Published on 12, July, 2020
My daughter is autistic and in year 6. Yesterday 10 mins after lunch she said she felt her period and didn't have a pad on. She asked the teacher if she could go to the toilet and was told no she would have to wait until home time. My daughter said she whispered to her that she didn't have a pad on and it was a female reason. The teacher said she didn't need to know that and she should have dealt with it in her lunch break. She had to go back to her seat and bled all over her chair.
We have a similar rule at my school to encourage students to plan their time at break times...yes they e been to the loo and had a drink etc and are ready to learn.. but, I let people go to the toilet as sometimes it is needed... and as a female teacher I know that..
the teacher may have just been sticking to the rules so it might be a need to address the school policy rather than hang the teacher, then draw and quarter her...
Also...as on the spectrum knowing the embarrassment about periods..was your daughter able to be precise...I,e if I don’t go to the loo I am going to make a mess?
You can shoot me down in flames as well.. maybe I should be struck off as well.... but being devils advocate...
at middle school in assembly I really needed a wee but was too shy with everyone there to raise my hand or up and go to the bathroom.... rather I stuck it out... and then wet myself which caused even more embarrassment to myself....
strategies are important..for such circumstances..
now....burn the witch...!
Footnote... as a teacher we have a legal duty of care of those students in a lesson. If something happens to the student when they go to the toilet I am legally libel. Also as a teacher handling a class of 25-30 kids and working 7 days a week diesn’t always mean that I make the right judgements... psst.. teachers are human...nor would they do the job if they didn’t have humanity..but they can be fallible