Latest news with #toiletaccess
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Parents hit out at 'prison' shutters on toilets during lessons at York school
PARENTS have hit out after York's largest school installed shutters across all the main toilets to prevent pupils from using them during lessons. Archbishop Holgate's School has put in pull-down shutters so the five main toilet areas across the Hull Road site cannot be used by its 1,900 students when they should be in class and the toilets are unsupervised. Photos taken by pupils of the new measures prompted the launch of a 'scrap the shutters' petition. It has been signed by more than 343 people and calls on the school 'to help give our kids their basic human right to use a toilet in school back'. The shutters prevent access to the toilets during lesson times when the main toilet areas are not supervised. Image: teacher Lucie Pond sought to reassure parents, saying there was no toilet ban and no change to the toilet policy, but the shutters had been installed for 'safeguarding reasons'. Students are encouraged to take comfort breaks during the 20-minute morning break and the 40-minute lunch period when the main toilets are unlocked and monitored. An accessible toilet is also available in every building, in areas where staff are present, for anyone who needs it throughout the day. Mrs Pond told The Press: 'We have seen an increasing amount of vandalism in the toilets. That comes with a cost in terms of staff and repair and replacement costs. Equally, these are areas of school that are unsupervised during lesson time so for safeguarding, we feel it is necessary to not have them open." RECOMMENDED READS: 'The world is changing': head at top York school joins others in smartphone plea Top North Yorkshire school set to expand and change its name 'Fantastic news' as more than 5,000 children eligible for free school meals She said shutters were chosen because a door would not have been wide enough to fill the large gap that leads to the toilets. But some parents who backed the petition said the school now looks like a prison while others criticised the 'waste of money'. Others voiced concerns for children who need unrestricted toilet access for medical reasons; for girls at certain times of the month who might be too embarrassed to ask to go; and for pupils who may have accidents if not allowed to take comfort breaks when they need to. Andrew Fraser told The Press one of his daughters had sent him a photo of the locked-up toilets at the end of the first day back at school and he had contacted the school and board of governors. "They told me children have locked themselves in the toilets to miss lessons – but that's what every generation of children going to school has done. 'All the girls are disgusted by it. If they have a period, they are unable to get into the toilets. They are expecting the whole school to go in the break and lunch times. 'These shutters wouldn't have been cheap. They could have got two staff members to patrol the toilets instead. 'I have three children going through the school and a fourth who would be going there but, at the moment, we are not even thinking about it.' In her letter to parents, Mrs Pond said: 'Teachers are trusted to use their professional judgement when students ask to leave lessons to use the toilet. If permission is granted, students are issued a pass allowing them to access the designated toilets that remain open. 'Any student with a medical pass is allowed to leave lessons as frequently as needed and without question. 'We fully recognise that there will be times when students need to go during lessons. Our aim is to balance the genuine needs of students with our responsibility to ensure a safe, secure, and well-supervised environment for all.'
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Pregnant woman claims she was 'humiliated' after wetting herself when supermarket refused her access to the toilet - but people say SHE'S 'entitled'
A pregnant mother who claims she wet herself after being refused use of a supermarket toilet has been branded 'entitled'. The heavily pregnant mother-of-two, believed to be from the UK, was so desperate that she ended up losing control of her bladder and 'completely soiling' herself in the shop, leaving her 'humiliated'. Deeply embarrassed by the incident, the expectant mother took to parenting forum Mumsnet to share her frustration - but she didn't find much sympathy. Instead, many insisted it was supermarket 'policy' to refuse access to staff loos, and one particularly harsh critic told her to try 'adult nappies'. Describing the ordeal on a forum titled 'Am I Being Unreasonable', the poster began: 'I'm imminently due my third baby and have a massive bump'. While out on the school run, she suddenly found herself 'desperate for the loo' and so popped into her local convenience supermarket in the hope of being able to use the store's toilet. 'My pelvic floor is pretty shot from previous two kids, the baby had dropped during the school run walk so I was feeling like I could not wait,' she explained. Seeing that the shop was 'empty bar a couple of pensioners', she was confident that in asking to use the staff loo, she would readily be granted permission. 'I asked if I could use the staff loo as I was desperate. There are no other loos nearby and I was unlikely to make it the half a mile home in time,' she said. But her request was quickly turned down by a member of staff, who explained that it was 'against policy' for customers to have access to employee facilities. Unprepared to be turned down and unable to wait until the journey home, the mother ended up losing control of her bladder. 'I soiled myself before I even made it the front door of the shop,' she admitted. She described the accident as 'completely humiliating', and was left making her journey home in soiled clothing. The mother was adamant that the incident was the fault of supermarket staff and concluded that it 'could have been avoided if a little kindness shown'. 'Am I being unreasonable to expect some flexibility in branch policy to accommodate for those in need?', she asked the forum. However, much to her dismay, few commenters shared the view that it was the fault of the supermarket staff, with several arguing that it was 'standard everywhere' for staff loos to be off limits - even to those with disabilities. However, much to her dismay, few commenters shared the view that it was the fault of the supermarket staff, with several arguing that it was 'standard everywhere' for staff loos to be off limits - even to those with disabilities An unsympathetic reader said: 'Wear those nappies for adults. Kindness has nothing to do with it - they can't lose their job for you.' One wrote: 'Lots of stores have this policy, I'm on water tablets and even have a card to confirm the urgency but I wouldn't expect them to bend the rules to me. Unfortunately, you need to plan better.' 'Even if you have a toilet urgency card/disability radar key most shops wouldn't allow you to use the staff toilet for insurance and liability purposes. This is standard everywhere,' a second pointed out. A third said 'it would be nice if we could use any toilet we needed if desperate' but said that most won't allow it according to 'insurance' policies. 'The problem is that you'll probably have to go through the stock room, maybe staff room etc. there might be the staff member's phones/ purses in the area,' said another. Though they offered some sympathy, describing their own experience of needing 'to wee probably every 45 mins to an hour'. 'You just have to plan where you're going. I did wee in a lot of bushes over those months,' they wrote. 'Return home and go back out. I'm not being funny, you are pregnant not disabled,' fumed another. One harsh critic insisted she was 'entitled' and said it was her own responsibility to prepare for the worst. 'The onus is on you to make sure you don't wet yourself. Your attitude is entitled. 'You take precautions such as emptying your bladder before you go out on a short trip or you wear those Tena pads if you think you may spring a leak.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Students say school toilet rules create anxiety
Students say they have been left feeling embarrassed and anxious due to "baffling" school toilet restrictions. Holly, from Pentyrch, Cardiff, said she would frequently be denied permission to go to the toilet during class, or struggle to find one that was not "locked off", which contributed to her decision to be home-schooled. "I don't understand why, it's a normal, natural human thing," she said. It comes after a UK-wide survey found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any time. Cardiff council said it acknowledged the challenges faced by schools but was committed to working with them to find solutions for pupils to access toilets when needed. Holly, who is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sensory processing disorder, previously attended Radyr Comprehensive School but began being home-schooled with an online tutor in January 2024. The 15-year-old said toilet rules were a "major contributor" in the decision. "Sometimes we would have to ask in front of the class and we would be denied, sometimes we would have to tell them why we needed to go to the toilet," she said. "It was hugely embarrassing, you would toy with yourself [as to] whether you had the confidence to put up your hand and ask. It's a big feeling of potential judgement." Holly said she and her friends had "bled through our underwear", adding: "One of my friends bled through onto a chair and had to do a walk of shame. It was one of her first periods and people made fun of her for weeks." She said some toilets were "locked off" during class time, to stop pupils going to certain parts of the school. 'Unfair' to call parents into school to change nappies No working toilets and zombie knives in 'vile' housing for kids Are rules on going to school toilets too strict? Holly added there was "massive inequality" for menstruating students, who sometimes had to detour to the school office to get period products. "Even the women in the school act like they don't understand what it's like. "I don't understand why period products can't be in the toilets." She said she accepted that misbehaviour in the toilets - such as vandalism, vaping and truancy - was a concern for staff, but she wanted them to "address those issues" instead of "punishing good students". Holly eventually secured a toilet pass, which meant teachers had to allow her out, but said she still faced challenges. "I am autistic, so the toilets were a space where I could regulate," she explained, adding if she took too long someone would "bang on the door" or think she was "skiving off". She said this could lead to being overwhelmed. "One thing gets bigger and bigger until I feel like I am going to explode, and then I can't go back to class and I miss valuable learning time." She said she was now "much happier" as she could "do what I need to, when I need to". Holly's mum, Jo Wallace, said she was "baffled" by the toilet rules, adding teenagers were "expected to be very mature and make big life decisions" but also "not trusted" to use the toilets. "I can't understand how schools have got to this point," she said. "I think it's laziness, because I think there are ways they could address issues without blocking [toilets] off. "They need to realise it's having a very detrimental effect." She added: "It's a difficult time getting your period in school, and they have so much pressure on them already. "I went to Radyr myself and it wasn't like that, we had access to the toilets at all points, it wasn't an issue." Ms Wallace said she understood teachers had to follow policies, but questioned the "benefit" of the rules on "children who are just trying to get through the day". A UK-wide survey by Caerphilly-based company phs Group, in partnership with menstrual justice charity Irise International, found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any time. Of these, 29% needed permission from a teacher to leave the classroom and 15% required a pass to be issued. Of the 501 teachers who took part, 5% reported school toilets being locked at some point during the school day, including break times, with 4% saying they were shut all the time. And16% said they had prevented a student who had periods from using the bathroom during class, with reasons including students wanting to skip lessons or meet friends. About 30% felt students on their periods should wait until the end of a lesson. Erin, a sixth form student at Bedwas High School in Caerphilly county, said following renovations to the school toilets, facilities were now designated to different year groups but were not equal in terms of access to sanitary products and bins. The 17-year-old said toilets were locked during lessons and permission was mostly denied apart from a "handful" of times, "if you say it's an emergency". "When I've needed to go to change my period products, I've been refused. Because I really needed to go, I decided to speak out in class about why [and] ended up walking out and been told off," she said. Like Holly, Erin said she understood "behavioural issues" were the reason for the restrictions, but added it was unfair on others. "Not everyone can raise their voice in class and say exactly why they need to go. And having to do this in front of teachers and boys in the class could be embarrassing. "One of my friends was too shy to speak up, and she leaked through her uniform." Cardiff council said more than £1m had been invested through its Period Dignity initiative which aims to improve school facilities "to ensure dignity for learners". "Secondary schools are provided with a variety of period products, and dispensers have been installed in school toilets to ensure easy access to period products without needing to ask staff," it said. "We acknowledge the challenges some schools face in keeping toilet facilities free from anti-social behaviour and ensuring safeguarding, which may lead to restricted use during the day. However, we are committed to working with schools to find solutions that ensure pupils can access toilets when needed." Caerphilly council said toilet regulations were made by schools, adding it recommended parents discuss any issues with their child's school directly by following the complaints policy. People avoid drinking over lack of public toilets BBC reporter spent six hours on floor of accessible toilet Pupils opt for gender-neutral loos at new school
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Students say school toilet rules create anxiety
Students say they have been left feeling embarrassed and anxious due to "baffling" school toilet restrictions. Holly, from Pentyrch, Cardiff, said she would frequently be denied permission to go to the toilet during class, or struggle to find one that was not "locked off", which contributed to her decision to be home-schooled. "I don't understand why, it's a normal, natural human thing," she said. It comes after a UK-wide survey found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any time. Cardiff council said it acknowledged the challenges faced by schools but was committed to working with them to find solutions for pupils to access toilets when needed. Holly, who is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sensory processing disorder, previously attended Radyr Comprehensive School but began being home-schooled with an online tutor in January 2024. The 15-year-old said toilet rules were a "major contributor" in the decision. "Sometimes we would have to ask in front of the class and we would be denied, sometimes we would have to tell them why we needed to go to the toilet," she said. "It was hugely embarrassing, you would toy with yourself [as to] whether you had the confidence to put up your hand and ask. It's a big feeling of potential judgement." Holly said she and her friends had "bled through our underwear", adding: "One of my friends bled through onto a chair and had to do a walk of shame. It was one of her first periods and people made fun of her for weeks." She said some toilets were "locked off" during class time, to stop pupils going to certain parts of the school. 'Unfair' to call parents into school to change nappies No working toilets and zombie knives in 'vile' housing for kids Are rules on going to school toilets too strict? Holly added there was "massive inequality" for menstruating students, who sometimes had to detour to the school office to get period products. "Even the women in the school act like they don't understand what it's like. "I don't understand why period products can't be in the toilets." She said she accepted that misbehaviour in the toilets - such as vandalism, vaping and truancy - was a concern for staff, but she wanted them to "address those issues" instead of "punishing good students". Holly eventually secured a toilet pass, which meant teachers had to allow her out, but said she still faced challenges. "I am autistic, so the toilets were a space where I could regulate," she explained, adding if she took too long someone would "bang on the door" or think she was "skiving off". She said this could lead to being overwhelmed. "One thing gets bigger and bigger until I feel like I am going to explode, and then I can't go back to class and I miss valuable learning time." She said she was now "much happier" as she could "do what I need to, when I need to". Holly's mum, Jo Wallace, said she was "baffled" by the toilet rules, adding teenagers were "expected to be very mature and make big life decisions" but also "not trusted" to use the toilets. "I can't understand how schools have got to this point," she said. "I think it's laziness, because I think there are ways they could address issues without blocking [toilets] off. "They need to realise it's having a very detrimental effect." She added: "It's a difficult time getting your period in school, and they have so much pressure on them already. "I went to Radyr myself and it wasn't like that, we had access to the toilets at all points, it wasn't an issue." Ms Wallace said she understood teachers had to follow policies, but questioned the "benefit" of the rules on "children who are just trying to get through the day". A UK-wide survey by Caerphilly-based company phs Group, in partnership with menstrual justice charity Irise International, found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any time. Of these, 29% needed permission from a teacher to leave the classroom and 15% required a pass to be issued. Of the 501 teachers who took part, 5% reported school toilets being locked at some point during the school day, including break times, with 4% saying they were shut all the time. And16% said they had prevented a student who had periods from using the bathroom during class, with reasons including students wanting to skip lessons or meet friends. About 30% felt students on their periods should wait until the end of a lesson. Erin, a sixth form student at Bedwas High School in Caerphilly county, said following renovations to the school toilets, facilities were now designated to different year groups but were not equal in terms of access to sanitary products and bins. The 17-year-old said toilets were locked during lessons and permission was mostly denied apart from a "handful" of times, "if you say it's an emergency". "When I've needed to go to change my period products, I've been refused. Because I really needed to go, I decided to speak out in class about why [and] ended up walking out and been told off," she said. Like Holly, Erin said she understood "behavioural issues" were the reason for the restrictions, but added it was unfair on others. "Not everyone can raise their voice in class and say exactly why they need to go. And having to do this in front of teachers and boys in the class could be embarrassing. "One of my friends was too shy to speak up, and she leaked through her uniform." Cardiff council said more than £1m had been invested through its Period Dignity initiative which aims to improve school facilities "to ensure dignity for learners". "Secondary schools are provided with a variety of period products, and dispensers have been installed in school toilets to ensure easy access to period products without needing to ask staff," it said. "We acknowledge the challenges some schools face in keeping toilet facilities free from anti-social behaviour and ensuring safeguarding, which may lead to restricted use during the day. However, we are committed to working with schools to find solutions that ensure pupils can access toilets when needed." Caerphilly council said toilet regulations were made by schools, adding it recommended parents discuss any issues with their child's school directly by following the complaints policy. People avoid drinking over lack of public toilets BBC reporter spent six hours on floor of accessible toilet Pupils opt for gender-neutral loos at new school
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Toilet rules create anxiety over periods, say school pupils
Students say they have been left feeling embarrassed and anxious due to "baffling" school toilet from Pentyrch, Cardiff, said she would frequently be denied permission to go to the toilet during class, or struggle to find one that was not "locked off", which contributed to her decision to be home-schooled."I don't understand why, it's a normal, natural human thing," she comes after a UK-wide survey found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any council said it acknowledged the challenges faced by schools but was committed to working with them to find solutions for pupils to access toilets when needed. Holly, who is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sensory processing disorder, previously attended Radyr Comprehensive School but began being home-schooled with an online tutor in January 15-year-old said toilet rules were a "major contributor" in the decision."Sometimes we would have to ask in front of the class and we would be denied, sometimes we would have to tell them why we needed to go to the toilet," she said."It was hugely embarrassing, you would toy with yourself [as to] whether you had the confidence to put up your hand and ask. It's a big feeling of potential judgement."Holly said she and her friends had "bled through our underwear", adding: "One of my friends bled through onto a chair and had to do a walk of shame. It was one of her first periods and people made fun of her for weeks."She said some toilets were "locked off" during class time, to stop pupils going to certain parts of the school. Holly added there was "massive inequality" for menstruating students, who sometimes had to detour to the school office to get period products."Even the women in the school act like they don't understand what it's like."I don't understand why period products can't be in the toilets."She said she accepted that misbehaviour in the toilets - such as vandalism, vaping and truancy - was a concern for staff, but she wanted them to "address those issues" instead of "punishing good students".Holly eventually secured a toilet pass, which meant teachers had to allow her out, but said she still faced challenges."I am autistic, so the toilets were a space where I could regulate," she explained, adding if she took too long someone would "bang on the door" or think she was "skiving off".She said this could lead to being overwhelmed."One thing gets bigger and bigger until I feel like I am going to explode, and then I can't go back to class and I miss valuable learning time."She said she was now "much happier" as she could "do what I need to, when I need to". 'There is so much pressure already' Holly's mum, Jo Wallace, said she was "baffled" by the toilet rules, adding teenagers were "expected to be very mature and make big life decisions" but also "not trusted" to use the toilets."I can't understand how schools have got to this point," she said."I think it's laziness, because I think there are ways they could address issues without blocking [toilets] off."They need to realise it's having a very detrimental effect."She added: "It's a difficult time getting your period in school, and they have so much pressure on them already."I went to Radyr myself and it wasn't like that, we had access to the toilets at all points, it wasn't an issue."Ms Wallace said she understood teachers had to follow policies, but questioned the "benefit" of the rules on "children who are just trying to get through the day". A UK-wide survey by Caerphilly-based company phs Group, in partnership with menstrual justice charity Irise International, found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any these, 29% needed permission from a teacher to leave the classroom and 15% required a pass to be the 501 teachers who took part, 5% reported school toilets being locked at some point during the school day, including break times, with 4% saying they were shut all the said they had prevented a student who had periods from using the bathroom during class, with reasons including students wanting to skip lessons or meet 30% felt students on their periods should wait until the end of a lesson. Erin, a sixth form student at Bedwas High School in Caerphilly county, said following renovations to the school toilets, facilities were now designated to different year groups but were not equal in terms of access to sanitary products and 17-year-old said toilets were locked during lessons and permission was mostly denied apart from a "handful" of times, "if you say it's an emergency"."When I've needed to go to change my period products, I've been refused. Because I really needed to go, I decided to speak out in class about why [and] ended up walking out and been told off," she Holly, Erin said she understood "behavioural issues" were the reason for the restrictions, but added it was unfair on others."Not everyone can raise their voice in class and say exactly why they need to go. And having to do this in front of teachers and boys in the class could be embarrassing."One of my friends was too shy to speak up, and she leaked through her uniform."Cardiff council said more than £1m had been invested through its Period Dignity initiative which aims to improve school facilities "to ensure dignity for learners"."Secondary schools are provided with a variety of period products, and dispensers have been installed in school toilets to ensure easy access to period products without needing to ask staff," it said."We acknowledge the challenges some schools face in keeping toilet facilities free from anti-social behaviour and ensuring safeguarding, which may lead to restricted use during the day. However, we are committed to working with schools to find solutions that ensure pupils can access toilets when needed."Caerphilly council said toilet regulations were made by schools, adding it recommended parents discuss any issues with their child's school directly by following the complaints policy.
