Teacher's 'petty' note restricting toilet breaks sparks outrage from parents

A US teacher's note restricting her students' bathroom breaks has gone viral, being described as "petty", "abhorrent", "inhumane" and "cruel".

"Mrs White" from Hanley Middle School in Memphis has sparked outrage by only allowing the children in her class to leave for bathroom, water and nurse visits bi-monthly.

The note has been shared on Twitter by user Jaadee, a friend of a student's mother who took a screenshot of the note explaining the new rules and regulations of being one of Mrs White's students.

In the latest episode of Honey Mums, Deb Knight talks to author and mother Nikki Gemmell about her life-changing parenting moment. (Article continues.)

https://omny.fm/shows/9honey-super-mums/dkmumspodcast14/embed?style=artwork

Each of her students were asked to sign the note as a sign they planned to adhere to the strict new policy.

The note reads, "Mrs. White's 8th Grade Admin/Bathroom/Water/Nurse Pass. Issued August 20th, 2018... I will only every have 2 passes for the ENTIRE month during Focus, BOTH Maths Blocks, Community, Lunch, Restoration, etc.

"I understand that once the number is circled, it indicates how many times I have went thus far for the ENTIRE month.

"I understand that I need Mrs. White's signature for EVERY TIME I have to leave to go to the Bathroom, Nurse, speak with Admin or to get water."

The note then includes a table indicating the number of times the student owner of the note has used the pass that month, before stating, "I understand that once I have used my 2 passes for the ENTIRE month, I will not be able to go to the restroom, get water, or go to the nurse.

"I understand that only special accommodation will be made if my Doctor writes a note regarding a medical condition.

"I understand that failure to comply with the Bathroom/Water/Nurse Pass will result in an Automatic Detention and a zero on whatever assignment I decided to walk out on."

The note ends by acknowledging the seemingly "petty" nature of the note from the fed-up teacher, saying, "I understand that Mrs. White is petty and although we both have options, I can be denied going to the restroom/water/nurse during the lesson."

"It’s so sick," says a Twitter user. "Who could deny a child medical care when it’s right down the hall?"

"She prides herself on being petty towards children like...? Yuck," says another.

Andrew writes, "Why become a teacher if you hate children this much? People can be mean!"

"I about laughed out loud at this. There is just no freaking way this isn't a joke," comments another Twitter user.

"Schools today treat children like criminals," writes another. "And then they wonder why they act the way they do. Respect is earned. These are 8th grade girls who are fairly new to having periods. They need understanding, not prison guards."

Following Twitter backlash, the school released a statement saying, "On August 29, 2018, It was discovered that 8th grade students at Hanley Middle School were given a document restricting bathroom and nurse visits that was inconsistent with our school's actual policies, our mission, and our values.

"We are currently reviewing the circumstances under which the document was prepared and distributed to students.

"Please know the safety and care of our students is always our first priority," it continues. "It is important that students know we respect them and are responsive to their needs.

"To reinforce these values, we convened our full team today to review all relevant policies and procedures. We will continue to work with our teachers and staff to ensure all school policies and values are consistently maintained in each classroom."

Children in year eight are normally 13 years old and should be able to remember to use the bathroom outside of class time.

Mrs White is understood to be a veteran teacher, and a representative from the school spoke highly of her while distancing the school from her strict policy.

Share your story by sending an email to Jo Abi at jabi@nine.com.au or via Twitter @joabi or Instagram @joabi961