What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey
I am a student in a public highschool in New Jersey. In two of my classes, bathroom use is severely restricted. Let me preface this by saying I currently do not have problems with bathroom rules myself, however I am concerned that I may need to use the restroom at a 'restricted' time in the future and would like to know if any protections apply.
The school locks bathrooms from the last five minutes of a class period until the first five minutes of the next class period, including a five minute transition period between classes. Therefore using the bathroom between classes is against the rules. Aside from that, teachers generally force a policy of one student allowed to use a bathroom at a time at a maximum of five minutes. With a 48 minute class period, taking into account the ten minutes lost due to locking bathrooms and assuming students take 5 minute bathroom trips (reasonable as trips require signing out from the classroom, finding an open bathroom, signing in to the bathroom, signing out from the bathroom, returning and signing in) only 7 students may use the bathroom per class period under perfect conditions. This might be perfectly reasonable assuming all students that need to use the bathroom know so ahead of time and can coordinate bathroom usage. This becomes a problem when two or more students realize they need to use the bathroom before another 15 minute dry spell. Although this is a major annoyance outright, this becomes a severe problem when teachers restrict bathroom usage further.
Some teachers restrict bathroom access to only 'silent' moments in class, or moments in which a class is not actively discussing something. This might be reasonable without further restriction, but in combination with the aforementioned rules becomes a hindrance. The 38 minutes of bathroom opportunity shrinks even further. This is clearly evident in one class in which the teacher does not allow a student to use the bathroom until she has finished lecturing. The lecture consistently (not counting test days) leads until the last few minutes or so of class, therefore the student is unable to use the bathroom at any time during the class period. In another, bathroom use is restricted to one time per week subject to the mood of the teacher.
I belive that these policies, especially in combination, are not ethical and possibly illegal. Retention of waste is potentially harmful to health, leads to a risk of embarrassment and makes sitting in the classroom entirely uncomfortable. I was wondering if there exist any precedents concerning bathroom use in school (or in other cases that would apply to this situation) that I could present to the teacher or administration to dissuade them from continuing these policies (or possibly bring about legal action should the need arise). I had heard from another teacher that denying bathroom use is illegal, although he did not have a source for this. I did manage to find this paper (http://pedigolaw.com/assets/files/PDFs/Bathroom Rights.pdf) although I am not sure of the validity of it or its relevance.
Thank you in advance, and I hope this is the right section. If not please direct me to it.
I am a student in a public highschool in New Jersey. In two of my classes, bathroom use is severely restricted. Let me preface this by saying I currently do not have problems with bathroom rules myself, however I am concerned that I may need to use the restroom at a 'restricted' time in the future and would like to know if any protections apply.
The school locks bathrooms from the last five minutes of a class period until the first five minutes of the next class period, including a five minute transition period between classes. Therefore using the bathroom between classes is against the rules. Aside from that, teachers generally force a policy of one student allowed to use a bathroom at a time at a maximum of five minutes. With a 48 minute class period, taking into account the ten minutes lost due to locking bathrooms and assuming students take 5 minute bathroom trips (reasonable as trips require signing out from the classroom, finding an open bathroom, signing in to the bathroom, signing out from the bathroom, returning and signing in) only 7 students may use the bathroom per class period under perfect conditions. This might be perfectly reasonable assuming all students that need to use the bathroom know so ahead of time and can coordinate bathroom usage. This becomes a problem when two or more students realize they need to use the bathroom before another 15 minute dry spell. Although this is a major annoyance outright, this becomes a severe problem when teachers restrict bathroom usage further.
Some teachers restrict bathroom access to only 'silent' moments in class, or moments in which a class is not actively discussing something. This might be reasonable without further restriction, but in combination with the aforementioned rules becomes a hindrance. The 38 minutes of bathroom opportunity shrinks even further. This is clearly evident in one class in which the teacher does not allow a student to use the bathroom until she has finished lecturing. The lecture consistently (not counting test days) leads until the last few minutes or so of class, therefore the student is unable to use the bathroom at any time during the class period. In another, bathroom use is restricted to one time per week subject to the mood of the teacher.
I belive that these policies, especially in combination, are not ethical and possibly illegal. Retention of waste is potentially harmful to health, leads to a risk of embarrassment and makes sitting in the classroom entirely uncomfortable. I was wondering if there exist any precedents concerning bathroom use in school (or in other cases that would apply to this situation) that I could present to the teacher or administration to dissuade them from continuing these policies (or possibly bring about legal action should the need arise). I had heard from another teacher that denying bathroom use is illegal, although he did not have a source for this. I did manage to find this paper (http://pedigolaw.com/assets/files/PDFs/Bathroom Rights.pdf) although I am not sure of the validity of it or its relevance.
Thank you in advance, and I hope this is the right section. If not please direct me to it.
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