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In a message dated 5/21/2003 12:03:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
bunsofaluminum60@... writes:

> peed in the seat I had to
> go so bad. 
> >Then she called my Mom and had to wait during recess for the change
> of
> >clothes.  Very embarrassing.  What is it about teachers and the
> bathroom. 
> >Wouldn't a person know if they had to go or not.
>

In middle school my daughter asked to go the bathroom and the teacher said
no, should have went during lunch.  Great idea except they are not allowed to
leave the lunch room and there isn't one in there.

She had started her period at an odd time but "felt" it becoming a mess.  She
asked repeatedly and even said, I'm having a personal problem that I need to
take care of immediately.  Still not happening, this was a male teacher.  That
afternoon (thankfully this was last class of the day) she came home in tears
and immediately her dad went to the school and talked to the principal and
explained that when little girls (or boys for that matter) BEG to go to the
bathroom, even revealing personal information out loud at that age, it's highly
embarrassing, even more so when they teacher for no good reason simply refuses to
allow it, seemingly enjoying the power of the "begging" and "refusing". 

Of course the principal acted appalled and said it would never happen again
and would talk to the teacher about being more sensitive and he probably didn't
even realize about "girly" things like that.  My husband said if it happened
again he WOULD embarrass the teacher equally in front of his peers (how I
don't know, but he was plenty upset).  The principal even said that he doubts
there is ANY time in the day to use the bathroom unless you get excused from class
and would reiterate that with the staff.

Next day, teacher calls my daughter aside, apologizes said next time she
needs to go, just ask and he will be understanding.  So, days or weeks or whatever
goes by and she needs to go, he immediately signs her pass and off she goes,
within minutes, she said there were three other girls from the class in there
as well.  Laughing, goofing off, fixing hair and such.  So she understood WHY
they are so reluctant to let someone go, sometimes they just want to hang out
in the bathroom (who wouldn't with some teachers?) and it makes it hard for
the ones who REALLY have to go.

That is really how a lot of things end up being so controlled I guess. 
Because a few misuse and abuse things, they feel they have to be guarded or
controlled to prevent this, making the innocent suffer instead of punishing those who
choose to abuse whatever privilege or perceived privilege.

It certainly isn't right but it happens all the time, in lots of ways. 

It's very sad to think of all these things happening to little kids who are
forming opinions about everything by what they experience.

glena


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