Originally Posted by Val
We forgot another one. Not allowing kids to go to the bathroom when they have to go.

DS13 had a teacher who gave the kids one bathroom pass per semester a couple years ago. If you didn't use it, you got 5 extra credit points on the final.

DS11's math teacher has new policy for 2014. She takes away recess if a student has to go to the bathroom during her class.

When they were little, DS13 and 11 could only use the bathroom during recess.

confused confused confused

When I was a kid, this was never an issue. If you had to go, you raised your hand, asked, and off you went. Later (as in, 11th grade), I changed schools and the new school was more restrictive: you had to get the hall pass from the teacher before you left the classroom. I don't remember a lot of abuse of this quasi-freedom.

What are other people's experiences in this regard?

I had a meeting with the principal of my child's elementary school last month because the teacher refused to allow DS (6 years old) to use the bathroom. DS is so used to going when he wants that he almost had an accident "holding it in". He was highly upset, crying and distressed and had to be taken to the front office from where I got the phone call about how this crying child had to be handled. I was told that children need to learn "self control" and they expect kids to control their urge to go to the bathroom - I do agree that there are a lot of kids who use bathroom breaks as a way to avoid seatwork. I gave them a piece of my mind and also told them that this was America and they were violating my child's rights and freedom if they restricted his right to go to the bathroom. They had the gall to ask me if DS had any medical problems and if they were not informed of it.
Long story short - the principal "allowed" DS to go to the bathroom at any time he wants to "as a special case" - because I had become one of those "noisy, problem parents". But, the teacher still uses "a mean voice" to give DS permission if he wants to go to the bathroom at class time according to him.
And the end effect is that DS got a remark on his report card that said that he "lacks self control" - this about a kid who is mature beyond his years, so well adjusted and loves going to school and follows rules.
The good thing is that they are building an "attached bathroom" to his classroom now - previously, they had to cross the playground to get to the bathroom - which was bad for little kids in a hurry to go to the bathroom. Something good came out of this, atleast.