Or is this PE teacher unreasonable about periods

[BigSandyBalls2015]

DD(15) is doing GCSE PE. Part of this involves 'personal survival' which takes place in local swimming pool.

The school obv need to book this, can't just turn up, but DD queried what would happen if some of the girls had their period at the time. PE teacher (female) replied that they'd obviously have to use a tampon, they can't miss it, can't arrange another day. A few girls told her they didn't use/get on with tampons and she got annoyed saying they'd have to get on with it on the day as no other option.

Tweasels: If the student is not going to be able to sit the exams and/or prepare for them, what other solution do you suggest? It isn't reasonable for lessons to be scheduled around the periods of every girl in a school.

a letter from camhs
Good grief.
This. This. This is the marginalising of females, the dismissal of their issues and the lack of giving a shit about their needs.
It is not difficult to accommodate at the front end of planning ifyou give a shit.
Of course its a pita to reschedule an event (although not impossible) but if there was genuine respect for female biology in the first place this would be taken into consideration in the wider scheme of developing exam timetables.
Do it right first time and you need reschedule nothing.

Bettersleepoutdoors: Firstly, my post was in response to Livia, who had some very significant personal problems whilst at school and couldn't talk to her parents about her periods. She needed more support than your average female student.

Secondly, and again, what do you suggest? It is literally not possible for a school to schedule exams around their female students' periods - I do not understand why you keep harping on about this. Can't be done.

Livia: On a serious note, I am really sorry to hear about what happened to you and the effect it's had on you. To those posters saying 'yes but this is an isolated incident/would only happen to a minority of you' - how would you know? How many of us have been raped/abused and never been able to tell anyone, especially when those things happened at such a young age? Quite a lot of us I would imagine. The attitude from some on this thread is really shocking for so many reasons. No understanding or empathy, it makes me so angry.

trifle it has been explained many times here that nothing needs reschedule around "every girls' period"
Your ignorance about the biology and behaviour of teenage girls is irritating.

Trifle, why can't it be done? Why should a girl in that position not be able to re-schedule a module? If it's not something she can control due to biology and personal circumstances why shouldn't allowances be made?

Bettersleepoutdoors - completely agree.

The snag comes when the GCSE timetable is full in June (the month when assessments should be carried out).

What if the only other possible day clashes with English in the morning and maths in the afternoon? Or is the only day French orals can be conducted?

I think those who say it's easy top add a further assessment have never tried to schedule GCSEs

Absolutely unreasonable of the teacher and of all of you saying to just use tampons regardless.

I nearly died of toxic shock and can never use tampons (or moon cups) again on medical orders.
I know this is a rare and extreme example but it is just not on to expect all the girls to be able to comply.

Yy pop

Trifle There was no CAMHS. I'm not blaming the teachers. Even if there had been, I wouldn't have been referred because I told nobody. My family and closest friends didn't know (my family still has no idea over 30 years later) because I was 15 and ashamed and I assumed that it was my fault. Having to tell someone would actually have pushed me over the edge. Luckily nobody was enough of a cunt to put me in that position at the time.

Do you not see what a fucking shit idea that is? The girl has to tell her parents that she can't use tampons, they write to the school and she's humiliated. For someone potentially vulnerable at the time, that's a brilliant fucking plan.

Fucking CAMHS??? Fucking hell.

I did GCSE PE and the swimming was compulsory. That might have changed but it was a core part of the assessment when I was at school (back in the 1800's

It's not like sitting an exam. There could of course be flexibility.

You dont have to add a further assessment id its part of your initial plan
And something being tricky is not a reason to not do it
But something being discriminatory is a reason not to do it

Bettersleepoutdoors: I honestly don't know what you think has been explained here. Could you explain it to me again? I really am confused by this so-called 'reasonable solution' people keep banging on about without actually giving any detail. Please excuse me if I am being silly and I have missed an explanation somewhere.

Trifle Is there any particular reason you have no fucking empathy? Yay let's all humiliate teenage girls by making them discuss in detail their sanpro arrangements with their parents and then they can share the news with the school.

And jumping on the "you dont know how hard it is" bandwagon for a minute.
"Referral to camhs" pmsl.

It's a fucking joke.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta: I really do feel for you I don't think the solution is obvious.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta: I don't lack empathy. Unfortunately, for a teacher to excuse a student from a lesson a note from home is required. No way round it.

tweasel

Its optional in most schools as far as i know

They have a choice of 40/50 sports...i didnt even know there were that many!!!

BlankTVscreen: May or July? Seriously, I have missed a trick here. What is the solution being proposed?

Livia