CONROE, Texas — Parents at a Conroe Independent School District elementary school said they're appalled after learning multiple students peed on themselves when a teacher revoked their restroom privileges.
The district said it's investigating the incident that allegedly occurred during the school day on Wednesday at Bartlett Elementary. That's when parents told KHOU 11 they received a message from the first-grade teacher.
The message said to be from the teacher was shared with KHOU 11 News. In it, the teacher said the students lost their privilege to use the restroom during class because they lost their “restroom badge” while they were in the hallway. The message went on to say that some students ended up peeing on themselves in class. The teacher apologized to parents in the message.
"It's just appalling, it's very appalling, it's sad," parent Amber Johnson said. "The amount of infections and health things that can come from a child holding their urine that long is unacceptable."
Johnson said her daughter told her the incident caused emotional distress for the students involved.
"She was telling me that her friends were crying and pleading to go to the restroom," Johnson said.
A mother of one of the students who urinated themselves also spoke with KHOU 11 but did not want to be identified.
"She was pretty upset, she had to walk around in soaking clothes and soaking shoes," the mother said. "It's very frustrating, it's very frustrating."
The mother said her frustration grew after she had a conversation with the school principal who said there was also a teacher's aid in the classroom as well.
"They're an adult, you know, common sense would be, 'OK, well, she's not letting them go to the bathroom, there's multiple students saying that they need to go to the restroom, that's a human right, period,'" the mother told KHOU 11. "It doesn't matter if someone was playing in the restroom, lost a pass or whatever."
KHOU 11 reached out to Conroe ISD for comment. A representative sent the letter that was distributed to parents.
"This afternoon, we were made aware of a situation in a first-grade classroom in which restroom privileges were revoked. I have spoken with the parents of both students who, upsettingly, had accidents. The class will have a current staff member to serve as the substitute teacher for the remainder of the week while we complete our investigation into the matter. This incident is not indicative of the safe and loving environment we foster at Bartlett Elementary. I thank you for your support and continued partnership."
In an email to KHOU 11, the district said the teacher in question will not be on campus for the rest of the week as the investigation continues.