back of that classroom and my child better never come home in something other than she arrived here in. I also told him if he had an issue telling that to the teacher I would gladly do it for him. Really, how much do they think that kid is taking in after wetting themselves in front of the whole room? It is sick and some of the teacher out there need to being running prisons and not classrooms!!

In 6th grade, I develop constant UTI's and kidney problems due to a teacher who refused to let us go to the bathroom. His class was right after our 30 minute lunch break, and I'd have to rush to get to the room on time. Without fail, many of us had to use the bathroom soon after, and he would tell us to go before class and that bathroom breaks are a form of disruption. After a month of holding it, I developed a serious kidney infection and was hospitalized for it. When my parents found out the teacher was not letting us go to the bathroom, they went to the principal, and insisted that this teacher's policy is changed.

Long story short, the teacher refused to change his policy, and I was taken out of his class.

IME, there are many punitive teachers who truly hate children who should never be working with children.

Originally posted by ownbestenemy

Originally posted by Biigs
If the teacher did it on purpose to make the kid pee himself, to show the other kids 'play by my rules or end up like him' isnt that terrorism?

Its abusive, but not terrorism.

Exactly. I have a friend who is a social worker who once told me that grounds for a parent losing custody of their child is refusal to let them use the bathroom. So why is this ok in public school?

Wow, I am 30 now, up until high school, there was always designated times to go to the restroom, get a drink at the fountain etc. In high school, you had to run to the bathroom between bells, or on a free period. Teachers wouldn't really mind if you had to go during class, once in a great while, it happens. But if you made it a habit, they would say no if you asked. I got detention a time or two, for going anyways when told no, no big deal, I only asked to be polite anyways.

My teacher did that to me as well, I think in second or third grade. She said that I wasn't allowed to go to the bathroom so I peed myself. She got angry and I got to face the wall for 15 minutes. Nothing happened to her, she had continued to teach there for a good while at least. After the "detention" I was sent to the principal where she would guide me to find new clothes to change into. They didn't have girl clothes so I was wearing boy clothes and it was also humiliating at the time because kids tease over that.

It's a shame, I begged her and told her that I had to go and it was either there or here. Looks like she got more than what she bargained for, but not enough.

Originally posted by ownbestenemy
reply to post by smyleegrl

 

I digress.....teachers can make mistakes, for they are human and to be human is to err. However, not addressing that mistake, in front of the children who are seeing no consequences to a bad decision, is dangerous and shows incompetence of that school's leadership.

This is my point exactly. IF it was just a mistake, an error in judgement by a "green" teacher, nothing will ensure the lesson takes hold like an unpaid suspension and giving a public apology.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


So can you save up your bathroom breaks like vacation time and just cut out early somedays?

When I was in school they would let everyone out for bathroom breaks at the same time I believe, but we also has the same teacher for most of the subjects (except music and art). That said, if you really had to go they would let you.

I once had a job where they installed a policy that none shall use the restroom outside of their two scheduled breaks. If someone had to go outside of their scheduled break they had to contact a supervisor and see if it was possible to switch breaks with a co-worker.

I quit right around the time that policy came out.

Getting kids ready for the slavery of the working world.

Bathroom breaks are an issue in a lot of places

reply to post by Artistic


'Tis a shame when we have to sacrifice our humanity for a buck.

reply to post by Symbiot


That is REALLY messed up.

How many potty accidents occurred at this place?

reply to post by Artistic


Couldn't tell ya, I think I left the same day it went into effect. Technically the rule wasn't going to apply to me, but I couldn't be a part of such shenanigans.

Edit: What no star for using the word shenanigans?

Originally posted by Symbiot
reply to post by Artistic

 

Couldn't tell ya, I think I left the same day it went into effect. Technically the rule wasn't going to apply to me, but I couldn't be a part of such shenanigans.

In my current job, I work at home doing online phone work.

It requires most of the employees have a professional license. But this doesn't stop the company from monitoring.

We are on a clock and have to log off for "restroom break". If an employee stays in the bathroom que longer than "what they think is appropriate" they get a message >> What are you doing ??

There are always work arounds for this kind of thing tho...

I teach at a university, and my attitude has always been that if you really have to go to the bathroom, go ahead. No need to ask to go. You're adults.

It was rare that anyone would get up and go but it happened from time to time.

But starting about 5 years ago (I've been teaching at the same university for 21 years), every so often I would get a class that would see there were no consequences for getting up in the middle of class, and before you know it I have half a dozen leaving the classroom every session -- and often for 10 to 20 minutes.

And they weren't going to the bathroom. They were making phone calls, going to facebook on their phones, text messaging and just goofing off.

I have to do something to nip it in the bud when a class starts to behave that way, and usually I do this by stating to the class how incredibly weird and distracting it is, and how I'm going to have to start asking people why they're leaving and how long they think will take.

So I do have some sympathy for the teacher. Besides, it's unclear if the teacher refused to let him go or if the kid chose not to go because he didn't want to lose the "Boyd Bucks." Why was that even brought into the story if it wasn't actually a factor here?

reply to post by Artistic


Good lord. I'm not gonna ask what the work arounds are

Anywhere I've worked I can see a mini arms race between the employees and the corporation. The corporation does it's best to make them robots and the employees do their best to sneak around the all watching eye. Ultimately it's a stalemate because the two forces are of equal intelligence, the ones cooking up the rules and those trying to fit through the cracks are both human. It's humanity trying to defeat humanity either way you slice it I suppose.

Edit: Damndest thing to. The place I was referring to had a group called the "command center" and they were tasked with monitoring everyone's status and sending them messages similar to what you mentioned. At work they were freakin' nazis, but go out for a beer with'em after work and they're great company. That's duality if I've ever seen it.

A seasoned teacher can tell when a child actually has to go to the bathroom. This teach should be punished somehow and the "bucks" system should be abolished. And Unions suck.