Middle school puts a lid on bathroom breaks

NJ.com ^

[Sub-Driver]

LAWRENCE, N.J. (AP)

[Henrietta]

Whatever happened to peeing between classes?

But nevermind that, we are slowly indoctrinating kids in a police state mentality.

You will go to class when we tell you, you will eat when we tell you, and you will poop when we tell you.

[LWalk18]

Another problem is that many middle school girls' (don't know about guys') bathrooms are filthy- soiled feminine products, blood, and urine all around the toilets. When I went to middle and high school there were some stalls with no doors and soap was a luxury. Part of it is the schools but girls also need to learn from their mothers how to deal with their used feminine products and basic cleanliness and consideration of others.

[Henrietta]

"You have a break before the class, a 50 minute class and a break afterward. How many students REALLY need to go to the bathroom once every 25 minutes?"

While I might be inclined to agree, in fairness, the "break" is really a 3 minute time to get to your next class. Depending on how big the school is, it might be hard to get to the next class during that time, even without a potty break.

But I do agree that our national obsession with being properly hydrated is creating a nation of frequent pee-ers.

But the idea of telling kids when they can and can't relieve themselves bothers me. I wouldn't think that such overreaching would be necessary. Frequent peeing was never I problem when I was in school.

[Henrietta]

What you described is really horrible. What an indignity, to have to pee in the presence of the monitor.

I'd never send my kids to public "skool."

[Marty]

If the public schools want to eliminate the need for bathroom breaks, take the drink machines out of schools and indicate that the students can't bring their own (except for water, perhaps) and that snacking isn't allowed in the classroom. You cut out the salty snacks which beg for liquids, and eliminate drinks in the classroom, and you'll cut out a lot of the bathroom visits.

Another option is to make the students sign out and back in and have them make up the time missed from class later. Believe it or not, the bathroom breaks can be a problem because some kids just want out to wander. I've even had some who simply didn't return from a rest room break. Suffice it to say, this was noted and the kid got written up for cutting class.

I'm a sub at a high school and must say that the drink and snack machines are a prime source of problems for good classroom behavior. Unfortunately, they are said to be a prime source of income for the school, too.

[ladylib]

Homeschool. You can use the bathroom anytime you like.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Urination that required the student to leave class was often a blatant excuse for the goofoffs to leave class. They knew that it wouldn't work more than a few times, but since then discipline is practically non-existant in public schools.

[Core_Conservative]

Lunchtime and recess seemed to provide sufficient opportunities to use the bathrooms

I agree with the premise, however, most Jr. High's don't have recess anymore. Even so, if they can just wait till lunch and after school, that should be plenty.

[PresbyRev]

Exactly! Idiocy like this is one of many reasons my wife and I homeschool our children.

[tiamat]

I can see why you might not want to wear the coat.

Glad your friend rememberred your kindness! Land's End parkas ARE good!

;-)

[Henrietta]

Exactly, and the teacher knew who the goofers were, and would tell them to hold it until after class. But since now teachers can't exercise discretion at all, everyone has to wait. Stupid!

[Marty]

It isn't a matter of endoctrinating them in state policy as much as an attempt to keep the schools from being sued for the mischief that can happen when some students are not under proper supervision. By that I mean, some kids just get out so as to get into trouble, and when trouble occurs on campus, the school can be deemed liable.

Trust me--I've been lied to by students, including girls who assured me that they were having female difficulties that necessitated a trip to the nurse and then the bathroom when backtracking on that when said students didn't return indicated that the kids had never gone to the healthroom in the first place. The lunchroom was the destination of choice.

Kids lie, discipline is a problem and the middle school has a valid point.

[Paul C. Jesup]

How can this country honestly be called free when it citizens at treated with such abuse by the government.

[philetus]

The school will end up losing a bunch of money over this and it will be gone.

[gcruse]

...between classes and lunch.

The amazing thing to me is that it took eight posts before the obvious showed up.

[headsonpikes]

Good Lord,...we pay them to abuse our children...

You'd think it would register, finally, wouldn't you?

I look to the kids to end it.

[subterfuge]

"We wanted some control of students..."

No they don't. They want TOTAL control. I mean seriously, it's (bodily functions) the only thing left they don't control.

[SouthernFreebird]

You know, I've worked in group homes for the mentally and physically handicapped and if I was to stop any of them from exercising their right to eliminate I could be brought up on abuse charges. Our children deserve the same respect. The schools need an overhaul.

[ladylib]

Today if a parent refused to let his kid use the bathroom, he would be brought up on abuse charges.

It amazes me that if a parent hits a kid and that kid winds up in the hospital, he gets charged, but in some states, if a teacher or school official hits a kid and that kid winds up in a hospital, it's no big deal.

There are so many problems with public schools today that they are probably beyond being "overhauled." Parents and students aren't happy, teachers aren't happy -- just give the parents the money and let them choose where the kids go to school. They can hire the teachers they want to educate their kids. It's a win-win situation.

[jjm2111]

Kindergarten through college, I can't remember a single occasion when I had to leave class to pee.

Just because you can't remember doesn't mean it didn't happen. Jesus, who remembers stuff like that anyway?