RAISING A STINK

NY Teachers’ Aides Upset Pre-K Kids Not Potty-Trained

Their union leader says parents are shirking their responsibilities.

Public school teachers’ aides in Buffalo, New York, are complaining that they have to clean up after pre-kindergartners who have not yet been potty-trained. Union President JoAnn Sweat told the Buffalo News that aides were promised instruction and supplies to deal with youngsters who soil their clothing and diapers, but never got them. School district officials said the problem is not widespread and they are not about to bar untrained 3-year-olds from early education. Sweat, meanwhile, said it’s not only the district that is at fault. “When my kids were going to school, my kids could not go unless they were potty-trained,” she told the News. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I just think this is another way for parents not to take the responsibility of doing what they need to do with their children.”