A MUM has claimed her daughter's school "removed the doors" to its toilet blocks and allegedly told female pupils to “hold in” their periods during lesson time.
The mum-of-two claimed students at All Saints Academy in Wyke Regis, Weymouth, must provide a doctor’s note if they wish to use the loo during class.
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Students at All Saints Academy must provide a doctors note if they need the toilet in lessons, a mum has claimed Credit: FACEBOOK
And when they got back to school after the summer holidays, students were allegedly met with a bizarre lack of privacy - as all the doors leading to their toilet blocks were allegedly missing.
“I was horrified," the 49-year-old parent told the Sun Online.
“At the start of this term the bathroom doors had all been removed.
"The excuse being that teachers need to see if the students are on their mobile phones."
The mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, explained that it was the doors leading into pupils' bathrooms that had been taken away - not the doors to cubicles.
But she still believes the alleged measures are "unacceptable".
"That’s a time when you actually need complete privacy," she said.
"My daughter said 'what about us girls when we have our period, if we have an accident and we need to get to the taps, not only have we got teachers walking past and students, but any visitors to the school'.
“She said 'we don’t feel comfortable going to the bathroom'. She said 'it’s not school any more mum, it feels like prison'."
'HOLD IT IN'
In addition to the doors, the frustrated mum claims that kids must show a doctor's note in lessons if they want to use the loo.
And she claims her daughter and her friends were once told by a teacher to "hold in" their periods.
“The initial response from teachers seems to be you can't go to the toilet you need a medical note to explain your reasons why or you need a note from your parents," she explained.
"I normally write a letter for my daughter to explain that it’s a basic human need to be able to use the bathroom when they need."
Just before my daughter finished year eight, one of the teachers said that when the girls are on their periods, apparently, they need to hold it in because they are not babies and should be able to hold their bladders.
Parent
According to the parent, a girl would require a note to say when she is on her period - and teachers haven't always been lenient.
“Just before my daughter finished year eight, one of the teachers said that when the girls are on their periods, apparently, they need to hold it in because they are not babies and should be able to hold their bladders.
“I was shocked, I just thought that can’t be possible. For one thing, you can’t hold it in when you’re menstruating, and my daughter said it was a female teacher that spoke to them. She should know what it’s like.”
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The parent claims mums and dads at the school were not consulted on the “draconian” measures, which she believes came into force earlier this year.
And as the aftermath of lockdown ticks on, she thinks kids have enough on their plate.
“Surely they’re going through enough as it is. How do they concentrate if their bladder is full or if they’ve got their period?" she said.
"Or if they are in the bathroom and the door’s missing? They just need their life to be a little bit easier at the minute.”
When approached for comment, All Saints Academy told The Sun Online that all the school's toilet cubicles had doors on and any recent changes were due to refurbishments aimed at improving facilities.
Principal John Cornish said: "During the summer holidays, we upgraded four pupil toilet blocks with modern WC facilities. The toilets that they replaced were old and in need of an upgrade.
"The doors have not been taken off the toilets. There are full-height cubicle doors.
"The toilets are open plan design as per the majority of schools and the only area that is visible is the handwashing area."
On whether pupils can go to the toilet during lesson time, he explained: "We have clear guidance on when we would expect pupils to use the toilet – this is to get pupils into good habits with regards to managing their comfort breaks, ensuring that pupils are in lessons for the maximum amount of time each day.
"Pupils are encouraged to visit the toilet during break and lunch (20 mins / 40 mins respectively). Pupils with medical conditions have toilet cards that mean they can go at any point.
"Other pupils who are caught short and need to go in lesson time are permitted to go if absolutely necessary with a note in their planner signed by the teacher."
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