Bathroom Passes

Okay, so I struggled for years with how to manage students going to the bathroom. You know the following are true:

1.  Some students have to go to the bathroom EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Now some of these are legitimate. When I say some, I mean, one or two. On occasion.
2.  Some students have to go to the bathroom AT THE WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT. I'm lecturing. They're taking a test. You get the drift.
3.  Some students have to go at the same time their friend has to go. Shocker!
4.  Some students take advantage to wander the halls. (No way!)
5.  It's hard when you just let one student go to the restroom, to say no to the next student who asks. (Not fair!!!!)
6.  Sometimes it seems like you have a parade of students who have to go to the bathroom. (Revolving door syndrome)
7.  Some students are gone to the bathroom FOREVER. I mean, really, what are you DOING in there?

Okay, I think you get the idea. How do you control trips to the bathroom? Especially if you're on a 95 minute block. Now, I know some teachers who never let students go. I just can't do that. There are real times when students need to go.

I developed my bathroom pass system so that I had some sort of control over this problem.

1.  Each student gets two bathroom passes each nine weeks.
2.  Bathroom passes are a different color each nine weeks.
3.  Bathroom passes expire at the end of the assigned nine weeks.
4.  Students must have their names written on their passes in ink.
5.  Students must have their passes in their possession in order to use them.
6.  Students may not loan or sell their bathroom passes to another student.
7.  Bathroom passes must have my initial on them. (To prevent some enterprising person from making duplicates.) I usually initial in red.
8.  Bathroom passes may not be used during tests or lectures. Only when students are doing quiet work at their desks.
9.  Students who do not have passes with them but need to go to the bathroom get 1 hour of detention.
10. Students may earn additional passes during the nine weeks as bonuses.
11. Any unused bathroom pass at the end of the nine weeks may be turned in for bonus points added to their lowest grade.
12. Bathroom passes that are lost are gone forever. :(
13. When I take up a bathroom pass, I tear it up immediately and throw it away. I do not keep up with who has or has not used a pass.
14. Ugh. I hate ending a list at 13. lol!

I can't say that this solved ALL of my bathroom issues, but it sure did solve a lot of them.''

Good luck!