High school student is awarded $1.25millon after she was denied bathroom break and told to urinate in a bucket

  • A Superior Court jury on Wednesday decided in favor of the former Patrick Henry High School student who sued the district 
  • The incident which happened in 2012 led to gossip, lewd texts, depression and a suicide attempt
  • Art teacher, Gonja Wolf, believed bathroom breaks were not allowed during short 25-minute periods
  • She kept a bucket in a storage closet in case of a bathroom emergency
  • The teenager was forced to transfer schools twice after initial claim seeking $25,000 was denied 

By Associated Press

Published: 23:12 EST, 25 January 2017 | Updated: 10:02 EST, 26 January 2017

Art teacher Gonja Wolf told a student who needed the bathroom to use a bucket in a supply room and dump the contents in a sink

A jury has awarded $1.25 million to a former San Diego high schooler who was denied a bathroom break and forced to urinate in a bucket.

The girl, then 14, used the bucket in a Patrick Henry High School supply room in 2012. 

Teacher, Gonja Wolf, denied her request to leave a 25-minute class, believing it was against school rules.

The student believed the 'humiliating instructions' were made within earshot of her classmates to deter other students from seeking to leave class to use the restroom.

Her lawyer said after the incident made headlines, the girl was mercilessly teased, traumatized and attempted suicide.

She sued the teacher and the San Diego Unified School District.

The incident occurred in 2012 at the Patrick Henry High School in San Diego

District lawyers said the teacher — who no longer works on campus — never intended to embarrass the girl, rather the teacher thought she had found a solution to what she mistakenly thought was a strict no-bathroom-break policy.

In fact, teachers at the school had been told that the short 25-minute lessons would be undermined by frequent bathroom breaks, however the school expected teachers to use common sense, 

In a 'lapse of judgment, she thought that was a good idea,' Katheryn Martin, an attorney representing the district, said in opening statements.

Wolf, who taught art, interpreted the rules strictly and purchased a bucket to serve as a make-shift toilet in the case of a security lock-down. 

She even claimed that she had urinated in the bucket a couple of times herself while working late at school, her attorney, revealed.

Gonja Wolf said that she believed there was a ban on students using the bathroom during short 25 periods so that teaching time would not be affected. The school said to use 'common sense'

After school administrators found out about the incident, the popular teacher with no record of discipline was put on paid administrative leave and never returned to campus. 

The girl involved was ultimately forced to transfer school twice. 

The San Diego Union-Tribune says the district called the verdict disappointing and will consider whether to appeal Wednesday's decision.

'Something like this never should have happened to a 14-year-old girl just entering high school,' said attorney Brian Watkins to the Tribune. 'She took the stand and told a really embarrassing story, she told the jury how this has affected her life and how she is still working through issues.' 

The jury awarded the girl $1.25 million in damages and $41,000 to cover past and current medical expenses.

The girl, who is now 19, went on to earn a diploma from a charter school. She has a job, and is still in therapy due to post-traumatic stress caused by the incident. 


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