Child punished for using bathroom

[Asterix]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? North Carolina

My 11 year old daughter attends a public school in North Carolina. The teacher sets aside specific times during the course of the day for students to use the bathroom. If a student uses the bathroom "unscheduled", they must walk three laps around the playground during recess. There are many concerns that arise with this sort of "punishment". The children could be so worried about having to take time away from playing at recess by having to walk laps that they may hold thier bodily functions and risk going in thier pants or even worse developing a health problem. Both my wife and I got very distraught when our daughter told us this. One would think that you simply cannot refuse a child from going to the bathroom and then on top of it punish them for doing so. I am curious to know what sort of legal boundries this pushes.

 

[CourtClerk]

None at all

 

[cyberseek]

First, find out all the details with school first....

I know how easy it is, and although this not legal advice, first things first.

Please have a discussion with the school and teacher first if you have not.
Get all of your information and do not go off hot headed. Keep calm, and confront this problem as clear headed as you can.

Then if it feels right after you have all of the information, start looking at getting an advocate, or legal help involved. Be careful how you handle this, your child goes to that school, and no matter how adults are suppose to behave, sometimes they don't do well at it.

Scheduled bathroom breaks are there to help keep order, but if your child really needs to go to the bathroom when there is not a scheduled bathroom break, there should be something in place to allow this.