China School Faces Backlash Over “One Toilet Break Per Term” Rule
Ruyuan High School, located in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, has drawn significant backlash for a strict quota system that restricts students' right to use the bathroom during class to only once per term. The "bathroom quota," which came to light through a presentation photo reportedly taken by a teacher during an internal management meeting in late August, has caused public outrage.
According to the leaked presentation slide, in order to maintain classroom discipline, each student is granted only one "emergency" bathroom break during class for the entire term. If a student wishes to exercise this right a second time, their parents are required to come to the school to meet with the administration. For a third occurrence, it is stated that the student will face an unspecified punishment. The school states that this practice is part of maintaining classroom discipline and that any disciplinary issues will negatively impact teachers' annual performance evaluations, promotions, and eligibility for awards.
Ruyuan High School, which has 3,200 students and stands out for placing 90 percent of its graduates into high-quality universities, is known as a prominent "model school" in the region. Although a school official initially described the situation as a "misunderstanding" and later as a "rumor" after the incident was reported in the press, the local education authority announced that it has launched an investigation into the school following complaints.