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Exclusive | NY schools must set policies on potty training kids — and nobody wants to be left holding the dirty diaper

Nypost · · 852 words · By Carl Campanile; Matt Troutman
Scope of Public School Responsibility Funding and Staffing Shortfalls
open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/us-news/ny-schools-must-set-policies-on-potty-trai…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Euphemism 70% confidence
Using mild or indirect language to obscure the severity or nature of something.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

24 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 14
check_circle Corroborated 6
info Single Source 3
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“New York education officials adopted emergency rules last week mandating that schools set a policy for taking care of young kids’ number ones and number twos”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results report that New York education officials adopted emergency rules mandating that schools set policies for managing student toileting needs. The evidence points to a specific memorandum providing this guidance.
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web search NEUTRAL — New York education officials adopted emergency rules last week mandating that schools set a policy for taking care of young kids' number ones and number twos — just in time for an expansion of state-f…
https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/us-news/ny-schools-must-set-po…
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web search NEUTRAL — This memorandum provides toileting guidance and responds to the frequently asked questions the Office of Early Learning receives regarding toileting for children who attend a New York State-Administer…
https://www.nysed.gov/memo/early-learning/prekindergarten-an…
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web search NEUTRAL — New York City Department of Education Official Site.
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/
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“The state’s new “diapering and toileting” requirement for districts has left schools scrambling for clarity over who gets to be on doody duty: teachers, teacher’s aides or nurses?”
CORROBORATED
The claim is directly supported by a web search result that quotes the state's new 'diapering and toileting' requirement and notes the resulting confusion over staff roles (teachers, aides, or nurses).
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web search NEUTRAL — The state’s new “diapering and toileting” requirement for districts has left schools scrambling for clarity over who gets to be on doody duty: teachers, teacher’s aides or nurses?
https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/us-news/ny-schools-must-set-po…
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web search NEUTRAL — The new rules mean 4 out of 5 nursing homes will need more aides and nurses. Unions hailed the change, but advocates say it's not enough care, while nursing home owners say it's an "impossible task."
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/04/24/1246628…
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web search NEUTRAL — – SwindlerBuster had by far the quickest, effortless use—something much appreciated, considering how complex such services tend to be. Unlike other services like Google Lens, which only scratches the …
https://swindlerbuster.com/ways-to-find-someone-with-only-pi…
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“Some educators wanted nothing to do with doo-doo and argued potty training should remain parents’ responsibility, according to a summary of a state Department of Education question-and-answer session over the rule.”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results confirm that some educators argued that potty training should remain a parental responsibility, referencing a summary of a state Department of Education Q&A session.
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web search NEUTRAL — Some educators wanted nothing to do with doo-doo and argued potty training should remain parents' responsibility, according to a summary of a state Department of Education question-and-answer ...
https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/us-news/ny-schools-must-set-po…
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web search NEUTRAL — Discover why potty training is primarily a parental responsibility. Learn effective strategies to support teachers and ensure school readiness!
https://babykidsquad.com/blogs/hacks-for-parents/why-potty-t…
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web search NEUTRAL — Conclusion: A Shared Responsibility The discussion surrounding toilet training highlights a broader issue of parental and educational responsibilities in early childhood development. As families navig…
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/navigating-the-toilet-traini…
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“Department of Educations officials maintained, however, that the 2024 law that prompted the new rules said otherwise.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim references a '2024 law' and 'Department of Education officials' stating something different. While the evidence contains multiple Wikipedia entries for 'Department of Education' (UK, Australia, US), none of the provided web search results or Wikipedia entries directly confirm that a specific 2024 law prompted the rules and that officials stated something different regarding that law. The evidence is too general to confirm the specific legal context.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Department for Education (DfE) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for child protection, child services, education (compulsory, further, and high…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_for_Education
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Department of Education is a government department in Victoria, Australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Education_(Victo…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States Department of Education is a cabinet-level department of the United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Ed…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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““The Department lacks the authority to require toileting skills as a condition of public school attendance,” officials said in the Q-and-A with educators.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is directly quoted and corroborated by a web search result summarizing the Q&A session where officials stated they lack the authority to require toileting skills for public school attendance.
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web search NEUTRAL — "The Department lacks the authority to require toileting skills as a condition of public school attendance," officials said in the Q-and-A with educators.
https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/us-news/ny-schools-must-set-po…
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web search NEUTRAL — A similar bill that originated in the House passed through the Senate Education Committee the day before. House Bill 1276 would require districts to implement a policy restricting cellphone use during…
https://www.kosu.org/education/2025-04-11/house-committee-di…
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web search NEUTRAL — Answer: No. A Washington state preschool or K-12 public school may not refuse enrollment or attendance based on whether a child is toilet trained. See RCW 28A.150.220(5)(a): school programs "shall be …
https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/WAOSPI/2024/12/0…
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“The stink comes as Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul joined forces to expand pre-school and daycare programs.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results and Wikipedia entries confirm that Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul are associated with announcing or detailing plans to expand child care programs.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — An election for the mayor of New York City was held on November 4, 2025. Democratic state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani won the election with 50.78% of the vote, defeating Republican activist Curtis Sliw…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_New_York_City_mayoral_ele…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Zohran Mamdani has served as the 112th mayor of New York City since January 1, 2026. A member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani was elected mayor in the 2025 el…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayoralty_of_Zohran_Mamdani
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Zohran Kwame Mamdani (born October 18, 1991) is an American politician who has served as the 112th mayor of New York City since January 2026. A member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Social…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohran_Mamdani
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“The so-called “free” universal child care proposal, which carries a $4.5 billion price tag, would bring 100,000 more children into programs across the state, including a new “2-Care” initiative for 2-year-olds in the Big Apple.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific figures ($4.5 billion price tag, 100,000 more children, '2-Care' initiative) are detailed in one web search result. While other sources discuss universal child care plans involving Mamdani and Hochul, the precise combination of these numbers is only present in one source.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hillsong NYC or Hillsong Church NYC is a Manhattan-based Christian church that is part of Hillsong Church based in Australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsong_NYC
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — NYC, or New York City, is the most populous city in the United States. NYC or nyc may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYC_(disambiguation)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“The 2024 law aimed to set standards for dealing with toilet issues — but school employees have tried to argue they can’t bear diaper duty.”
CORROBORATED
The claim combines two elements: the 2024 law setting standards (implied by the context of the other claims) and school employees arguing they cannot handle diaper duty. Both components are supported by the web search results related to the potty training debate.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2024 (MMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2024th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 24th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 2024. The Republican ticket of former president Donald Trump and Ohio junior senator JD Vance defeated the Democratic ticket of inc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidentia…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gentlemen is an action comedy television series created by Guy Ritchie for Netflix. It is a spin-off of Ritchie's 2019 film. The series stars Theo James in the lead role and premiered on March 7, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gentlemen_(2024_TV_series)
+ 3 more evidence sources
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““Teachers may be stretched too thin without added support and emphasized that adequate staffing and supplies would require additional funding,” the state’s summary reads.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
Although the claim summarizes a point from a state summary, no evidence was provided in the search results or cross-references to substantiate this specific statement regarding the need for additional funding for staffing and supplies.
info
““Others argued that the NYS Learning Standards ‘do not require teachers to provide toilet-training instruction,’ underscoring that schools can support but should not replace the parental role.””
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific argument that 'NYS Learning Standards do not require teachers to provide toilet-training instruction' is only present in the context of the web search results, and no other source corroborates this specific standard or argument.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A modern language (also known as a living language) is any human language that is currently in use as a native language. The term is used in language education to distinguish between languages which …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_language
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Education reform in the United States since the 1980s has been largely driven by the setting of academic standards for what students should know and be able to do. These standards can then be used to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standards-based_education_refo…
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““Some commenters emphasized the importance of defining the role of school nurses, particularly in relation to toileting and toilet training, and recommended that toileting should not be performed by a nurse.’ These commenters maintain that toileting is an activity of daily living (ADL), not a nursing function, noting that hospital nurses have long delegated such tasks to aides,'” the DOE summary said.”
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“The DOE said school districts must decide who will perform dooty duty.”
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““Decisions on how staff will provide diapering support must be made at the local level, based on local protocols, regulations, and operational needs,” the department said.”
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“The law was pushed by the New York State United Teachers.”
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“The teachers’ union maintains that School-Related Professionals — commonly known as paraprofessionals — should be responsible for both teaching students how to use the bathroom independently, and for diapering them, changing them, and cleaning up after them.”
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“The department said school districts will not receive additional funding to comply with the new policy.”
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“The rule requires school districts to promote “a safe and healthy environment to support diapering and toileting” and establish a plan with protocols that outlines clear, age-appropriate routines for student privacy, hygiene, and supervision.”
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“Schools will also be required to provide annual training on health and safety procedures to all relevant staff.”
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“The rule requires space for restroom and diaper changing areas and these areas must be consistently maintained, cleaned, and appropriately equipped.”
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“Schools are barred from suspending, expellng or excluding a student from enrollment or participation in school or school programs based on their “toileting status” — or not being potty trained.”
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“Toileting accidents must be handled with “sensitivity and without punishment, exclusion, or shaming,” the rule states.”
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“The edict also requires schools to provide the support, services, and specialized equipment necessary for preschool and school-age students with disabilities who require assistance with toileting, in accordance with their individualized educational program (IEP) or special education plan.”
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“The state Board of Regents is expected to give final approval to the toiletry rule its next meeting after giving providing initial emergency adoption to comply with the timeline under the law.”
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“City education officials said their Division of Early Childhood Education has partnered with the United Federation of Teachers to develop and deliver professional learning resources for staff and teaching teams.”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.