Going potty without a partner can lead to punishment for students at a Burgaw elementary school, but parents want the policy flushed.

The Star-News of Wilmington reported that students at Malpass Corner Elementary School can’t use the bathroom alone because of an ongoing graffiti problem. A letter to parents from the principal says students can go to the bathroom as a class or in pairs.

Students who go to the bathroom when they aren’t supposed to are punished with a silent lunch. They must sit at a table and eat lunch alone without talking.

Parent Jaime Whitmore describes the policy as “cruel and unusual punishment.” Some parents are organizing to get the policy changed.

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Information from: The Star-News, http://starnewsonline.com