Subhi Agrawal
A boarding school in China has come under intense scrutiny after reports emerged of staff members punishing a student for using the toilet at night. The incident involved a student who went to the washroom at 11:00 PM, 15 minutes past curfew, and faced reprimand for their actions.
School’s Strict Toilet Usage Rules
Many have compared the school’s treatment of the student to a ‘prison’ environment, igniting widespread outrage among the public.
According to Beijing News, an anonymous teacher revealed that students are prohibited from moving around the dormitory after 10:45 PM, and there are strict limitations on using the toilet. Students are reportedly required to seek permission from dorm administrators if they wish to use the restroom after curfew.
As reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the boy was required to write a “deep self-reflection” letter and instructed to distribute 1,000 copies to his classmates. Additionally, marks were deducted from his class’s monthly discipline score as a consequence of his actions.
“I have seriously breached the school rules, and going to the toilet in the evening not only disturbed other students’ sleep but also brought shame to my class,” the student wrote in his letter.
Moreover, he also apologized to his teachers and other classmates, vowing not to “repeat this behavior in the future.”
Backlash Against Boarding School’s Rules
SCMP reported that an individual took to Chinese social media platform Douyin to express their outrage over the incident, “I don’t understand why going to the toilet after 11 pm breaks the school’s rules. Who can control when they need to go?”
Another added, “This school resembles a prison with such strict regulations,” as reported by Hindustan Times.
In response to the backlash, the Education Department of Huairen, where the school is located, instructed the institution to reflect on its mistakes.
“We instructed the school to learn from this incident and reflect on its errors. We told them to revise their discipline policies,” the education authority stated, reported the outlet.
They also asked the school to compensate the student with 100 yuan (US$14) for printing 1,000 copies of his “deep-reflection” letter.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings