The need to pee.

It shows up unexpected and is almost never predictable.

Because of that, should teachers allow use of the hall pass when asked for it?

Some teachers let students use the hall pass whenever they have to go, while others aren’t as lenient. Those teachers seem to think that having a limited number of hall pass uses per student is the right way to go about it.

The New Health Advisor posted an article that said “the average person urinates 8-10 times a day or more if drinking caffeine or excessive liquids.” Eight to ten times a day unless drinking caffeine, drinking caffeine is almost a hobby for high school students.

Say a student had some coffee with their breakfast and now they really have to use the restroom during their first period but have used up all the hall passes for the term, what are they supposed to do? Wet their pants?

When asked about his thoughts on the matter, Jace Cramer grade 12, said “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous, there are some kids out there that cannot control their bowel movements.”

Cramer also states “There are some kids with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and it’s kind of not fair to them.”

Some teachers aren’t as strict about hall pass uses while some teachers are extremely strict and makes it seem like a student is insulting them by needing to pee.

Steve Hodges, a pediatric urologist, posted on his website “Suppressing the urge to urinate can damage a growing bladder by thickening and aggravating the bladder wall which increases the risk of urinary tract infections.”

Do teachers really have the right to deny the use of the bathroom if it can cause health problems?

Hodges also wrote “Suppressing the urge to defecate can be just as hazardous. Stool piles up which stretches the rectum and presses against the bladder, increasing urinary need.”

Is it such a problem for students to use the restroom that teachers have to risk students’ health to say they can’t?

Psychology teacher Mrs. Shannon Hanks says “I think it’s unfair to certain kids if they have medical conditions.” Hanks also sympathizes with teachers who do limit hall passes by saying “Kids should be old enough by now to understand why teachers limit hall passes and that we want you in class as much as possible and certainly kids have been known to abuse the hall pass from time to time.”

It basically boils down to that teachers don’t trust students with the hall pass.

Teaching quality.org stresses that trust is a very important part of the educational system. They write that Finland has one of the most successful educational systems because students and teachers trust each other.

Should teachers trust students when there are some who use the hall pass to sluff class periods? On the other side there’s kids who really have to use the restroom but can’t because the teacher believes they’ll just sluff. What is the right course of action and what needs to change?