Kids 'pay to potty' in Washington

[Hum]

A Washington state mom vowed to take legal action after she said her child was forced to "pay" to use the bathroom in her third-grade class.

Merchon Ortega told Fox News' Andrea Tantaros that her daughter had an accident after a teacher denied her a bathroom break.

"She chose not to pay to use the restroom and she had to go so bad," Ortega said. "She said it hurt so bad that she just couldn't hold it anymore. She urinated on herself." :|

The teacher reportedly implemented a class reward system at Mill Plain Elementary in Vancouver that gave students fake money to spend at a class auction at the end of the year. Bathroom breaks were added to the system as a way to cut back on disruptions during class.

The Evergreen Public Schools District said in a statement that children were "never denied bathroom breaks if they needed one, regardless if they had sufficient 'dollars' in their account -- this was a decision made to use an already implemented money management learning system rather than introduce another method of dispensing discretionary passes."

Two parents filed complaints after their children wet their pants earlier this month. The district announced last Friday that after an investigation into the complaints, the teacher would not be disciplined.

An investigation by the school alleges Ortega's daughter returned to the classroom after using the bathroom and laughed upon announcing she had urinated on herself. Ortega says the school has requested her daughter write an apology. Ortega denies that her daughter made up the story and says her daughter is mortified by the experience.

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[FMH]

It is times like these when I realize how much I love my school.

[Ian S.]

At high school, my Bio teacher only gave us one bathroom "emergency" a semester. Ugh I hated that, I always had to try to go the period before or after, as Bio was in the morning. He was a cool teacher and all, but I really hated that policy. When you gotta go, you gotta go, I understand that some students make it a habit or play on their phones while pretending to "use the restroom", while teachers get annoyed by stopping the class to let him or her use the restroom, but a kid, student, or even an adult should NEVER be denied bathroom use.

[FloatingFatMan]

The few times my teacher refused me a toilet break, I just walked out of the class and went anyway.

 

I'd rather get yelled at than pee myself.

[bonalste]

Going to the toilet at work can be a problem. I've been stuck, desperate for the loo but unable to go for another hour because of bad weather. Urgh. Anyway, if the entire class and the teacher says she did get given a toilet break, and she says she didn't, who would you believe?

[Hum]

This happened to me in 3rd grade.

I think the resulting smell taught them a lesson. ;)

[link6155]

You can't put a limit on emergency, especially when it comes to kids. Seriously, does it kill anyone to let a child use the restroom? I understand that it becomes a problem when everyone starts wanting to go, but in cases like these, there should be an exception.

[rfirth]

Stingy kid would rather wet herself than use her virtual dollars?

 

That's a conscious choice she made herself.

 

Important lesson: don't underestimate your need to go.