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AIBU?

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Original poster

Or is this PE teacher unreasonable about periods

706 replies

BigSandyBalls2015 · 26/01/2017 21:32

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.

OP posts:
itsbetterthanabox · 26/01/2017 22:37

Maybe they took PE because they enjoy and are good at sport.
I don't think the answer to this is to tell girls to give up sport and PE because of one class thats in water.
PE isn't swimming classes.

Lulukat · 26/01/2017 22:37

when i bath it looks like i've bled to death so f off and bleed on your own pants rather than mine in the pool.
Egg cups apparently is what we lose pfffft i go anaemic monthly from my loss, its hereditary, I am hoping it doesnt pass on to my daughters but if it does I will let them know the best ways to help with it. Number 1 no to tampons they do not work and TMI when i did try my hardest to fit in and use one i find one side leaks so bad and one little bit is dry so i have the ouchy dry with the embarrassment of leaking, thanks periods!

Gileswithachainsaw · 26/01/2017 22:37

If this was anyone else they'd be told to fuck off.

If ever there was proof that parents were so far up schools and teachers arses they'd sacrifice their second born to satan if the deputy head said so, this is it.

You use what San pro you want to and let others figure it out fir them selves

nursy1 · 26/01/2017 22:40

Not sure how you would feel about this but she could start Contraceptive pill and use it to regulate her period over the time of this test still speak to PE teacher though - what would they do if one of the girls was ill that day?

redexpat · 26/01/2017 22:41

I couldnt use a tampon when I was 15. Physically couldnt get it in.

Can they pass the gcse without this element?

GrandDesespoir · 26/01/2017 22:41

Bloody fascist PE teachers. It's not up to this teacher to dictate what her pupils do with their bodies, particularly when they've only been menstruating for a few years. Yes, some girls might use their period as an excuse, but there's not really anything she can do about that and it doesn't give her the right to terrorise other girls.

OhGodWhatTheHellNow · 26/01/2017 22:42

Seems like there a gap in the market for an adult version of those things we take babies swimming in? Just a thought...

OhTheRoses · 26/01/2017 22:42

Apt name bloodyteenagers. Eew.

Ilovetorrentialrain · 26/01/2017 22:43

Sorry but I do think the teacher is right. Periods should not interfere with life unless of course there is a medical reason. The fewer reasons there are for women and girls to be seen as less able the better.

As a PP has said how would competitive swimmers deal with this? Tampons are the answer, or no GCSE PE.

bloodyteenagers · 26/01/2017 22:43

Oh and my dd did pe gcse. Thankfully the pe department engaged their brains and considered girls have periods. They considered regardless of gender, people cannot get in the pool for whatever reasons - illness, appointments, looking at 6th forms etc. So seems they were really forward in their thinking, booked more than one session.. As a pp mentioned, even more forward thinking, they worked with other schools to ensure that anyone taking gcse pe could do all the required parts. They understood that although taking the gcse, not everyone on it would go onto a water based career.

Ilovetorrentialrain · 26/01/2017 22:43

OhGod yes!

SanityAssassin · 26/01/2017 22:44

Really kids shouldn't be forced to wear tampons but all you I swim without YUK please the rest of us don't want to swim in your diluted blood.

Putsomepeasonit · 26/01/2017 22:45

Yeah sorry girls if you can't use tampons, no PE for you. How dare you heavy bleeders who can't use tampons think you can do a subject you enjoy? Tut, tut.

itsbetterthanabox · 26/01/2017 22:46

Do people really swim with nothing? That's so gross
I'm gonna piss in the pool

Yukbuck · 26/01/2017 22:46

I have a split opinion about this. I am of the same attitude of not letting a period getting in the way. But I also used to swim 3 times a week for a competitive sport and I basically had no choice but to use a tampon. It was horrible the first time I put one in but with practice it just became easier. And actually I was so happy I did because it made me continue swimming as much as I did. I also had very heavy periods so it meant that I could wear a tampon plus a pad during school on my heavier days and I didn't panic as much about leaking.
I'm not saying they should be forced, but they should perhaps give it a try. If it doesn't work then totally fair enough. I'll admit that now, as an adult, I'd probably choose not to swim on the first 2 days of my period, but that's simply because I can go any other time. I'd go if it was a spa day or a class I enjoyed but as I currently just swim for leisure then I just skip the days I'm on.

Italiangreyhound · 26/01/2017 22:47

Whisky2014, Athrawes and others, - if we as a society were more geared up to accommodating the 50% of teenagers who have periods, rather than the 50% who do not, then this would have long ago been sorted out.

PE teachers who are female should realise this and find solutions rather than giving ridiculous instructions to teenage girls.

LunaLoveg "So if you're not going into the pool when you're on your period - why the hell choose GCSE PE??"

Because she wanted to do it and the fact she has her period once a month should not such as issue!

UterusUterusGhali · 26/01/2017 22:47

Pretty sure, luna "shoving things against your will up your vagina" wasn't mentioned on options evening. Hmm

If they are in their period and don't want to do it that should be the end of it. These are girls who chose to take PE as a GCSE. They're not going to be pulling a fast one. No qualification is worth forcing something up your fanny for.

Chickoletta · 26/01/2017 22:48

When you say you 'can't use tampons', PPs - what exactly do you mean? Surely if you can have sex you can use a tampon?

Inertia · 26/01/2017 22:48

I'm with Springer on this- nobody has the right to force any girl or woman to insert anything in their vagina.

The logistics of making arrangements for anything in a school are generally frustrating. As teachers, we have to work round those problems, especially when student wellbeing is at stake.

Whisky2014 · 26/01/2017 22:49

Or we just shouldnt be embarrassed about it? When did all this "sign me off swimming i have my period" start anyway?

MrsGuyOfGisbo · 26/01/2017 22:49

This is hypothetical, the girl has queried what 'would' happen.
So, what would happen is what they would do if they had to miss it for any other reason ( or decide to use periods as an excuse) - they would presumably not get marks for that part of the module.

bloodyteenagers · 26/01/2017 22:49

Ok so they try, they really don't like the tampon because lets face it, millions of adults don't like them. Then what? Force the pill which again, because we all react different, doesn't stop the bleeding. Made mine worse that what it already was. Then what?

backwardpossom · 26/01/2017 22:49

Do you think this might have been blown out of proportion a tad? I am maybe way of the mark here, but in my mind the conversation probably happened at the end of the lesson along the lines of:

Teacher: "Remember you'll be swimming on X date"
Girls: "Miss, what if we've got our period?"
Teacher (used to hearing every excuse from reluctant teenagers to get out of PE): "Well you'll just have to wear a tampon/deal with it"
Girls: loud complaining
Teacher (knowing that it might only affect one or two girls on the actual day and that he/she would deal with it appropriately and sensitively at the time if it comes up): "You'll just have to get on with it, now go to your next class."

Or something.

8misskitty8 · 26/01/2017 22:50

Thought in this day in age p.e. Teachers wouldn't still be telling girls they have to use tampons when it's swimming day. Totally Rediculous.

Why is it usually the female teachers who do this as well ?

When I was a teen in school our female p.e. Teacher would take any girl who said she was on her period to the school nurse for a tampon even if they didn't want to use one. She would say out loud if your note said you were on your period. She would tell you, you were lying if you were still on your period the next week. It was mixed swimming as well so all the boys would know.
There was no curtains in the changing room, just the pole so we used to hang our towels over it. She used to come in and pull the towels down telling us we were all the same. She was a bitch. She also used to walk into the boys changing room while they were undressed.

When we had the male p.e. Teacher you showed him a note and he didn't pass comment, no walking into changing room either. He used to knock on the door and shout to 'hurry up'

Italiangreyhound · 26/01/2017 22:50

nursy "Not sure how you would feel about this but she could start Contraceptive pill and use it to regulate her period over the time of this test"

I would not put my daughter on the contraceptive pill so she could fit in with the school. I would be appalled if anyone did that!

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