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UPDATE: Pay-To-Pee Teacher Faces No Discipline[W:146]

"health risk" <> "medical emergency"

I agree, but I was commenting on "it probably never could be". It could in fact be a medical emergency, even if the person doesn't know it. And it can lead to a medical emergency.

But if there is a policy in place that severely limits the amount of bathroom breaks a child can take (and we don't really know how often they are given the opportunity to take a break throughout the day at this school to begin with), then it can cause issues. Children are not adults. They don't think like adults, or even teenagers. These are 5-10 year olds. They don't necessarily understand what a bathroom emergency entails, despite what many adults may consider it to be. If it is at the point where they are going to have an accident, they probably aren't going to make it to the bathroom. But before that point, some students may not consider it to be an emergency exactly because children don't necessarily understand that in between point.

Can anyone describe to me exactly the point where having to pee becomes an "emergency" but where any child can still get to the restroom before they have an accident? What exactly does that feel like in descriptive terms?
 
I agree, but I was commenting on "it probably never could be". It could in fact be a medical emergency, even if the person doesn't know it. And it can lead to a medical emergency.

What medical emergency? All I saw was that it could lead to a UTI which are not medical emergencies

But if there is a policy in place that severely limits the amount of bathroom breaks a child can take (and we don't really know how often they are given the opportunity to take a break throughout the day at this school to begin with), then it can cause issues. Children are not adults. They don't think like adults, or even teenagers. These are 5-10 year olds. They don't necessarily understand what a bathroom emergency entails, despite what many adults may consider it to be. If it is at the point where they are going to have an accident, they probably aren't going to make it to the bathroom. But before that point, some students may not consider it to be an emergency exactly because children don't necessarily understand that in between point.

Can anyone describe to me exactly the point where having to pee becomes an "emergency" but where any child can still get to the restroom before they have an accident? What exactly does that feel like in descriptive terms?

And yes, there are issues with having a policy that limits bathroom breaks. There are also issues with having no policy to limit bathroom breaks. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't
 
What medical emergency? All I saw was that it could lead to a UTI which are not medical emergencies

And yes, there are issues with having a policy that limits bathroom breaks. There are also issues with having no policy to limit bathroom breaks. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't

The fact that you can die if you drink too much water and do not use the restroom often enough isn't a medical emergency? I'm not saying that either of these was a medical emergency or that most children are having a medical emergency when it comes to holding it in. I am saying that holding it in too long/too often can lead to medical emergencies. UTIs and kidney infections and bladder infections are serious issues, especially for children.

This policy is not the way to do it. I gave a suggestion for how to do it. It does not require making children believe that they need to pay for bathroom privileges. That is stupid. And it does not relate to the real world at all. Even the military gives breaks once an hour for using the restroom. It does not appear that these students were well informed about the policy and how exactly it works, especially when it comes to emergency situations. I'm willing to bet that they were expected to use their "money" even in an emergency unless they had no money to use for an emergency situation.
 
The fact that you can die if you drink too much water and do not use the restroom often enough isn't a medical emergency? I'm not saying that either of these was a medical emergency or that most children are having a medical emergency when it comes to holding it in. I am saying that holding it in too long/too often can lead to medical emergencies. UTIs and kidney infections and bladder infections are serious issues, especially for children.

UTI's can be serious, but the possibility of developing one is not a medical emergency


This policy is not the way to do it. I gave a suggestion for how to do it. It does not require making children believe that they need to pay for bathroom privileges. That is stupid. And it does not relate to the real world at all. Even the military gives breaks once an hour for using the restroom. It does not appear that these students were well informed about the policy and how exactly it works, especially when it comes to emergency situations. I'm willing to bet that they were expected to use their "money" even in an emergency unless they had no money to use for an emergency situation.

There have been reasonable criticisms about the policy, however there is nothing wrong with having a policy that limits bathroom breaks, particularly in a class where the students have been taking breaks excessively which is what was happening in this class.
 
I remember once in the 6th grade when I felt sick to my stomach and raised my hand and asked the teacher if I could go to the restroom. She said no, so I vomited all over the floor. She cleaned it up. I never had any problem getting permission again.
 
UTI's can be serious, but the possibility of developing one is not a medical emergency


There have been reasonable criticisms about the policy, however there is nothing wrong with having a policy that limits bathroom breaks, particularly in a class where the students have been taking breaks excessively which is what was happening in this class.

UTIs/kidney infections/bladder infections are bad and no one, especially children, should have to risk them just because some do not consider them to ever be "emergencies".

I never said that there shouldn't be a reasonable policy on limiting bathroom breaks. In fact, I suggested at least one. But I believe that this whole "taking excessive breaks" thing is being exaggerated here. And this policy really doesn't in itself limit all bathroom breaks to all students, nor in the correct way. Students who care more about breaks during their school time could easily earn and use their money just on bathroom breaks. Children do not think ahead about these sorts of things. And this sort of thing is not going to make children more likely to spend their money "wisely", nor should it be done.
 
Why? There is little to no connection to real life here. Even at work, most of the time you are going to be able to take breaks, even if it means getting someone to cover for you. Most adults, especially in the US, do not have to pay anything or even earn bathroom breaks.

Teaches the value of money. I keep hearing about the makers vs takers from the GOP.
 
Teaches the value of money. I keep hearing about the makers vs takers from the GOP.

No, charging for the bathroom (especially such outrageous prices) does not teach the proper value of money. For one thing, adults do not generally pay to use the restroom, even at work. It works to teach the value of money when you let them earn "money" to buy treats or privileges. Going to the bathroom is not a privilege. It is a natural function that should be considered a right. It can be controlled so that it doesn't cause a major distraction during class time through much better means than being paid for, as most schools/teachers are quite capable of doing. When I was in school we had a reading program where you earned points by reading approved books and taking computerized tests for those books. Those points could then be used to buy various items the English teachers had. That teaches the value of money. Having them buy treats, as they were doing, teaches them the value of money. Making them pay for bathroom visits does not teach the value of money because in the adult world, bathroom breaks do not generally cost money.
 
No, charging for the bathroom (especially such outrageous prices) does not teach the proper value of money. For one thing, adults do not generally pay to use the restroom, even at work. It works to teach the value of money when you let them earn "money" to buy treats or privileges. Going to the bathroom is not a privilege. It is a natural function that should be considered a right. It can be controlled so that it doesn't cause a major distraction during class time through much better means than being paid for, as most schools/teachers are quite capable of doing. When I was in school we had a reading program where you earned points by reading approved books and taking computerized tests for those books. Those points could then be used to buy various items the English teachers had. That teaches the value of money. Having them buy treats, as they were doing, teaches them the value of money. Making them pay for bathroom visits does not teach the value of money because in the adult world, bathroom breaks do not generally cost money.

I am going to stop you with your first sentence. Neither you nor I have any idea what the students do to earn a dollar or fifty of them for that matter.
 
I am going to stop you with your first sentence. Neither you nor I have any idea what the students do to earn a dollar or fifty of them for that matter.

No, we don't. But if you are trying to relate it to real world money experience, then you do not allow the prices to get that high.
 
No, we don't. But if you are trying to relate it to real world money experience, then you do not allow the prices to get that high.

I am sorry, but we are going to have to agree to disagree.
 
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