quote:Originally posted by Mucus: I wasn't really suggesting a plan of action, more wondering what the consequences would be like. Is this at least a suburban area? I suspect the principal might get an earful if students start taking a dump and/or piss on random people's lawns near the school as a substitute for example.
Though gross, probably the best solution. If enough students start having "accidents" as a protest, the stupid admin will have to change their minds.
I have to wonder if it's already happening without prompting. In the OP it says students have wet themselves. Depending on geography, its possible that a student might just hold it long enough to get to lunch (for example) and then dash out of sight to relieve themselves.
I suspect all the accidents the OP mentioned are real. I assume a school that locks bathrooms doesn't let students have lunch anywhere but the cafeteria.
Posts: 1757 | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Honestly, after reading the OP and the rest of this thread, I can't really get my head around any way in which this is not ludicrous. I'm glad Kat volunteered to help out, this just seems to out there...
posted
As to the former, perhaps there is a miscommunication. I'm not sure what you mean by "real" and how that relates to what I said.
As to the latter, perhaps, although that would suck (although, by lunch I was referring to the whole lunch-hour experience of eating and having recreation outside rather than just the eating part).
Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Try 30 minute lunch, no outside time. My county did away with middle school recess more then a decade ago.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
When I was in Jr. High (they didn't build the middle school until I graduated high school), we had ample time to use the facilities between classes. In high school - a sprawling building, we had 4 minutes between classes to go to our lockers, use the restroom, and be in our next class. First period I had band - first floor of the building. I had to run from there to the opposite side of the building to the 3rd floor for my 2nd period English class. In fact, most of my classes went from one side of the building to the far opposite,with almost no time to do anything in between.
I actually Never used my locker after the 1st day of Freshman year because I simply didn't have time, meaning I carried all of my books with me at all times - backache anyone?
Teachers were allowed to give a hall pass to anyone who needed to go to the bathroom, the nurse, or the guidance counselor. There were always a couple of teachers roaming the halls during class time (perhaps monitoring the hall, but I don't know if it was assigned) and if you didn't have a signed hall pass from a teacher or administrator, you got detention.
(Note, in Jr. High we had hall monitors - honor students who stood in their assigned corner of the hallway (a square building with a central cafeteria and gymnasium)for the 5 minutes before 1 period ended and 5 minutes after the next period began - checking the bathrooms, of their genders, on the floor before heading to their classes, discouraging fellow students from being late for class, or hiding in the bathrooms. Perhaps this sort system could help prevent vandalism/ "extracurricular activities" in your school. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
Depending on which County you're teaching in, I may be able to place this one directly into the Superintendents ear...
Posts: 1480 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by katharina: I live in the Washington area - I'll do it. What school is it?
Heh, BLANK BLANK Middle in BLANK.
FYI, if kat really does complain and something results from it, you might seriously want to consider editing your post from above. If the Administration even does a cursory internet search they could find the post and try to discover your identity.
I've seen crazier things happen with less information on more obscure websites than this.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by katharina: I live in the Washington area - I'll do it. What school is it?
Heh, BLANK BLANK Middle in BLANK.
FYI, if kat really does complain and something results from it, you might seriously want to consider editing your post from above. If the Administration even does a cursory internet search they could find the post and try to discover your identity.
I've seen crazier things happen with less information on more obscure websites than this.
This was my thought as well.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
My first thought was, screw it, I'm tenured.
But decided to edit anyways, thanks for the advice. Especially because my first name really is Stephan.
A little bird that hangs around the main office says I am on the principal's radar because I call down for bathroom escorts more then most teachers. I call down at most 3 times, usually 2 in a day. My afternoon students haven't had a chance to use the bathroom since lunch 3 hours prior. One of my morning classes doesn't get lunch until almost 4 horus in to the school day. Those would be the students you would expect to need to go during class.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
Blayne Bradley
unregistered
posted
Y'Know the producers of Boston Public should pay you for this material.
IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: Y'Know the producers of Boston Public should pay you for this material.
Oh I got more.
Yesterday morning the art teacher gently removes the hat off of a student's head, and two small bags of pot fall out. Admin interrogates the kid who spills the beans on the entire drug ring at our school. THEY WON'T CALL THE POLICE.
Now I know some will say, maybe its a good thing, the kids was just carrying under pressure from those in charge, why should his life get ruined?
Well as it stand, the kid in charge of it all never has anything on him at school, not even any cash. So the school has no evidence against anyone but the carrier at the bottom who will probably be up for expulsion. If the police were involved they may have a better chance at going after the ring leader.
Yesterday the principal had both staff refridgerators wrapped up in paper with orders on it not to open it. He decided to put fundraiser food in there without telling the staff why. My own little act of rebellion involved ripping off the paper to stick my lunch in it. I was fuming.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
If the schoolboard is any better, I suggest contacting whatever the closest equivalent to an ombudsman is. And putting in an anonymous tip to the police.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Go for it. Only don't send an email, send a letter, in a priority envelope. I guarantee he'll read it, then, and be unlikely to dismiss it.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: Y'Know the producers of Boston Public should pay you for this material.
Oh I got more.
Yesterday morning the art teacher gently removes the hat off of a student's head, and two small bags of pot fall out. Admin interrogates the kid who spills the beans on the entire drug ring at our school. THEY WON'T CALL THE POLICE.
Now I know some will say, maybe its a good thing, the kids was just carrying under pressure from those in charge, why should his life get ruined?
Well as it stand, the kid in charge of it all never has anything on him at school, not even any cash. So the school has no evidence against anyone but the carrier at the bottom who will probably be up for expulsion. If the police were involved they may have a better chance at going after the ring leader.
Yesterday the principal had both staff refridgerators wrapped up in paper with orders on it not to open it. He decided to put fundraiser food in there without telling the staff why. My own little act of rebellion involved ripping off the paper to stick my lunch in it. I was fuming.
The fact that the teacher probably removed the hat against the student's wishes probably contributed to the decision not to call the police. Any unauthorized touching of a student is a lawsuit ready to happen.
It also sounds like your principle is a little bit of a moron. How long has he been in school administration?
Posts: 1937 | Registered: Nov 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
This is his third year in our county, but has been a principal in other states for a few more years.
Not quite true about unauthorized touching. The training we go through is very clear on things. I can playfully take a hat off a child without worry.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ah alright then. I know in my school district you cannot touch a student at all by any means. If you need something done you have to call the school police.
It is strange how things have changed just in the past 20 years. When I was elementary school my principle still had a paddle hanging up on his wall.
Posts: 1937 | Registered: Nov 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
There are many areas around the country where paddling is still permitted. Some require explicit parental consent (the case with one of my kids' schools), some do not.
Posts: 3275 | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Stephan: Try 30 minute lunch, no outside time. My county did away with middle school recess more then a decade ago.
It has gotten worse and worse hasn't it? I remember my elementary days- it was a 10 minute recess, a 20 minute, then 40 minutes after lunch. My students today get 20 minutes in the morning, none of it outside, and no lunch hour at all.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I thought back to elementary school recess and almost teared up . I had a 4th grade teacher that everyone looked at as a big brother. During recess while all of the other teachers would smoke by the wall and talk, he would throw footballs to us, play frisbee, or participate in other activities.
Everyone in class wanted him to be proud of them. If you got less than a B on a test he would come over and spend time with you helping you understand the material. He made it a point to try to go to every one of his student's birthday parties during the year as well. Even after that school year I received a birthday card from him until I was a Sophmore in high school. I learned how to balance a check book from him
I really hope that one day my kids have teachers like that.
Posts: 1937 | Registered: Nov 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Public schools sound like they're more jail than school these days. That's going to have really bad implications for our democracy in the long run. That worries me.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
You pair the children up responsible and irresponsible. If the irresponsible one starts causing trouble, the responsible one comes back and say, "Miss... Blah is <insert childish behaviour here>."
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I despised being paired up that way in grade school. I was the responsible one, which meant that I was the one who would be asked to tattle on my classmate, or be the one to actually do the work in a group project. It felt like I was being punished for not being a problem.
Posts: 1087 | Registered: Jul 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm with Jake. Pairing up students that way puts WAY too much pressure on the "good" kids, who are probably already struggling with being labeled teacher's pet and other carp. Children should not be responsible for policing or tattling on other children. OR The responsible one gets blamed for problems the immature one causes. (this actually happened to my daughter when she was in 3rd grade... I had to insist she be moved away from the boy she was supposed to be "helping" and told the teacher(s) that none of my children would ever be put in that situation again.)
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Like most of the previous posters, I question the legality of such a policy. However, the solution that I came up with is leaving one bathroom of each gender unlocked(preferably the one nearest the school's front office). The increased traffic to these bathrooms would be a deterrent for anyone attempting to vandalize property or to have sex. Regularly, the 3 administrators and 2 security could check in on the bathrooms.
Initially, I see some problems with the plan. 1) No female administrators and security to check in on the Women's restroom. This might be solved by asking some of the female teacher's to run by the restroom during their planning period. 2) There would be a backup to use the restroom in between periods making kids late for classes. (Though I see this as better than denying kids access to the bathroom.) 3) An increased walk to the bathroom from a class would give a kid more time to do mischief in other areas of the school. Have teachers for a portion of their planning period roam halls?
Probably more problem's exist, but I see this as a temporary solution until this policy is overturned by parent/public outcry.
Posts: 1 | Registered: Nov 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
The best plan of all is for the kids to pee on the floor outside the locked restrooms until they're opened. That would get the policy changed really quickly, I bet.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Urethra going to have to hold it, or find a bush. You're bladder off just going before you come to school.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I actually learned how to politely insist on bathroom access when my nieces were young. If the question is asked in such a way as to imply not so much whether as where, then the people granting access tend to be much more forthcoming, for some reason. "May we please use your bathroom" just doesn't convey the same urgency that "Where would you like us to use the bathroom" does.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Take teachers for example - we cannot legally leave our classrooms unattended, even during class changes we have assignments. I can go to the restroom at 7:30 before school begins, during my planning period, and after school at 3:00. That's it - every other time I have some assigned duty that keeps me in my classroom or out in the hall.
Wow, that seems like rather inhumane working conditions. The human body doesn't always adhere to schedules. What are you supposed to do when you have an unexpected urgent need to go and its hours until your next break?
That doesn't sound too bad to me, I work the graveyard shift alone in a gas station and when I'm busy going to the bathroom is never an option. Between uncontrollable customer traffic, taking in deliveries that must be individually counted in and all the while cleaning and stocking its not rare that I never have the opportunity to simply lock the door for a couple of minutes. I've known security guards who have done jobs on construction sites at night where they "guard" little more than a sensitive hole in the ground, but while they do it they are entirely alone and if they require a real bathroom a supervisor has to drive all the way out to where ever the site is and watch the hole in the ground for them.
Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
