HOUSTON — A teacher's union is filing a grievance with the Houston Independence School District over a bathroom policy at Sharpstown High School.
The Houston Federation of Teachers said the policy prohibits students from going to the bathroom during class, something the union president said is ridiculous and unrealistic to expect students to plan their restroom time between classes.
We reached out to HISD for a response and the district sent over the following statement:
"HISD cannot comment on a pending legal or grievance matter from outside organizations. It is up to principals to set restroom policies at their schools. Campus leaders and other school staff should use good judgment in setting policies and responding to students’ needs. At NES and NES-aligned campuses, students in elementary and middle school use a small orange cone as a restroom pass. Unlike the paper passes that some schools use, a cone is far less likely to be lost, left on the floor, or destroyed. Students place the cone outside the restroom door so that teachers and staff know how many students are inside. This helps to prevent congregating in the restroom, vaping, and behavior issues. At NES and NES-aligned schools, we also recommend, but do not require, that students avoid leaving the classroom during the first 10 minutes or the last 10 minutes of instruction. That is because at the beginning of class, the teacher goes over the learning objective, what students will learn for the day. At the end of class, students do a demonstration of learning, or mini quiz, that helps them, and the teacher see how well the student understood the lesson."