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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:
MLGs · 26/01/2017 23:16

I think YANBU.

I couldn't use tampons until after I'd lost my virginity either.

WishIhadtheWherewithal · 26/01/2017 23:17

What would they do if their summer holiday is the week of their period?

Happened to me when I was 14 - I sat glumly on the sidelines and watched everyone else have fun in the water Sad.

The inability to insert a tampon isn't miraculously cured by sunny weather and beaches!

Italiangreyhound · 26/01/2017 23:18

back know full well they are not there to entertain.

But sport is a vital key part of life, and maybe school PE turns a lot of people off sport! So in that sense as a form of education it is really failing in its current form, isn't it? Well, I don't know I did it 35 years ago. I stopped as soon as I could. Maybe now it is all different. Are you a PE teacher?

Italiangreyhound · 26/01/2017 23:22

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut "...we're talking about girls who have chosen to do PE GCSE. Not a bunch of Year 9s who still have to do it and get no choice."

They have not chosen to have periods though have they!

clarehhh "Agree with PE teacher we aren't in the 1800's" and indeed in the 1800s they were busy telling women and girls what to do... same old same old!

Birdsgottafly · 26/01/2017 23:23

They can't I force this. There are religious groups that can't use tampons and it would be indirect discrimination.

As said, two sessions, booked two weeks apart, solves this.

catsofa · 26/01/2017 23:24

School just needs to book a second session 2 weeks after the first, for anyone who can't do the first one. What the fuck is so difficult?

bloodyteenagers · 26/01/2017 23:26

What's so difficult?
Takes away control from power trip pe teachers.
If there's a logical reason would love to hear it other that shut up and use a tampax.

backwardpossom · 26/01/2017 23:26

I have stated at least twice that I am not a PE teacher.

In my school, however, there's been a conscious effort to move away from 'traditional' PE teaching, there has been a fitness suite installed, a dance studio, spinning bikes have been purchased etc. Still, many teenagers are reluctant, despite the efforts made to get away from traditional sports.

I'm sure PE does turn a lot of people off sport, and I read about it a lot on here. I don't know what the solution is. I hated running as a teenager, but love it now. Teenagers are different to adults. I hated how my body looked as a teenager, which probably explained why I hated swimming despite being very sporty. I love swimming now, and regularly compete in triathlons. PE didn't prepare me for triathlons, but there were times that it was the only exercise I, and my friends, had during the week (sporty but lazy, me!).

backwardpossom · 26/01/2017 23:28

What the fuck is so difficult?

I do agree with you, in an ideal world, but perhaps availability of the pool, cost of hiring the pool, curriculum to get through?

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 26/01/2017 23:31

Italiangreyhound I'm not sure what point you think I need explaining? If you read my posts in full (there are only two posted fairly close together) or even just the rest of the one you quoted, I think you'll realise I wasn't disagreeing.

Italiangreyhound · 26/01/2017 23:33

backwardpossom

"I have stated at least twice that I am not a PE teacher." Sorry I was messing about at the back of the class and didn't hear you. Thanks

"In my school, however, there's been a conscious effort to move away from 'traditional' PE teaching, there has been a fitness suite installed, a dance studio, spinning bikes have been purchased etc." That sounds good.

" Still, many teenagers are reluctant, despite the efforts made to get away from traditional sports." Did they ask the teenagers what they would like?

My experience as a mum of a 12 year old girl is 'teenagers are reluctant' pretty much all the time unless it is something they really want to do. You can only do so much.

"I don't know what the solution is."

me neither but I would start by canvassing the kids and finding out what they had the least resistance to.

My dd had football a short while ago. She was very bnervous, but she tried it, and she liked it. She got kicked in the shins but was girl of the match or whatever. Sometimes PE teachers do well! When they are not demanding girls shove tampons up themselves they could even be inspirational!

Well don on the triathlons.

I guess like most things PE teachers just need to keep carrying on! Wink

backwardpossom · 26/01/2017 23:33

I do wonder how they would deal with pupils who are absent through illness, bereavement, family matters etc. Surely they must have a mop up session?

backwardpossom · 26/01/2017 23:35

I think it's a case of you can't please everyone with the sports etc on offer.

Italiangreyhound · 26/01/2017 23:39

back I know for me personally I was not sporty and hated it. Things like poor body image (when I was the slimmest and most fit I have ever been - oh the bloody irony) and also things like picking teams.

I hope now that teachers do not do that pick a team shit!

Basically i think if they can eliminate some of embarrassment etc and put as much fun in as possible it can work. My dd gave it her all (I guess) and liked it. So they (PE Teachers) can't all be bad! Wink

HelenaGWells · 26/01/2017 23:39

If it's a gcse are they restricted by an exam board? There may have to be examiners present etc.

The ideal would be to have two sessions a week or so apart but it may not be the schools restriction.

Reality16 · 26/01/2017 23:45

Since it's part of her gcse and can't be arranged round so many girls periods would she not consider going on the pill so she can take them back to back if needed?

Lorelei76 · 26/01/2017 23:46

To the poster who said it's not the 1800s - yes, that's why no one gets to order a woman to shove something up her vag when she doesn't want to.

StarryIllusion · 26/01/2017 23:47

Personally I would lay flat on my back, hand her the tampon and tell her if she could get the fucking thing in I would be happy to do the lesson. Well no not really but I'd feel like it. I can't use them. At all. They won't go in and if they do go in, they slide back out as I walk, no matter how far I push them. Even the nurse who does my smears is flummoxed, having actually tried herself with a mini tampon and some lubricant during a smear after 2 years of telling me I was doing it wrong. General consensus is that I'm a funny angle.

Dancergirl · 26/01/2017 23:48

The teacher is being unreaonsable.

And it's not even about periods really, suppose one of the girls is off sick on the day for one of a multitude of reasons?

misblink · 26/01/2017 23:49

What religious groups don't wear tampons?

smellyboot · 26/01/2017 23:51

Read the book 'eat sweat play' - its excellent

Lorelei76 · 26/01/2017 23:58

Starry, I thought that was an issue for many women as well as crazy heavy flow which I had until I went on the Pill. My teachers knew to let me use the bathroom whenever I needed to.

MammaTJ · 27/01/2017 00:00

I took a long time for me to get used to tampons.

I just think life would be a lot nicer if all women could realise the experience of periods is different for all of us.

QueenyLaverne · 27/01/2017 00:07

They don't have to wear tampons. They can just bleed. That's what I do in a pool, I've never worn a tampon. Nothing comes out.

A) I have just been a little bit sick in my mouth
B) I will never get in a public swimming pool again...this is just the worst...eeeugh......(visions of people swallowing pool water....Hmm)

misblink · 27/01/2017 03:27

I think it's worth persevering with tampons as they do give you much more freedom to do stuff. Cycling and horse riding aren't great with a pad. I encouraged both teen dds to wear them straight away, not sure why the poster up thread thinks that being a virgin means you can't wear tampons?

Having said that, swimming probably wasn't the best choice of sport for gcse pe