The education of our children is a subject that as parents always interests us and something that we should be aware of, supporting them, listening to them and ensuring that they develop in a healthy environment. However, from time to time we find news of teachers whose actions show a clear abuse of their position before the students.
Such is the case of the absurd viral note that a teacher has given to her students, in which she limits only two per month permissions to leave class.
The note
It has been in a school in Tennessee where the situation we discussed has occurred, in which a mother discovered a note that was given to her daughter at the beginning of the school year. That note It included the "rules" for permission to leave class and must be signed by each student, but its content is really absurd.
Through a post on Twitter, a photograph of the note was shared by a friend of the mother who found it, accompanied by the text: "Your son comes home and shows you this note that his teacher made him sign at school. What is your reaction?"
Your child comes home and shows you this note her teacher had her sign at school.
- I changed my avi dont freak out (@iJaadee) August 30, 2018
What's your reaction? pic.twitter.com/x6hG3HepZJ
In the note, entitled "Permission to go to the Address / Bath / Drink water / nursing of the 8th. Professor White's degree"and dated August 20 of this year, it is established that Students will only have two permits per month to leave class, either to go to the bathroom, to the infirmary, to the address or to go out to drink water.
The note, written for students to sign at the end of the sheet, includes rules such as: "I understand that once I have used my two permits OF THE MONTH, I will not be able to go to the bathroom, go to the address, to the infirmary, or drink water" and that Exceptions may only be made when the student has a doctor's note., indicating if there is any particular health condition.
According to the note, of not respecting what the note indicates, the boys will receive a punishment and in addition to that, they will have a "zero" in their notes, depending on the subject from which they leave class without permission.
After explaining the "rules" of permissions to leave class, is added in the last part of the note: "I understand that Professor White is mean and although we both have options, I can be denied going to the bathroom / drinking water / nursing during class".
In addition, it makes it very clear that there is no flexibility on the part of the teacher, because she mentions that if there are comments or doubts, they may feel free to talk to her before or after class, but that "nothing will change". And ends with "If you lose your permission, I'M SORRY, TRY AGAIN THE NEXT MONTH".
The reactions in social networks
Of course, the note has gone viral and has received thousands of comments, mostly negative and criticizing the abuse that the teacher clearly exercises on her students, and sharing bad experiences that some people had when they were children and teenagers, and they were denied permission to go to the bathroom or to the infirmary when they felt bad, by rules similar to those imposed by the teacher on the note.
I thought this kind of torment had gone away decades ago. When I taught 8th grade, the kids could go as often as they needed. Nobody abused it. (Maybe her students hate her class?)
- Chad and Kisstopher (@TheMusicks) August 30, 2018
I still remember projectile vomiting in 9th grade after being told I couldn't go to the nurse.
I thought these types of torments had disappeared decades ago. When I was teaching in eighth grade, the kids could go as many times as they needed. No one abused it (Maybe their students hate their class?)
I still remember having projectile vomit when I was in ninth grade after being told I couldn't go with the nurse.
This is WRONG. I remember the embarrassment I suffered in 6th grade because a teacher wouldn't let me leave the class to use the restroom - I suffered heavy periods (learned later endometriosis). I bled through clothing for all the class to see. I hope she gets fired.
- Debbie (@ BronteFan2) September 1, 2018
This is bad. I remember the shame I suffered in sixth grade because a teacher wouldn't let me out of class to go to the bathroom. I suffered from very heavy menstruation (later I learned that I suffer from endometriosis). The blood pierced my clothes and the whole class saw it. I hope they fire her.
Also, some active and retired teachers, they shared the way they handled these kinds of situations, in a very different and less aggressive way to that of the note:
Taught school for 30 years. This is ridiculous. My rules, please don't throw up in class- Run! Try not to disrupt class, only ask if you really need to leave. If a kid asked constantly, I'd ask privately what was going on. Amazing how kids will respect you when you respect them
- LaBlue (@ LaBlue3D) August 31, 2018
I taught for 30 years. This is ridiculous. My rules: please do not vomit in class, run! Try not to interrupt the class, just ask permission if you really need to leave. If a boy did it constantly, he asked privately what was happening. It's amazing how guys respect you when you respect them.
While eighth grade boys in the United States are around 13 and 14 years old and unlike young children they are able to endure or control their desire to go to the bathroom, this This does not mean that they should be limited to departures only twice a month..
What happens if they get sick? Or if they get intoxicated with something they ate and get diarrhea or vomiting? Or if a student takes her period by surprise and arrives in the middle of class or needs to go to the bathroom frequently? In addition, it is known that enduring the urge to go to the bathroom can cause a urinary tract infection. Although it is not something everyday, there is hundred stories of students who have peed on or vomited in class because teachers did not give them permission to leave.
We understand clearly that the permits exist so that the students do not leave every five minutes or that they ask to leave only to roam the school and to leave class just because they get bored. But the extremes are not good either and in this case they are abusive and could even be considered mistreatment towards students.
According to Buzzfeed News information, the situation is currently under investigation well "there is no school policy that limits permission to leave class to go to the bathroom or to the infirmary"and the school stated that said note"was inconsistent with current school policies, as well as with its mission and values".
We hope that a solution to this situation is really given and that these types of measures do not fall into these absurd extremes, as well as emergencies may arise or there may be health consequences by denying exits to the bathroom when students need to go, as they say in one of the answers: treating the boys with respect will make them respect you too. Recall also that the treatment of teachers towards their students greatly impacts their school performance and their motivation to continue studying.
