12-Year-Old Girl Embarrassed By Teacher: Allegedly Denied Bathroom Privileges After Starting First Menstrual Cycle

One mother was absolutely furious after learning her 12-year-old daughter had not been allowed to use the bathroom at school. While most would consider the mother’s frustration to be a bit extreme due to the girl’s age, there’s a legitimate reason for her anger.

Apparently, her daughter began menstruating for the first time in class. She reportedly had blood running down her leg when she asked the unnamed teacher to use the bathroom. But, unfortunately, she’d already used all of her bathroom privileges for the week so the teacher refused to make an exception. When her daughter came home bloodied with visible strains on her pants, she reportedly asked why she did not go to the bathroom. The girl explained to her mother that she feared being sent to detention.

Needless to say, the girl’s mother was absolutely furious. So, she took to Reddit to voice her frustrations about the teacher’s lack of consideration for the girl’s seemingly shocking and embarrassing situation.

“So, my daughter is 12 and is in middle school,” the mother explained. “Today she came home and told me that she started her period and bled through her pants. When I asked why she didn’t go to the bathroom, she said she already used her five time limit for the nine weeks. I asked what happens after she used up the five times, she said that she would get detention. She said she asked the teacher but the teacher told her no unless she wanted to explain why she needed to go.”

The mother went on to explain that the bathroom policy is not a regulation enforced by the school. It is actually just an isolated, classroom rule that the teacher enforces. So, of course she reportedly went to the school to address the issue with administrators. She recounted her conversation with the school’s assistant principal, but unfortunately, the discussion wasn’t very effective. The assistant principal suggested the mother inform the teacher about her daughter’s situation. But, it wouldn’t ensure the teacher would allow the girl to use the bathroom. The girl’s mother argued how embarrassing it is for a 12-year-old to discuss feminine issues in front of a class, but to no avail.

“So, you feel that three minutes is enough time to get all her books together, go to the bathroom, deal with her feminine issue and then get to the next class?” the mother asked the assistant principal.

“Well, you could always email her teachers and explain the situation but again, they don’t have to abide by that,” the assistant principal told her. “But the female teachers are pretty sensitive about feminine issue.”

“But what does my child even have to say anything?” the angry mom asked. “She’s 12, why does she have to stand in front of the classroom and tell the teacher in front of 30 students and say she’s having her period?”

“Well, some kids could take advantage of it,” the assistant principal responded.

Mad World News also explained a suggestion the assistant principal offered, suggesting that the girl go to the bathroom during gym class. However, that class is reportedly scheduled for 9:30 a.m., which would

After getting nowhere with the assistant principal, the mother opted to take things a step further. She reportedly complained to the assistant superintendent of the school district. The assistant superintendent explained that while no policies are in place for cases regarding students with menstruation, the teacher just didn’t use “common sense.”

“He apologized for what happened to my daughter and then stated that there was no bathroom policy for the district because he said that there shouldn’t be a policy on something that is common sense,” the user explained. “He said that she shouldn’t have to say that she is having a feminine issue, all she needs to say is that she is having an emergency. He said, granted that she couldn’t take advantage of it and that if it was becoming a problem, that she might need to be seen by a doctor.”

Do you think the teacher was wrong for not allowing the girl to use the bathroom? Share your thoughts.

[Image via Communicating and Writing]