‘If there’s a puddle on the floor, you should have gone at recess or lunch’

"This is inhumane. Even prisoners get 24/7 access to toilets," someone said about a teacher who denies toilet breaks to their primary schoolers.

A concerned parent recently took to social media to share their distress over a questionable bathroom policy in their daughter's primary school. 

The Facebook post, which has sparked heated discussion, raised concerns about the appropriateness of teachers denying students toilet breaks. 

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. 

Image: IStock

RELATED: I got scolded by a teacher over birthday invites

'Is it normal for teachers to not let young students go to the toilet during class?'

The mum took to a popular parenting group and wrote: "Is it normal for teachers to not let young students go to the toilet during class?

"My daughter's class was told basically, 'If there’s a puddle on the floor you should’ve gone during recess or lunch'.

"I don't know if it’s just me but I don’t think that’s appropriate to be saying to children that are five-seven years old."

Image: Facebook

RELATED: ‘We’re not teaching our three kids to read or write’

'This is not okay, kids don't go to the toilet on your schedule'

The post struck a chord with many parents who also had concerns about the teacher's strict stance. 

"This is not appropriate. A child could have a medical condition and should not be denied going to the toilet," one remarked. Another added: "Kids this age have small bladders and can't just hold on based on your schedule."

Someone else chimed in, saying, "The 'go during recess and lunch' argument is f**king stupid, also that’s not the case in most workplaces which says something. Like the kid needs to go now? They can’t just pee on-demand or plan their bathroom times around the school timetable, that's not how the body works. Like I don’t get why teachers got so hung up about this, just let the damn kid use the bathroom when they need to and save everyone the extreme humiliation of having an accident."

Another member expressed their frustrations too, writing: "God knows how many kids' lives this teacher has made so much harder because of this stupid 'rule'. It's absolutely ridiculous."

And one person shared this anecdote, "When I was in kindy I was busting to go but the teacher told me just to wait as it was about five minutes before school was over. I ended up peeing all over my chair, kids were laughing at me and I remember having to go to the office to get a clean pair of undies and just bawling when my mum picked me up. I can’t believe how anyone can possibly justify making kids wait."

Then this user said the policy was "absolutely cruel." They added: "It’s physically and emotionally torturous for a child to feel like they don’t have autonomy over their bodies."

And another echoed this point of view, replying: "If you are a teacher and you’re actively discouraging your students or withholding toilet breaks, you are actually violating their human rights and in breach of just about every inclusion policy out there."

"Why are children treated like anything but human beings - would you tell an adult to wait and threaten them urinating on the ground?!" pointed out a different woman.

And someone else concluded: "Every teacher who thinks it’s better to humiliate, inflict trauma, shame and cause physical pain to young children for needing to do a very natural bodily function every human requires than to interrupt their concentration and cause minor disruption to classes, need to see a professional and get assessed on whether they’re fit to continue working with children.

"It is pure human decency and compassion - how is this even a bloody conversation?! Heck, even prisoners have 24/7 access to their toilet in their cells."

'I've always had an issue with this attitude'

Then teachers weighed in and strongly condemned the teacher in question's view. 

One said: "I’m a teacher and have always had an issue with this attitude. Yeah, some kids just want a break from class, but the majority genuinely need to use the bathroom. Who am I to stop them?"

Another said: "I’m on a year six class and still let them go whenever they want. I still remind them to go before class, but sometimes our bodies have different ideas. We aren’t robots."

'It seems unfair but you have to understand it from a teacher's perspective'

But not all teachers shared the same opinion, with others explaining that there are many things to consider when deciding whether to let a kid go to the bathroom. 

One teacher wrote: "I obviously understand that it seems unfair to hear that young children are not allowed to go to the bathroom when they ask, but you have to understand it from the teacher's perspective as well. We have to send in pairs, so it's two at a time missing out on key instruction; once one asks, three+ more inevitably will realise they need to go as well; there are distractions along the way (our toilets literally have a play fort right in front of them); and it's just fun to be out of class, right?!

"All this is to say, unless your child's class is actually regularly ending up with puddles on the floor - they are probably still being treated respectfully and will due dignity.

Then a second added: "As a teacher, there are a lot of factors. I teach year one/twos. I will say no if it is less than 10 minutes after returning from recess or lunch, if more than two students of the same gender want to go, or a student they will be silly with is already there, giving instruction or new information, and also use my teacher judgement about whether or not the kid really needs to go."

Originally published as ‘If there’s a puddle on the floor, you should have gone at recess or lunch’