Rebbi did not wash his hands

Cheiny

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 9:45 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Teen DS came home from school today pretty grossed out. He said one of the rabbeim in school used the bathroom (while DS was in there, which I think if I saw a student using the bathroom I would turn around and go back in when the student was not their or use the teacher's bathroom) and did not wash his hands before he left.
I am really grossed out too. I want to send an email to the Menahele saying he needs to have a talk with the teachers/rabbeim about the importance of hand washing- really- sad in this day and age that it even needs to be discussed.

My question- Am I wrong to say something( not outing the person) to the menahel, the Rosh yeshiva, the english prinicpal. Thoughts???

You should be dan l’kaf zechus that he did wash outside the bathroom (many don’t wash in the bathroom itself) and teach your child to do the same.

amother

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 9:46 pm

amother [ Wine ] wrote:

You are only to blame with his ocd of hand washing
You tell him that Of COURSE rebbi washed his hands! He just went to a teachers sink outside of the bathroom!

WOW! You have no clue about OCD to mkake such a comment and DS is not stupid he would know I would be lying and never trust me.There is no other place in the school aside from the kitchen that has soap.
This is not the first I have heard about rabbeim not washing there hands with soap, just going out to wash netilat yadayim at the water fountain. Its been told to me by my older kids, but this son gets the creeps from it and the other sons could handle it.

amother

Lilac

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 9:48 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I wish there was a school nurse that I could speak to,but there is not...

If this did happen as described with no outside washing options no point in perseverating on it. The unfortunate reality is that plenty of people in public places don't. And guess what? Any public place has germs spread from public bathrooms where customers didn't wash their hands. Including shopping cart handles gas station pumps and atm machines. Your teenage son is not a kid so what do you hope to gain from turning this into a major drama?

amother

Sapphire

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 9:52 pm

It seems like you already know what you want to do. You want to embarrass this rebbe for something that may or may not be true. You protest too much. And BTW why do you get to decide that washing hands in a kitchen sink is not basic hygien.

If you want to you can validate your son and tell your son. Hhhmmm rebbe didn't wash his hands. Weird. Maybe he has a secret sink somewhere LOL and then drop the subject and move on to IMPORTANT things. If I were a school administrator and a parent called me about this ... I'd be more concerned about that family than I would the Rebbe.

amother

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 9:53 pm

amother [ Lilac ] wrote:

Thank you- this is an excellently stated point without an attack.
DS is 13 so he still a kid in my eyes... I don't even think its a germ issue for him, more of a gross issue.

amother

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 9:56 pm

amother [ Sapphire ] wrote:

Thank you for the second paragraph- the first paragraph I don't really agree with- I never said anything about mentioning the Rebbi's name- just a global meeting on basic health and hygiene and it could be discussed as a way to help the students stay healthy during the winter months.

nchr

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 9:59 pm

Very many people do not wash their hands with soap and water. It is possible he just used a hand washing cup at an outside sink. I personally use soap, but I know very many people who do not, including one doctor (MD)

notshanarishona

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 10:56 pm

I am sure many boys also don't wash their hands after making , not saying it's good but myob . You are not going to change the world and your son needs to only focus on himself and get treatment to not be so freaked out about germs . Every public place is germy.

amother

Yellow

Wed, Nov 13 2019, 11:04 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

No - you should not email a Menahele and tell him to do something (and what that thing is that he needs to do). At best you can email him and tell him what your son saw, and your concerns.

amother

Hotpink

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 12:48 am

I think it's disgusting not to watch your hands with soap after using the bathroom.

What disgusts me more, though, is that the rebbe is actually peeing in front of his pupils. Sorry for the blunt language but that's exactly what it is. It's inappropriate in so many ways.

I went to public school, I work in many different schools, and I have never seen a male teacher enter the boys' bathrooms. There are teachers' bathrooms for a reason. If there was an emergency (teachers' bathrooms out of order) I would expect the teacher to use a closed bathroom stall.
Just gross. Who wants to see their rebbe relieving himself?

Anyway, I would not contact the school about the hand washing. Although I think it's disgusting, it is very common and your email is going to make you sound like a pedantic pain.
I might be tempted to contact them to tell them the rebbes should not urinate in front of their pupils. But I probably wouldn't do that either, because it's so hard to change a school culture. I'm just glad I don't send to those kinds of places.

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 12:59 am

amother [ Sienna ] wrote:

I am a VERY clean person but I don’t use soap after the bathroom.
I wash thoroughly with warm water.
Op I really believe he went to wash somewhere else

Just curious why don't you use soap?

DrMom

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 1:35 am

Such a strange thread.

- A bunch of posters make assumptions about the school that they don't really know (Why didn't he use the teachers' bathroom? Um, maybe they don't have one... Maybe he used the sink just outside the bathroom? Um, why do you assume there is one? ).

- People assume it is IMPOSSIBLE that a rebbe doesn't say a bracha.

Anyhow, OP, do not call the principal to tattle on the rebbe (even if you leave his name out).

Perhaps you can approach the school to encourage good hygiene by educating students (ahem, and staff) about the importance of washing with soap and water. Perhaps you can find a frum doctor or nurse or public health specialist to address the school and provide educational material or to even give a very short presentation.

Winter = flu season, and washing with soap an water is the easiest, most cost-effective way to prevent the spread of this illness, so maybe that could be a good excuse for making the topic relevant and timely (rather than the fact that one of their employees doesn't wash his hands after using the toilet).
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and.....germs

In any case, it is good that your own son practices good hygiene. You taught him well.

Last edited by DrMom on Thu, Nov 14 2019, 2:47 am; edited 1 time in total

mommyX2

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 3:05 am

I would assume he washed his hands with the washing cup outside the bathroom and skipped the soap as many people do. gross if you think about it but likely what he did. maybe start a poll to see how many people use soap after only urinating and I think you will be surprised. still gross if he washed into the water fountain, which if I rem correctly, is where you said the washing cup is.