A mum has been left "livid" with her daughter's school after they banned students from leaving lessons to go to the toilet. As temperatures continue to soar, Melanie Hennessy's advice to her daughter Daisy had been to drink plenty water throughout the school day.
However, strict rules at Outwood Academy in Redcar, Yorkshire, meant that the student, 12, had to wait over an hour before she could use the bathroom. The school said that the rule was in place to "minimise any disruption to learning" - meaning that pupils could only leave class with a special pass or teacher's note.
Mrs Hennessy said that Daisy had a condition that would have exempted her but refused to pay for a letter from the doctor. The furious mother said: "Whether she has a medical condition or not, if she needs the toilet she should be able to go", Wales Online reports.
She said that the school was treating its pupils "like prisoners" and that her daughter was left afraid to drink too much after being told that she could not leave class. Mrs Hennessy said: "I'm absolutely livid, they are human beings. They are treated better in prison. The whole system needs to change, the world's gone mad. Medical condition or not, it's a God-given right to go, it's part of nature.
"The school has said I need a medical pass from the doctor – you have to pay £50 for it. We fell out over it on Monday, I said to her 'how much have you drunk?' – she said, 'I only drank a bottle and a bit' because the toilets are kept locked.
"Having to wear a full uniform – they were allowed to take their blazer off – I knew she would be red hot," Melanie posted on social media. "But as a result of drinking more water she needed the toilet only to be kept waiting for over an hour before she could go."
Melanie spoke to a teacher at the school and admitted she "was fuming and let rip" at him, raising a number of issues including the toilet rule and wearing full uniform during the heatwave. She said: "Children can use the toilet before school (nice of him) at morning break, lunchtime and after school.
"Now am I wrong in thinking that if you need to go to the toilet then you should go? Those in prison get treated better, my child is not in jail but I feel like she's been treated like a prisoner. I would completely understand the refusal of going to the loo if she was asking to go every few minutes. I said, 'Am I to tell my daughter to train her bladder to only go before school and lunchtime?'
"They should know when children are taking the mick and when they genuinely need the toilet. When I was a teacher, I knew who was being honest with me and who was taking the mick. What do staff do when they need the toilet? When it's this hot, how do you concentrate when you're stifling hot and you're busting for a wee?
"Temperatures are rising, this is the way of the future, we will have to accommodate this and adjust. Children are there to learn, not to be treated like prisoners. They got both barrels from me – and I'm not finished on this one. I will do whatever it takes to change this."
A spokesman for the academy said: "During this period of warmer weather, staff are aware that students are increasing their water intake. Students are encouraged to use the toilet before school, at break time and at lunch time to minimise any disruption to learning.
"However, students are permitted to go to the toilet during lessons if they have a toilet pass that has been issued for medical reasons, or if they have a note from their teacher. We have also relaxed school uniform rules due to the weather.
"Students do not need to bring their blazers and if they do choose to bring their blazers, they do not have to be worn in lessons or whilst moving around the academy. Students are also allowed to remove their tie and undo their top button if they are still too warm."
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