An investigation has been launched after the mother of an 8-year-old boy has come forward about a humiliating incident she says her son was forced into because a teacher refused to allow him to use the restroom.
Sonia Mongol says back in November, he son was forced to sit in urine-soaked clothing after being told to use a garbage can to relieve himself at his South Los Angeles school.
Mongol explained at a press conference Thursday, March 7 outside of Manhattan Place Elementary School the teacher “made him urinate in a trash can located at the front of a classroom, exposing himself in front of all of the other students, urinating on himself in the process.”
“He went to the nurse’s office, he received no help,” she adds.
Mongol said the student was then given trash bags to cover himself and said she was not alerted to what had happened. He stayed at school wearing the bags. Now, the mother says her son is being bullied over the humiliation.
“Why would you make a child expose himself in front of the classroom and then put a garbage bag over him when he came to you for help?” she wondered tearfully. “Why would you treat a child that way? He’s a kid.”
The employee who gave Mongol’s son the trash bags no longer works at the school, according to ABC 7.
Mongol said during the news conference that her son has since been denied permission to use the restroom by other teachers, too. She, along with former L.A. teachers and other protesters, went to the school’s main office to request changes in the school’s bathroom permissions policy. After knocking on the door, it went unanswered.
“Sometimes we don’t let them [students] use the bathroom because they want to all the time,” retired L.A. schoolteacher Latricia Mitchell said to KCAL.
The student’s mother said she initially went to the principal with her concerns but said she felt as if the principal did not understand her worries. She is now taking up the issue with the school board.
In response to the incident, L.A. Unified School District said in a statement it “takes all matters concerning the safety and well-being of our students very seriously. Upon learning about this allegation, law enforcement was notified immediately, and we are fully cooperating in the investigation. Los Angeles Unified is also conducting an administrative investigation. Due to confidentiality laws, we cannot offer further details at this time.”