US Students 'Bleeding through trousers' due to strict bathroom policy

[Terfulike]

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/life-style/chicago-charter-schools-periods-female-bleeding-bathroom-policy-a8331261.html%3famp#ampshare=www.independent.co.uk/life-style/chicago-charter-schools-periods-female-bleeding-bathroom-policy-a8331261.html

This is awful.

So wrong, for so many reasons.

Charter schools are an interesting trend in the US. They were created out of a desire to improve public education and provide alternative learning environments. And yes, while they do receive tax payer funds, the degree to which they are overseen varies by school district and by state. Some are excellent. Some, well, clearly should not be in the business of educating children.

Of note, attendance at a charter school is fully optional. Typically, parents have to apply for a spot.

As much as I'm appalled by the school policies mentioned, I'm even more upset that parents would send their daughters to this program.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/chicago-charter-schools-periods-female-bleeding-bathroom-policy-a8331261.html#ampshare=www.independent.co.uk/life-style/chicago-charter-schools-periods-female-bleeding-bathroom-policy-a8331261.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">clicky link This is awful. Why oh why are women being made to suffer like this due to our biology. Why oh why are parents sending young women to schools like this when they are demeaned this much.

Sometimes I feel we are moving forward allbeit slowly, then I read stories like this and fear we are moving backwards.

As a teenager I would struggle to get through a one hr games session without bleeding through on the heaviest days of my period, this is appalling

Wow! I don't have words! Shame on the school! Those poor girls.

It happens here too. My daughter's school recently brought in a new rule that you cannot go to the toilet during a lesson unless you have a hallway pass which involves going to the reception (taking five minutes and an explanation of why and where you are going).
My daughter came home so angry that she had soaked through her underwear due to not being able to just nip to the loo. Thankfully she was wearing tights and so her skirt was OK.
In practise the the individual teachers are not following the rules to the letter and often let girls go - but the rule is supposed to be followed and the kids don't feel empowered to ask if they can go, because it's pain in the arse and embarrassing.
There is often no chance to go to the toilet between lessons as everyone goes at the same time and the queues mean you are late for your next class - ditto break times.
Honestly - in what other realm of life are we restricted on going to the toilet? Except maybe unscrupulous employers.
Equally the state of the toilets are dire and missing locks, handwash and toilet paper. But that's another story.

Retired from teaching now but can remember being told not to let students go to the toilet at all during lessons (and this was a pretty tolerant school in many other respects). I was not the only teacher to think this was cruel and stupid and ignore the rule when it was clear that someone needed to go. (You very quickly get to know if someone is taking advantage).

This is biology, female biology, being dismissed by so-called progessives

This stuff reminds me of Jessica Mitford who, when on a public hospital ward in the US after the birth of her baby, discovered that the women weren't allowed to use the bathroom without a member of staff. But the staff never came when called. So she organised a mass bed wetting by the women! That sorted the problem good & proper.

Unfortunately, we're so ashamed of our bodily functions that it's unlikely you'd get loads of girls agreeing to walking around with blood-stained skirts/trousers, not to mention any seats they vacate. How far away are those girls from just not going to school when they're menstruating, like they do in the developing world? I'd be pretty damned close.

Fucking hell. That is disgraceful.

"If a menstruating student has bled through her clothing, she can inform a teacher who will send an email to staff “ announcing the name of the girl who has permission to wear her sweater tied around her waist, so she doesn’t receive demerits for violating dress code" Announcing - yeah that's what girls want. Also if i bled through i would not want to spend the rest of the day in those clothes. Surely toilet access is a right?

That'll stink.

And what about infection risk?

Catfan because you can't train menstrual blood to only come out at break and lunch - surely a fellow female would get that?

Year 5, Catfangirl so 11 year olds? We’re talking about teenage girls here, with periods. I presume most of year 5s won’t have started yet...

Why has Catfan bumped an old-ish thread?

(And at year 5 some of your pupils will have started their periods - as children. Chances are they're feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed about this. Shame on you for making their young lives even harder.)

if they explain of course I would let them go

So you understand then that it's ridiculous that these girls are not being allowed to go when they ask... i.e the point of the thread.

Assuming you are an adult female you've probably had a bit more practice and understand your cycles better than teenagers so can 'take precautions'.

I used to restrict my fluid intake and wear sanitary protection in the days before my period just in case because my school had this policy.

I saw the same when I worked in paediatrics, child would have kidney function tests, results would be more or less normal but show dehydration, doctor would advise the child to drink more, child would say they can't as the teacher won't let them use the toilet.

"I'm sorry but if she was that desperate she could have gone at lunch"

That's depressing, you teach yr 5 but clearly have no idea about how children think. Yes she should have gone during lunch, but still you'd prefer to have a 10yo wet herself in front of classmates than let her go to the loo? That's shameful. And do you think a 10yo on her period is going to want to explain to you in front of the class why she needs to go mid lesson?!

Catfangirl

Not everyone has perfectly functioning bladders, bowels or uteruses and as yet get older this urge to go to the toilet could happen to you.

Ok so you can take precautions, but what about my DD who can soak a 5* ultra ultra pad in 20 mins - no good when your stuck in double PE and not “allowed” to go to the bathroom. She would rather stay at home than go to school and have an accident. I raised it with the school, who say they are understanding but that memo hasn’t got through to the nasty PE teacher yet, and her petty rules.

pasta these are not even teenagers, they are yr 5 i.e. 9 and 10 years old. I think adults forget so easily what it's like being that age. But you'd hope teachers wouldn't be among them. I'm so glad my kids' school is humane about these things.

This was what my high school was like. I trained myself to go the whole day without having a piss because we weren’t allowed during class and the toilets were locked at break and lunch because of ‘vandalism’.

My DD pissed herself in class when she wasn’t 6 after being told she ‘wasn’t allowed’ to go to the toilet. She was punished for it.

She hasn’t been to school for 2 years because of stuff like this.

@catfangirl

I get that you can’t go either but presumably you’re not sharing your staff toilet with hundreds of colleagues? Have you forgotten what it’s like trying to get a free cubicle at lunch sometimes?