A Los Angeles mother hosted a news conference Tuesday to raise awareness about an injustice her son experienced at South Los Angeles’s Manhattan Place elementary school.
Sonia Mongol said her 8-year-old son was ordered to sit in urine-soaked clothing and forced to wear trash bags in November after his teacher refused to give him permission to use the bathroom, reports ABC 7.
According to CBS, Mongol accused the teacher of giving her son the option of urinating in a trash can in front of the classroom, essentially "exposing himself in front of all the other students." He was given trash bags by a school employee to cover his clothes.
This week, Mongol’s son was again denied access to the bathroom again. his time, his classroom door was locked after he was given permission to go.
A visibly distraught Mongol called for updated bathroom policies during the conference. “New restroom laws need to be put into place. Children should be able to go to the restroom whenever they have to go.”
She continued, “Our child did not deserve this, no child deserves to be treated this way. We are outraged, but this will be used not just to make conditions better for our child but for our children.”
The Los Angeles Unified School District released a statement in the wake of the news conference. “Los Angeles Unified takes all matters concerning the safety and well-being of our students very seriously.”
The statement also said, “Upon learning about this allegation, law enforcement was notified immediately, and the District is fully cooperating in the investigation. The District will also conduct an administrative investigation. The District will also conduct an administrative investigation. Due to confidentiality laws, we cannot offer further details at this time.”
The employee who gave the boy the trash bags is no longer working at the Manhattan Place elementary school.
