Steve Hodges, M.D.
Should K-12 students have open access to school bathrooms so they can freely heed nature's call? Or should teachers limit bathroom passes so kids don't disrupt class or screw off in the hallways?
Controversy erupted on this issue last week when a Houston mom vented on TV about the policy at her son's school. According to the mom, Sarah Moreno, students were told they could earn restroom passes—"coupons"—for good behavior.
Said Moreno: "We should all just have the right to go to the bathroom, period, because we're alive on Earth."
The school district countered: "The restroom...coupon is simply one of many incentives created by classroom teachers to motivate and encourage students to maximize their instructional time."
Then a parenting blogger mocked Moreno on Facebook, unleashing charged retorts on both sides.
As a pediatric urologist, I stand with Moreno.
Read more on the Parents.com Parents Perspective blog.