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Livid with teacher.

Cheska tyler said:
daughter age 9 keeps coming out of school dying for a wee as the teacher won’t let her go to the loo during class don’t know what to do .
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Get a doctor's letter or medical certificate. Also, if you have no joy with the teacher, you need to go higher in the management hierarchy. Contact your Head of Year or Deputy Principal or Principal. Good luck.
 
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I probably should have mentioned I am a teacher myself and very rarely do I let children go to the toilet but if they have a medical reason then yes
 
I find it astonishing that a teacher wouldn’t let a child go to the toilet. I know from having worked in a school that there is the odd serial offender who uses it as an excuse to skip class, but if the teacher knows of a condition, then they should be able to nip out discreetly. Even if a child doesn’t have a condition, then they should be excused as sometimes they are more terrified of being late for a lesson by going before than asking to leave if they need to.
I’d skip difficult teacher and go straight to the head. I’d also tell your daughter to just walk out and apologise and explain later.... unless of course it’s one of those schools that lock the toilets during classes. Holding it in is really really bad for anyone. I’d also tell your daughter to go at every break before the next class to ensure she always has an empty bladder at the start of the class. Good luck.
 
(I agree about checking why, but this is about the school and their legal obligations.)
The teacher is actually breaking the law as the right to disability adjustments are enshrined in EU, and therefore UK, law.
If she will not back down over this, and the headteacher isn't supportive then you could either:
offer to provide some disability training (I do some for charities); or
write to the school governors and they are the people, along with the individual teacher herself, who you can sue if they don't fix it.
I am happy to help with either the gentle nudges or a full, this is what you must do, letter.
 
Cheska tyler said:
She is okay with using the loos. I honestly think the stress of knowing the teacher won’t let her go is making it worse. Surely it’s a human right to have a wee when needed?
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Children have even more rights!
 
ickihun said:
Children have even more rights!
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I wouldn't push it that far.. They are vulnerable members of society who deserve protection & ethical treatment.

However, their age restricts & excludes them from voting, certain paid employment regarding the amount of hours an adult would engage contractually, driving, and of course obtaining & consuming any "age restricted products" such as alcohol..
 
A child of nine should really be able to last an hour between toilet breaks, and that’s the length of lessons in most schools, I believe? Even a child with diabetes, assuming her sugars are maintained at healthy levels - perhaps she has an underlying issue like a UTI that needs further investigation? High blood sugars can cause polyuria, especially if she’s drinking extra because high levels are making her thirsty. However, if she genuinely and regularly needs to go more often, she’s covered under the Equalities Act 2010 and should be provided with a toilet pass as a “reasonable adjustment”. You need to talk to the school and add this to her care plan, assuming she already has instructions in place for the school to help her manage her diabetes.
 
I personally believe this should be governed by need not a teachers personal prejudice as to what a child should be capable of in their estimation if a child needs to go to the toilet then they should be allowed to go.children are individuals with individual needs and requirements.
 
Cheska tyler said:
I probably should have mentioned I am a teacher myself and very rarely do I let children go to the toilet but if they have a medical reason then yes
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Sorry? You’re saying you have a big problem with a teacher doing what you do? I get that your daughter has an identified medical issue but maybe some of these kids you refuse have an unidentified issue, medical, social, etc. The teacher needs to identify the reason if it’s a regular occurrence. Otherwise let the kid use the loo for gods sake. How would you like to be refused!

I also get that some kids use the toilet excuse to disrupt or escape a lesson and that some fail to use the toilet in breaks when they should. Age is a factor in this as is precedent set by teachers

I’m sorry this sounds harsh. You daughter has a real issue that needs sorting and I sympathise with that but your additional comment just makes me shake my head in disbelief
 
Stopping a child from using the toilet during class time is tantamount to child abuse. We told our two boys if this happened to them when they were at school, either to walk out and go to the toilet or do it in the classroom in the corner.
 

That's not only sensible, it's dead on target
 
I’d think addressing it, as a rightly and properly concerned parent, in the manner you would respond most responsively to as a teacher would be a great first approach to the school
 
The priority should be to take your daughter to see her GP. Adequately controlled diabetes shouldn't cause urinary frequency. The GP should be able to check her diabetic control and whether she has a UTI that is causing symptoms.
 
Tipetoo said:
Stopping a child from using the toilet during class time is tantamount to child abuse. We told our two boys if this happened to them when they were at school, either to walk out and go to the toilet or do it in the classroom in the corner.
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Having experienced this as a child it is humiliating and something you never forget peeing yourself in a class room because of a teachers strict adherence to a petty rule was something that I shall never forget and after that instance I never again let myself be dictated to in that manner if I needed to go I went if the teacher told me no I just left the room any way.
 
Cheska tyler said:
I probably should have mentioned I am a teacher myself and very rarely do I let children go to the toilet but if they have a medical reason then yes
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If you think your daughter has a medical reason (rather than a normal right to go to the toilet as needed) you might want to investigate why she is needing to go so frequently. If diabetes is the reason then it's probably time to see the GP and either get her checked for a URI or sort out her blood sugar levels, as most people's levels have to be pretty high before they need to go that frequently...

Good luck
 
Dr Snoddy said:
Hi Cheska, I have just looked at your profile page. Does your daughter have diabetes or some other medical condition? If not, then much of my previous post is irrelevant.
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Hi, I replied because of Op's reply to this post :

Does the teacher know your daughter is diabetic. My teacher used to let everyone go to the toilet because its embarrassing to hold it in and have a accident

Yes she is aware. On Friday she asked coming in from lunch and had to wait till home time , she actually had tummy ache from waiting
 
Sorry, have deleted my last post
 
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