How an Atlanta teacher turned an embarrassing issue into a viral solution
Atlanta teacher creates classroom 'pass gas' station
A second-grade teacher created a corner gas station in her classroom to give students a private area to pass gas without interrupting lessons.
ATLANTA - An Atlanta elementary school teacher went viral after coming up with a creative fix for a common classroom distraction.
Atlanta teacher creates ‘pass gas station’
What we know:
Candy Sydney-Browning, a second-grade teacher at Dobbs Elementary School, was struggling to handle student odors while teaching. To address the issue respectfully, she designed a designated "pass gas station" in the back corner of her classroom.
"They would pass gas, and I am teaching, and I was like — I can't handle smells," Sydney-Browning said. "What can I do? Let me just create this area in the classroom that is away from everybody. It is not in the front. It is in the back. They can continue to be in the same room, continue to learn, handle their business, and come on back."
Sydney-Browning labeled the area "The gusty winds" and reminded her students to use it so they could handle bodily functions away from their peers while remaining respectful.
TikTok video leads to Febreze donations
The backstory:
After setting up the space, Sydney-Browning posted a video on TikTok to explain the creative concept. The video quickly went viral, pulling in 4 million views.
The massive online response led to widespread support from viewers and major brands. Febreze sent pallets of products directly to the classroom, including a variety of scented sprays and wall plug-ins. Sydney-Browning noted that the company provided enough supplies to last her classroom for two years.
Community members and supporters also showered the Atlanta Public Schools educator with classroom gifts, including a new chair, student snacks, and a portable desk.
"People are genuinely kind," Sydney-Browning said.
National impact on educators
What's next:
Sydney-Browning's creative idea is now spreading to other schools. Teachers across the country have started replicating her efforts by building their own designated gas stations inside their classrooms.
What we don't know:
School officials have not stated whether the district plans to adopt the classroom setup as an official policy across other Atlanta Public Schools facilities.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview conducted by FOX 5 reporter Aungelique Proctor with Dobbs Elementary School second-grade teacher Candy Sydney-Browning, who detailed her classroom setup.