Mountain Home Public Schools has discontinued a teacher's practice of requiring students to use an unconventional object as a bathroom hall pass following a parent's complaint that the practice humiliated her child.
Superintendent Allyson Dewey confirmed on Friday that the district had ended the practice, explaining that it had been previously perceived as humorous or lighthearted. Dewey emphasized the importance of addressing any concerns that make students uncomfortable. “I know this is something that’s making a kid feel uncomfortable. We’re gonna make it go away,” she said.
The issue came to light after a post circulated widely on Facebook earlier on Friday. In the post, a parent alleged that her eighth-grade child at Mountain Home Junior High had been required to wear a used toilet seat around their neck as a bathroom hall pass. According to the parent, the child came home with a stomachache after choosing not to use the restroom at school to avoid having to carry the pass again. The parent described the practice as shaming and degrading, further alleging that her child was not the only student subjected to this treatment.
The parent also stated she was working to verify which staff member was responsible for the practice, narrowing it to one of two individuals. NorthArkNow is not naming any employee as the matter remains unconfirmed.
When asked directly whether the hall pass in question was a toilet seat, Dewey did not confirm, stating only that she did not know what the object was. “I can assure you if a kid feels uncomfortable, or if I have any [complaint] that it’s something questionable, that needs to be changed,” she said.
Dewey acknowledged that she had seen the Facebook post and noted that the parent planned to contact her later that same day. Although no specifics about the object were provided, Dewey promptly took action to ensure that the practice would not continue.
The district has not publicly identified the object or the teacher involved, and further details remain unavailable at this time.