A proposed law in Utah would make it illegal for parents to send their children to kindergarten without first potty training them.
The bill, proposed by state Rep. Douglas Welton, would also establish guidelines for referring a family to a social worker for not adhering to the policy change.
The Republican lawmaker said he was forced to draft HB331 after learning that three kindergarten teachers were “ready to resign” after they were asked to wipe their students’ butts or check their diapers.
“They say, ‘This is too much risk.’ I’m not going to risk potty training a child. They need to come potty trained and ready to go,’” Welton told Desert News.
“You’re asking teachers who already seem a little distrustful of certain segments of the population and you’re asking them to go and help make it easier for a child to use the bathroom. That’s a big risk that many of them don’t want to take and shouldn’t take.”
The bill itself would require the State Board of Education to create a new rule “regarding potty training as a condition of kindergarten enrollment.”
A parent or designated adult could assist with potty training as needed, according to the amended bill.
Those who enroll in school without the necessary toilet training will be removed from class and referred to a school social worker or counselor for resources.
Rep. Douglas Welton said teachers were concerned about the risk of helping students who soiled their clothes. https://progressreport.betterutah.org/legislators/rep-doug-r-welton/
Only when the student learns to use the bathroom on his or her own will he or she be allowed back into the classroom.
There are exceptions in the proposed legislation for students who have a condition described in the Individualized Education Program that would otherwise hinder their potty training.
Welton argued that the bill is essential for the safety of children and their teachers, especially since the number of students attending full-day kindergarten classes has increased in recent months after another bill expanded the access to classrooms.
State BOE data show that 77% of children enrolled in kindergarten are enrolled in the full-day option this academic year, up from 34% last year.
“This is pretty universal. Throughout the state of Utah. We have about four times as many children coming to kindergarten who are not potty trained,” Welton said.
Teachers have expressed concern about the legal risk of touching children who have soiled themselves, but leaving a child sitting in their mess creates its own plethora of health and moral problems.
The proposed bill would make it mandatory for kindergarteners to be potty trained before enrolling in the classroom. ChiccoDodiFC
School nurses have helped with these issues before, but Weltson said they have been overwhelmed by the influx of kindergarten children.
“If it’s four times that, we’re going to have to hire a lot of school nurses,” she said.
The bill earned a favorable recommendation from the House Education Committee on Wednesday.
If approved, it would go into effect in time for the 2024-2025 school year.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn