Stepping Out Of Class

At John T. Hoggard High School, the question of when students can leave class—whether for the bathroom, water, or to visit another teacher—varies depending on who’s teaching. While every educator has their own system, one thing is clear: Balancing trust, responsibility, and classroom management is tricky.

When asked about their bathroom policies, teachers offered a wide range of answers. One math teacher keeps things simple: students may go if they see the pass is available, and sign out. However, they may not go within the first or last ten minutes of class. One football coach enforces a one-pass system—if the pass isn’t there, no one goes.

Others take a more flexible approach. A health science teacher said they have no formal policy, believing students should be treated like responsible adults. In contrast, a history teacher, who also teaches economics, uses an incentive-based system: each student gets three bathroom passes per nine weeks, but if they don’t use them, each unused pass counts as a 100% quiz grade.

Some policies focus more on timing than limits. Another history teacher who also serves as the student council advisor doesn’t allow bathroom breaks during lectures or instruction time. Only one student may leave at a time, and always with a pass, during other times.

When it comes to leaving class after finishing work, teachers are again divided. Some—like the math and health science teachers—allow students to go as long as they have permission or a hall pass. Others, like the economics teacher, firmly prohibit leaving early. The student council advisor strikes a balance, permitting it only after confirming with the teacher that the student plans to visit and that they are expecting them.

Water breaks bring another layer of difference. Some teachers treat those breaks much like bathroom trips, requiring the same pass and sign-out process. Others, such as the health science and economics teachers, allow students to get water freely as long as they have a pass in hand.

The differences in these policies reflect a balance between structure and trust. While some educators rely on strict rules to maintain order, others emphasize independence and responsibility. In the end, how and when a student can “step out of class” depends on who’s standing at the front of the room.