If I could create my own policy in a vacuum, it would be something like "Excuse yourself quietly, get back as soon as possible so you don't miss too much, and i

If I could create my own policy in a vacuum, it would be something like "Excuse yourself quietly, get back as soon as possible so you don't miss too much, and if I have a question I'll ask you about it later." But I can't. In order to let a student leave my classroom, I am required to personally create a pass in the system, which means I have to stop teaching and bring whatever is happening to a screeching halt. I don't mean to imply that class is always more important than physical needs. I know that it isn't. But because bathroom breaks have been turned by policy into major interruptions, it really intensifies the issue. For me, it's not about controlling kids. It's about trying to maintain some semblance of order/quiet/concentration so that learning can happen. (Yes, I know that the pass policy as a whole is mostly about controlling kids.) I've only been teaching for 2 years after decades in private industry. Stuff like this is my least favorite part of the job. I have no idea how to solve it, but FYI I have never said no to a student who asked me quietly or pulled me aside. P.S. (I think that as a fellow former rule-following middle schooler, you would be blown away by how few of us there are left, by how little intrinsic motivation, curiosity, and desire to please others the median middle schooler currently seems to have, and by how badly it messes up the whole idea of productive/fun learning environments. I came into this in 2022 as a resolute idealist and have quickly been ground down into something less than that, although I still think it's maybe the most worthwhile way someone who has retired young can spend their time.)