Schools across the country have been dealing with 'rioting' students after a mass rebellion over changes to the use of toilets during lessons and break times. Police were called out to a number of schools yesterday after pupils 'went on the rampage' during their TikTok planned protest which teachers allege was sparked by a social media trend.
Riot police attended Richmond School in North Yorkshire after reports that teachers were allegedly pushed over and a tree was set on fire. The school children were behaving uncontrollably as they let off fire extinguishers, kicked down doors and smashed windows, the Mirror reports.
It's understood the uproar was sparked after rules were announced by schools to lock the toilets during lesson time and for a part of their breaks. At Penrice Academy in St Austell, Cornwall tables were flipped and a girl had her hair 'pulled out' after a demo was staged this afternoon.
After a call to arms on social media yesterday evening, the children grouped together but witnesses said the situation 'got out of hand' and one student was reportedly treated by an ambulance. Photos from the site show large groups of kids in uniform at the school's fences with some trying to scale them.
A video shows angry pupils shaking a fence while chanting ,which a parent claims was left partially broken and another said resulted in at least one injury. A headteacher at Haven High Academy in Boston blamed pupils 'unacceptable' protest on a social media trend and warned students that they will be disciplined if it happens again.
Sit-ins have also been staged at Bromfords School in Wickford and at Castle View School in Canvey. Meanwhile hundreds of pupils organised a mass protest outside a school in Leeds following the staff decision to close most of its facilities during lesson time.
Crowds of children vented their anger at The Farnley Academy's new policy, which only gives them access to centrally located bathrooms within teaching periods. Parents have defended their kids and compared the school to a 'prisoner of war camp', claiming pupils have been sent home for trying to visit the toilet.
A spokesperson for the secondary school said the new measure was put in place to ensure students were 'safe' with staff present at the bathrooms. However, huge queues have reportedly formed at the loos between lessons and parents have complained on social media that 'desperate' pupils can't access them.
One wrote: “Be warned if you want your kids to go to farnley cademy, then make sure the kids do not speak, breath and have no bladder or any health issue as the school do not care about the kids and happy for the kids to be ill and mentally ill. Another wrote: “Just had my phone call from a very stressed teacher to come and get my son for none compliance!
“I told her I fully support our young adults and she refused to speak or comment on the matter. I'm proud of our kids for finding their voices and making a stance.” Another parent said: “Well my daughters been excluded for going to toilet yesterday without having a note and she was really desperate.
“This is Beyond a joke why are they treating our kids unfair like this." Someone else questioned: “Why is our children been treated like they are in a prison of war camp.
“This is not how our children should be treated if they need toilet let then go it’s not a crime and to limit them with toilet roll is totally unacceptable in all the ways.” A spokesperson for The Farnley Academy took to Facebook to confirm that students had been asked to use the centrally located toilets during lesson times.
They added that these bathrooms always remain available to pupils if they need the toilet and were being marshalled by teachers to keep them safe. They said: “We are aware that some comments are being made in respect of toilets and their availability during the school day.
“To keep all students safe during times when members of staff are not on duty, we have asked that the only toilets that are used by students during lesson time are the Bronte Toilets. These toilets are OPEN during ALL lesson times and a member of staff is present. During break and lunch, students are then able to use all of the toilets in school.
“We actively encourage all students to ensure that they go to the toilet before school, at break and at lunch, to avoid needing to go during precious lesson time, however, the option remains where it is needed." Principal Chris Stokes insisted that parents haven't got the 'full story'.
In a letter, he wrote: "The protest was allegedly in response to the locking of toilet doors during lesson time. Firstly, within this letter, I need to be completely clear that it is absolutely not the case that all toilets are locked during lesson time.
"At all times, at least one block of boys and one block of girls' toilets are open. Our decision to not have all toilets open during lesson time was taken following two very serious safeguarding events.
"It was not a decision that we took lightly, but it was a necessary decision to keep all students safe. Being aware of the planned protest, I asked members of staff to be on hand in the canteen with pens and paper so that students could write down their views, which I would then personally respond to."
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