The sixth grade teacher’s new bathroom policy affects students’ grades

A parent shared a public school science teacher’s new bathroom policy, which could have a huge impact on her students’ grades if not followed carefully.

The policy is controversial to say the least: it limits the number of times students can go to the bathroom each month and offers incentives for those who don’t go to the bathroom at all during class. Even worse, the teacher will lower a student’s grade if he goes to the bathroom more than the allowed amount.

The 6th grade teacher informed parents about her new “bathroom rule” that affects students’ grades.

The mother shared a screenshot of the line in question. “Parents, students have received five toilet passes with their names on them,” the message read. “They get five passes every four weeks.”

it’s what99 | Reddit

“Once they use them all, they will lose 5% of their overall grade,” the post continued. “Students must use the restroom before school, during, during or at the end of lunch. We want children to be in class and not wandering the halls.”

The message also explained that those who do not use their passes would receive additional credit and additional prizes.

RELATED: Mom says her daughter’s teacher ‘orders’ her to use the bathroom or go to the nurse’s office during class

Many online disagreed with the teacher’s new bathroom policy.

While some teachers under the post supported the rule and expressed concern about students’ misuse of bathroom time, most commenters emphasized that using the bathroom is not a privilege, but a right. The number of times a student uses the restroom should not affect their grade, and this promotes a toxic classroom culture.

Policies like this teacher’s also wrongly link academic success to children’s urges to use the bathroom, dehumanizing them for something they have no control over.

“A child’s bathroom habits have nothing to do with their grades,” one commenter wrote. “This is ridiculous.”

“This is the problem with schools,” another parent argued. “They want everyone to fit into the same box. Our bodies do not function the same. Maybe Willy can hold his bladder for hours, but Mary can hold it within 30 minutes of class.”

BeerPhotos | Shutterstock

Especially for teens with irregular menstrual cycles or medical conditions, these types of policies can be harmful.

RELATED: A school installed locked ‘metal cages’ to prevent students from going to the toilet during class

While some students may abuse bathroom time, others have real needs and are punished and shamed.

What if a student is not feeling well or their menstrual product needs to change but have already used up their monthly toilet passes? Should they be forced to wait an entire class period?

Many commenters also pointed out that students often do not have time to go to the bathroom between classes or during lunchas the original teacher suggested.

“My entire high school career had periods of less than five minutes and teachers liked to shout ‘The bell does it’ not dismiss you, I Send away!'” one user wrote, adding that students are also likely to be lugging books and folders around during this time, making using the bathroom even more difficult.

But the problem with this policy goes deeper than just the timing. “We have many untrained teachers who cannot comprehend the damage of retaining bodily fluids,” the mother wrote in a response.

Rebecca Nebel of the Society for Women’s Health Research said“Restricting access to the bathroom forces students to engage in unhealthy toilet habits, such as holding urine can cause health problems that will follow students into adulthood and reduce their quality of life.”

This does not mean that students should be able to walk freely through the hallways.

There is a difference between limiting student bathroom use and keeping track of the comings and goings of your classroom. Many teachers use bathroom passes and sign-out forms without restricting their students’ bodily functions.

A high school algebra teacher and student advocate who drops by @msmarty209 on TikTok agrees.

“Restricting bathroom access is cruel and controlling. It’s not necessary, so stop it,” she insisted. “Children should not have to reveal all of their personal health information to you, as well as the justification for why they need to go to the bathroom.”

“Something that works really well for me is having an opt-out policy,” the teacher continued, explaining that this allows her to see and document who is not in the classroom and contact parents if they notice any concerning trends notes. “It doesn’t have to be so controlling and restrictive.”

RELATED: School sends parents a ‘Student Fee Act’ that charges $10 for desk use and $1 for bathroom breaks

Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango, focusing on health and wellness, social policy and human interest stories