S/o denying water. Bathrooms in Schools

Chayalle

Fri, May 06 2022, 9:07 am

keym wrote:

And teachers need to realize that telling kids to go during the break is not always feasible.
Most schools have insane lines at the bathroom. A girl can use her entire break just to "try" to use the bathroom. No snack, no playing, nothing.
That's the part that's unacceptable.
The teachers are acting like a girl who chooses to use her 10 minute break to eat an apple and 2 cookies and drink a cup of water, rather than wait on line for a restroom she doesn't really need has wasted her break and is being irresponsible and doesn't "deserve" the privilege of toilet 25 minutes later when the urge happens.

Also, for privacy reasons, I preferred to use the bathroom not during break when I was a teen. And I feel a teen has a right to that privacy if she wants it.

amother

Lemonchiffon

Fri, May 06 2022, 9:15 am

amother [ Latte ] wrote:

It's not a privilege per se, it's just the expression used for using the bathroom during class. Kids need to know that the responsible thing is to use the bathroom during breaks.

How are hundreds of kids all supposed to use the same five bathrooms during a 10 minute break?

keym

Fri, May 06 2022, 9:40 am

amother [ Lemonchiffon ] wrote:

How are hundreds of kids all supposed to use the same five bathrooms during a 10 minute break?

Exactly.
I'm really getting the feeling that teachers aren't really aware of students real life experience and are kind of stuck in the "should be done".
The average school has approximately 6 toilets for 100 students with 2 being out of order.
Practically speaking 25 girls are vying for a single toilet over 8 minutes. A girl has to choose to wait on line and risk being marked unexcused late (because 10 minutes is more than enough time to use the bathroom and get to class, she must have been wasting time" or take a snack and need the bathroom during class and risk getting embarrassed (because you just had a break, what were you doing then).
What the average girl ends up choosing is to barely drink.
My daughter is in high school. The average girl brings a 24 oz water bottle and takes little sips. Maybe 1 cup worth at lunch.
From 8-5:30 EVERY DAY, they're rationing their fluid intake to no more than 16 oz during that time because of the fear of the public embarrassment that WILL happen.

amother

DarkMagenta

Fri, May 06 2022, 10:00 am

I have had a few teachers who refused bathroom. Like in high school there was the very strict teacher who marked you "-5" on her weekly test for being late, forgetting your book, not doing homework... each time. No bathroom break at all. Yes, the kids who always seemed to need to use the bathroom every period didnt use it then. But it was a huge stressor for me. There were kids who clearly abused leaving other classes. No one stopped them- same few girls left and hung out. One "took a hallway walk" every day at the same time. With the same girl. But you cant deny bathroom access! You have to give consequences to the class time partiers.

Even in seminary there was a teacher- a Rav- who had the worst rule. He was last in, first out and no one could leave the room while he was there. It really bothered me that he felt a young woman standing up was a tzniyus issue. (This was a "good sem" with girls in tzniyus clothing.) But no bathroom break allowed in the class even during a heatwave when we HAD to drink. And the school kept reminding us to drink. I was always so scared and nervous about that class and what if I had to go...

BrisketBoss

Fri, May 06 2022, 10:02 am

amother [ DarkMagenta ] wrote:

Even in seminary there was a teacher- a Rav- who had the worst rule. He was last in, first out and no one could leave the room while he was there. It really bothered me that he felt a young woman standing up was a tzniyus issue. (This was a "good sem" with girls in tzniyus clothing.) But no bathroom break allowed in the class even during a heatwave when we HAD to drink. And the school kept reminding us to drink. I was always so scared and nervous about that class and what if I had to go...

Wow, wow, wow. Can't Believe It

amother

Hyacinth

Fri, May 06 2022, 10:34 am

keym wrote:

Why is using the toilet when your body tells you to a "privilege"? Isn't body autonomy a basic right?
And no one's explained to me why girls have these rules and boys don't?
My son's school does not expect boys to ask to use the bathroom. Through 3rd grade, they put up 1 finger, the Rebbi nods and they leave. That's for safety not permission to relieve oneself.
Starting 4th grade, they leave as needed. Teachers and Rebbeim are aware who leaves when and boys are spoken to privately if it becomes too frequent or long. And principals patrol halls and bathroom to make sure there aren't groups of boys shmoozing.
But why is it girls schools that are treated the toilet like a privilege?

Maybe because girls can hold it in better and have a better record about accidents?
Not that it changes anything.
Girls should be allowed to go anytime regardless.

sequoia

Fri, May 06 2022, 10:38 am

amother [ DarkMagenta ] wrote:

amother

Hyacinth

Fri, May 06 2022, 10:39 am

Chayalle wrote:

Also, for privacy reasons, I preferred to use the bathroom not during break when I was a teen. And I feel a teen has a right to that privacy if she wants it.

Same. Eventually I got smart and started using the elementary bathrooms in high school because they had a break at a different time, and their bathrooms were empty.
I was never able to go when there were other people listening.

keym

Fri, May 06 2022, 10:50 am

amother [ Hyacinth ] wrote:

Maybe because girls can hold it in better and have a better record about accidents?
Not that it changes anything.
Girls should be allowed to go anytime regardless.

And are generally at higher risk for UTIs and kidney infections based on anatomy.

BrisketBoss

Fri, May 06 2022, 10:53 am

keym wrote:

And are generally at higher risk for UTIs and kidney infections based on anatomy.

Yep. Most of Hashem's designs seem good but I've never been so sure about this one.

amother

Denim

Sun, May 08 2022, 1:48 am

keym wrote:

That is so true.

My daughter had no lunch one day because after her tutoring session was over it was a choice between lunch, water, bathroom . She had to use the bathroom and that left no time for lunch without being late for class. Elementary school.
In general they have 30 min lunch and the lunchroom is a few flights down. They probably get 20 min at the table and that’s if they go eat and come. No time for bathroom or you risk being late.

TwinsMommy

Sun, May 08 2022, 2:07 am

MY daughter (9th grade) 's school had two lockdowns this year. Not a drill. LOCKDOWNS. NOBODY was allowed to leave the room for any reason. She was desperate for the bathroom. She texted me and I called the school and asked that an adult escort her to the bathroom. LUCKILY she had a phone and a mom willing to call. Just asking her teacher was getting her nowhere.