What does your school do when your PK3/4 has a poop accident? DCPS *only* (not charter)?

[Anonymous]

I know that several variations on this question have been asked, but I've read them all and my question is specific to DCPS, not charter schools.

What does your school do if your child has a poop accident?

We switched from a PK3 charter last year to PK4 at our DCPS this year. Our child is potty trained, but did have a week last year where he started some assessments (speech & language) and had a week-long backslide where he was having daily poop acdidenets, triggered by anxiety. Charter wasn't psyched, but changed him each day. He got over it and finished the year fine.

Fast forward to this year. School year started fine for weeks, but new round of assessments started last week, and he pooped his pants the next day. The school called us to come change him (even though they had 2 changes of clothes for him in class). They said DCPS policy is that they're not allowed to change them, due to legal concerns about touching kids. So, basically my kid sat isolated in the nurse's office for an hour with poop in his pants til I got to school and changed him.

This seems unreasonable to me. I know no one wants to change a kid's poopy pants, but it seems that somehow between a preschool teacher and a nurse that someone should be able to help out.

Can anyone (DCPS only) please share their experiences? I want to know if my school is unique in this policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know that several variations on this question have been asked, but I've read them all and my question is specific to DCPS, not charter schools.

What does your school do if your child has a poop accident?

We switched from a PK3 charter last year to PK4 at our DCPS this year. Our child is potty trained, but did have a week last year where he started some assessments (speech & language) and had a week-long backslide where he was having daily poop acdidenets, triggered by anxiety. Charter wasn't psyched, but changed him each day. He got over it and finished the year fine.

Fast forward to this year. School year started fine for weeks, but new round of assessments started last week, and he pooped his pants the next day. The school called us to come change him (even though they had 2 changes of clothes for him in class). They said DCPS policy is that they're not allowed to change them, due to legal concerns about touching kids. So, basically my kid sat isolated in the nurse's office for an hour with poop in his pants til I got to school and changed him.

This seems unreasonable to me. I know no one wants to change a kid's poopy pants, but it seems that somehow between a preschool teacher and a nurse that someone should be able to help out.

Can anyone (DCPS only) please share their experiences? I want to know if my school is unique in this policy.

Our son had a fear of pooping at school that resulted in him pooping two or three times in PK-4. Each time the teacher or aftercare teacher cleaned him. This was 3 years ago, and I don't remember if any of the incidents happened during regular school hours, however - might have been all in aftercare, and the rules might have changed since then.

[Anonymous]

Any time there's a so-called "policy" ask to see it in writing.

[Anonymous]

The difference is that he used to be 3 and now he's 4. What is appropriate at 3 isn't at 4.

[Anonymous]

It's also a licensing issue. Some teachers are licenses to change diapers (and accidents) and some are not.

I do think the nurse should have put on some gloves and cleaned him up. He's in preschool, not 2nd grade

[Anonymous]

Did the nurse explain why she wasn't able to help?

[Anonymous]

Our Prek3 teacher or aide cleaned up my daughter and sent the dirty clothes home.

[Anonymous]

Our PK3 teacher cleaned and changed my DS and sent the dirty clothes home in a bag.
The aftercare teachers don't change him if he has a poop accident & I've had to change & clean him when I pick him up.

[Anonymous]

DCPS PreK teacher here.

Sh*t happens. A real teacher who cares about her students will change them. As a parent and teacher, I would expect my child's teacher to do the same. I have heard no such policy, it's just not true. The teacher is LAZY and does not care for your child. As the saying goes, Kids don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Be weary.

[Anonymous]

I would be pissed, OP. I'm sorry that happened to your child.

[Anonymous]

Why did you send two changes of clothing? One is enough for a potty trained kid. Is he truly potty trained. If he is having anxiety-based accidents, maybe you should ask the school about an IEP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The difference is that he used to be 3 and now he's 4. What is appropriate at 3 isn't at 4.

To be clear, they said that's the policy at all ages.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP that you should demand to see this so-called DCPS policy. If his accidents are rare the teacher or aide should have helped. My child went to Barnard for PS3 a she probably had 5 poop accidents throughout the year and the teacher/aide team always handled it with compassion and tact. I'm sorry your child's teacher is so unhelpful.

[Anonymous]

At 4, why couldn't he take off his dirty clothes, wipe his own ass, and put on clean clothes?

[Anonymous]

You should have trained him. You can't expect the school to clean his crap. Eww.
I'm an RN and I did not go to University for four years to clean crap.
Get help for his anxiety too.
You anger is misplaced.