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A dad has pulled his daughter from a Taranaki high school after claims a “no toilet during class” rule caused a menstruating student to soil her clothing
The school is standing by its decision, saying they are trying to curb a vaping and vandalism problem.
A dad has pulled his teenage daughter out of her Taranaki high school over its policy stopping students from going to the bathroom during class, which he claims caused a menstruating student to bleed through her clothing.
The small regional town of Inglewood has erupted into fury over the local high school’s decision to curb toilet visits and a period expert is enraged at the “lack of education” around menstruation.
However, Inglewood High School’s principal says it is trying to combat vandalism and vaping in its bathrooms and stands by the bathroom restrictions.
Inglewood dad Alex Cowling, whose 14-year-old daughter attends the school, claimed the new policy infringed on his daughter’s right to privacy and could impact her health.
“They have to provide a bathroom and free access to it ... they have the right to privacy so they don’t have to tell them why they’re going to the toilet.”
Cowling said he had complained to the school principal, its board of trustees and the Ministry of Education and plans to raise the issue with the Teacher’s Council.
Cowling’s daughter Bella told the Herald she understood why the school had the policy in place to stamp out vaping but said the entire school should not be punished for the actions of a few students.
“This has already gotten to a point where a girl has bled through her clothing and has to sit in it as a teacher told her to hold it and that she could wait. This student was mortified.
“I am sick of this treatment and all of my friends are as well.”
Inglewood High School's decision to prevent students from going to the bathroom during class has caused an uproar. Photo / Alyssa Smith
Cowling called the rule a “blatant unlawful misuse of power” and worried students may suffer adverse health effects, such as toxic shock syndrome and UTIs.
Cowling also said it put students at risk of being ridiculed by their peers.
“I usually stay out of school politics, but when they start [infringing] on my daughter’s right with such flimsy excuses, that’s when I have something to say.
“I’ve got to advocate for my kids because no one else is going to.”
A petition has been started to make the school retract its new policy.
Principal Rosey Mabin told the Herald the incident where a student bled through her clothes had not been reported to the school so she could not confirm it.
Mabin supplied a statement she had sent to parents explaining the new policy was to curb vandalism and vaping in the bathrooms.
Mabin also said they would look at trialling digital leave passes in the future.
Board of trustees chairman Mel Cook said he fully supported the principal and senior leadership team in their decision.
Jocelyn Mikaere, deputy secretary for the Ministry of Education’s Central office, said schools should take responsibility for their policies and procedures.
“School boards are free to make school rules on a wide range of matters, however, we expect them to consult with their parent community before making any decisions.”
Mikaere encouraged the parents to raise the issue directly with the school.
Danika Revell, chief executive and co-founder of the Period Place, said the policy made her “viscerally angry”.
She sympathised with the issues the school is trying to prevent but the rule highlighted a lack of menstrual health education.
“Would a teacher say to a student who is vomiting or has diarrhoea that they can’t go to the toilet? Because if the answer is ‘no’, then why can’t a menstruating student go to the toilet? It’s not like you can just squeeze it and hold it in until break time.”
