Pupils' petition aims to stop school's class-time toilet ban

A Scottish school has denied a claim in an online petition set up by pupils that it has imposed an outright ban on using the toilet during class-time.

The Free the Bladder campaign regards policy at Perth Grammar School. Picture: Google

Perth Grammar School said there has been an “ongoing issue with a large number of pupils asking to be excused during class-time” but the petition claims the move breaches human rights.

Titled “Free the Bladder – a breach of human rights”, the Change.org petition has received more than 3,000 signatures.

The organisers said they hoped the toilet ban would be overturned if their petition attracted more than 100 signatories.

They admit there has been a problem with pupils avoiding classes by going to the toilet but they claim bathrooms have remained locked during breaks.

Perth and Kinross Council said pupils wre allowed to leave class in “exceptional circumstances” with a toilet key available and claimed it would work with pupils, staff and parents to explain the policy. The petition said: “As of last week, Mrs X [the head teacher] decided that students would no longer be able to use the toilet facilities during class-time and proceeded to lock all bathrooms to prevent us from using said facilities.

“The toilets were then promised to be unlocked at interval and lunch, but so far this has failed to happen.

“The motive behind this idiocy seems sensible.

“Mrs X does not approve of the number of people being excused from class and fears people may ‘hide’ in the bathrooms to prevent going to subjects they dislike and fair enough, this does happen.

“However, preventing us from one of our basic human rights is not the way to solve the problem.”

A Perth and Kinross Council spokeswoman said: “There has been an ongoing issue with a large number of pupils asking to be excused during class-time.

“The head teacher has taken steps to reinforce the school’s existing policy that pupils should not be out during class-time unless under exceptional circumstances.

“We will work with the school’s staff, pupils and parents to ensure that everyone understands the policy and how it is being implemented.”