What did you end up doing mom512726 ? And how is your son now ?

I would be very quickly going to the headmaster/mistress and reporting the teacher and then letting them sort out the problem they have made that your son no longer wants to go to school. This is the 21st century, not the dark ages!

I’m sorry, are you saying that the toilets are LOCKED between meal times???
I maybe oldervbthan most of us, butwhen I HAD to go to the toilet during an examination, was allowed .. although I had to do a ‘catchup” when Igot back

That is definitely teacher. what a poor boy? it is a natural thing that happens to everyone. So sad

This is truly horrible… and has almost happened to a few of my children over the years. Thankfully I had conversations with them before something actually happened. I told my children that if you are going to find yourself in THAT situation to leave and go to the toilet/office straight away… thankfully our children’s toilets aren’t locked. What school locks their toilets – honestly!
I can recall a situation like this and the incident was reported to me by her teacher. I called a meeting with the Principal and had the teacher marched in to, ahem, discuss this matter further. I pointed out that my daughter has bladder issues and to obstruct her from going to the toilet when absolutely needed was a breach of duty of care. Not only could that have had a massive impact on her mental wellbeing, she, no doubt would have been the subject of ridicule and bullying. I wrote a note for her to carry in case another teacher approached her and I warned the school that if anything like this was to occur again that I would report this to the Dept of Education. Needless to say, my firm stand and harsh words were taken on board and this didn’t happen again.
ABSOLUTELY address this with his teacher and the Principal. Toilets are a necessity, not a luxury and should never be locked.

This is so sad. Teacher is definitely in the wrong. Both for not letting him go and for not contacting you as soon as she realised what happened. Honestly I’d be so angry if this was my son.

That is NOT Ok! That just made me feel so sad! The teacher is completely in the wrong and I would be discussing it with the school!

I just read the article about it. Definitely not okay. I would talk to the teacher and to the principal.

There should also be student services/supports that should be able to provide support.

The teacher is very much in the wrong. I’d complain formally (in writing) as well as ringing the principal.

I would be putting in a serious complaint.

This is so not okay.
I would request a meeting with teacher and principal and discuss openly what position the teacher brought unto your son.

I would want an immediate meeting with the teacher and principal and the issue would need to be addressed and a plan in place for a safe return to school. Trust needs to be restored with the teacher and school. A sensitive and kind mediation needs to occur.

Whoa I would be full-on Mumma bear/lion over this one. How dare she fail in her duty of care on such a basic human need/right. There is an organisation that is very much in support and vocal about this very issue – Continence Foundation of Australia. I’d be giving them a call first. Arm yourself with information. Then take it to the principal. This teacher is very much in the wrong. When are mainstream schools finally going to turn it around and show respect to students. The teacher’s attitude is archaic. https://www.continence.org.au/news/kids-holding-its-not

I would be taking this up with the teacher and principal. That would have been a very stressful and embarrassing thing for your son to go through, especially in high school.

What an unreasonable and harsh thing to do to a kid. I think it’s such an out of touch, out dated thing to refuse kids a bathroom break. Maybe if the student does it repeatedly just to skip class, but your son doesn’t sound like he fits into this category.
If I were in your position I would contact the school and escalate the issue. Year 7 is now high school, such a high anxiety time in your adolescence. Schools talk the talk about mental health and support in teens, these actions go against that. Teens should have body autonomy.
Really sorry your son had this experience.

I would be fuming!
I can understand if there’s like 5mins left of class, asking if they can hold for 5. But are you kidding me… I would be up at that school asking for a huge apology and speaking with that teacher. Not only did she not let him go she then proceeded to tell him to go to lunch.

That’s absolutely horrible! Yes, where able students need to use the toilets in their breaks, but our toilets were never locked when I was growing up. If you have to go you have to go. I don’t honestly know what this teacher was thinking in refusing when he was obviously desperate! I would be asking to speak to the principal.

I am so very sorry this happened to your child, if he is needing to go and asked several times then the teacher should have responded and let him go. It doesn’t sound like he does this a lot to try and get out of class it was for the right reason. I feel for your child, that is un-acceptable for a teacher to do this and i would be calling a meeting with the teacher and the principal to understand why she denied this child this.

I would be making an appointment with the school.
I understand that there must be some children that would try it on but teachers work out pretty quickly which kids they are. Unless there has been a problem with your son in the past then I would be wanting a explaination from the teacher and I would be asking her to solve the problem with your son no longer wanting to attend school. I would ask her straight out if she really thinks that teaching her the job for her.

Please come back and let us know how you got on.