A urinary tract infection, anxiety, and embarrassment are all conditions a Pasadena ISD mother says her daughter suffered after her teacher refused to let her use the bathroom at Theo Jensen Elementary.
The little girl’s mother says she knows of four times her daughter was denied a bathroom break, but it was the last time just over a month ago that she said it left her daughter both emotionally and physically damaged.
Jasmine Flores said she still does not have the response she’s been hoping for from the school.
“It made me sad,” said 9-year-old Julie.
Julie thinks back to Sept 28th. She says she was in the 4th grade at Jensen Elementary School and asked her teacher to use the restroom.
“She ignored me,” Julie said.
The little girl said she was forced to hold it until her mom picked her up.
“She was kind of hesitant to tell me that she needed to go to the bathroom at that moment in time,” said Julie’s mother, Jasmine Flores.
Flores said after she realized what was happening, she made a quick and crucial decision.
“She was going to pee in her pants, and I told her just do what you have to in the back seat, and I’ll talk to the principal when I get out,” Flores said.
Even after Julie relieved herself, she says the effects of what happened lingered.
“I was embarrassed to go back,” Julie said.
Emotions were followed by physical pain.
“She started having pains in her private area and I was like ‘you know what? Let me just take her to the doctor to see what’s going on,’ and that’s when he told me ‘your daughter has a UTI,’” Flores said.
“It felt really bad,” Julie added.
In addition to the medication Julie takes for her special needs condition, Flores says her daughter needed to be placed on antibiotics and see a therapist because she now suffers from bathroom anxiety.
“They keep sweeping it under the rug is what gets to me,” Flores said.
Flores filed a report with the Harris County Pct. 2 Constable’s Office claiming child abuse and filed a grievance against the school.
“I haven’t even gotten an apology from the teacher yet,” Flores said.
Flores said she’s called CPS about the incident and has since put Julie in another school. Yet she started a petition on change.org hoping to ensure restroom access for special needs children at elementary schools.
Pasadena ISD sent the following statement to KPRC 2:
“Pasadena ISD cannot comment on an individual student situation. The district does not have a policy or practice that denies students access to restroom facilities. Every effort is made to accommodate student requests to use the restroom.”