May I be excused?

This reminds me of a story a few winters ago when the local school bus broke down in the snow and one girl wanted to "go" passing motorists offered help and the bus driver asked the female of the couple to accompany the kid behind a bush.  Female refused on the grounds of she might be accused of..........  Then a mother stopped and was asked the same thing - she again refused for fear of accusations.  The girl said "oh well I will just have to wet the seat then"  unfortunately history doesn't relate the outcome but if I had stopped and offered to help - I would have helped and be damned to anyone who tried to accuse me of anything.  Surely common sense says I could have stayed within sight of the bus with the child hidden behind the hedge?  Sad times we live in indeed.  And well done California really (I think although schools may have a tough time with genuine toilet breakers?)

When my sister started school aged five a teacher prevented her from using the loos during class time. My sister then developed a phobia (bladder retention) which took quite a while to cure. Luckily our Mum was quick off the mark in sorting this with a kind GP who was furious about the incident too. Both my Mum and sister later became headteachers with a much more kindly attitude to children than the awful one they both experienced. The story reminded of this incident, not funny. 

At a primary school, where my wife worked, there was a boy with Downs Syndrome who suffered with incontinence. The Head teacher was the only male, so each time there was an occurrence (quite often) the Head had to stop what he was doing to assist.