Limited bathroom passes are used in many classes to prevent students missing time from learning. Are these limits saving students from missing valuable learning time that will impact their future, or are they causing health issues?

Not allowing students to use the restroom can cause serious health issues and impede organ function in addition to hindering learning in the classroom. According to Step to Health, serious side effects of holding your bladder include “fever, shivers, stomach pains, cramps, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.” These prevent students from learning.

One Somerset Canyons parent does not believe in bathroom passes. “I don’t agree with limiting the bathroom passes.” The parent further stated, “I think we should recognize the students [using the bathroom] repeatedly and monitor them, and those that are not, allow them access to use the bathroom pass.”

Although going to the bathroom can prevent potential side effects, you are missing valuable time to learn and grow. This is problematic and stresses out the teachers when testing rolls around.

A Somerset teacher believes that bathroom passes should be used only in emergencies. “I do agree with bathroom passes. They get three emergencies, so this way when they have to go to the bathroom legitimately, they go to the bathroom.”

Bathroom passes remain a controversial subject. Do you give children a limited number of bathroom passes, or do you allow them to use the restroom at will and risk them not gaining knowledge?