I’m going to start this off by saying that I have had many times where I’ve had to wait, or even forgot, to use the bathroom, and I will admit it, but waiting too long can cause a number of issues. I believe that teachers, not just in my hometown of Corry, Pennsylvania, but everywhere, should not be allowed to refuse students permission to use the restroom due to the health risks it poses, and because the pain and discomfort waiting to use the restroom causes.

I often find myself not using the bathroom at school out of fear of getting in trouble for taking too long, even though I have digestive issues. This is a big problem: being yelled at for taking too long in the bathroom, a problem I will address alongside my main topic.

One common problem is that holding in urine can cause a UTI. As stated in the article, “What happens if someone holds their pee for too long?” Published by Medical News Today, “In some cases, holding in urine for too long can cause bacteria to multiply. This may lead to a urinary tract infection.” Holding in urine, or feces for that matter, can also just simply cause pain and discomfort, which can make it hard to focus and accomplish work in a school setting.

Holding in feces can also cause health issues such as constipation and inflammation. In the article “Why people should not hold in their poop,” On the Medical News Today website, it states that holding in waste on occasion is not harmful, however, as I stated previously, myself and other students do not often use the bathroom in this way at school due to fear of punishment for taking too long, and holding it every day, or almost every day, for eight hours a day in my case, is not healthy in the least bit.

Going back to holding in urine, doing so can also cause bladder stretching, which can make it difficult or impossible to urinate, and sometimes, extra measures such as a catheter may be necessary. Holding in urine can, in some cases, also cause kidney stones to form. Holding in urine can also in some cases cause damage to the pelvic floor, which can lead to urinary incontinence.

I feel as though being punished for taking too long in the restroom is also an issue that needs addressed. I remember when I was in eighth grade, a kid got after-school detention because he “took too long” in the restroom. I was confused because humans cannot control when and how badly they need to use the restroom, let alone how long they take, and for someone like me who has difficulty using the restroom under any circumstance, that makes me worried. I don’t want detention for just doing something totally normal.

I understand that this may not be the same at other schools, however, I refuse to believe that my school is the only one that does this, and it needs to stop. Assignments can be made up later on, missing a portion of class is not going to kill anyone, and it’s totally normal to pee and poop. There. I said it. It is a normal thing that should go without question or judgement.

I do, however, understand full well that some students go to the bathroom to skip class or hit their vape, but how are teachers supposed to prevent that? The answer is they don’t need to. The teachers do get paid either way, and it’s a waste of time to repeat yourself when nothing changes anyway.

With all of this information, I strongly believe that teachers should not, under almost any circumstances, be allowed to refuse a student permission to use the bathroom. Doing so can cause potential health risks for the students, and may cause inability to focus or complete assignments due to pain and discomfort.