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Vancouver teacher may have had children 'pay to potty'

VANCOUVER, Wash. — A lesson on the value of a dollar may have gone too far in southern Washington.

A school district is investigating claims a teacher caused a student to wet their pants at school.

At Mill Plain Elementary in Vancouver, third grade students earn play money to buy treats.

Some students said they have to use that money to get bathroom breaks, too.

In the last week, there were two cases in which children chose to spend the money on the treat instead of a trip to the bathroom.

Two parents complained after their children came home from school in clothes they were given after wetting themselves.

Evergreen School District spokeswoman Gail Spolar said "pay to potty" is not district policy and students are not prevented from going to the restroom when they must. Spare clothes are kept at schools for accidents, but the students are never denied from using the bathroom.

A substitute is teaching the third-grade class while the teacher is under investigation.

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