By Ben Barranco and Emma Kielion
Bathrooms are a necessity everywhere you go. You would think in a school where children spend an average of seven hours a day, the bathrooms would be cleaner and more accessible. Surprisingly, they almost always fall flat and never reach their mark.
First, the school bathrooms, specifically the cleanliness and accessibility, should be a priority and held to higher standards at Batavia High School. Although there are many custodians that do take care of it, there should be more custodians and more money invested into updating the bathrooms and buying new parts and updated products, keeping things in stock and working, etc. Students also need to take responsibility themselves and make sure they take good care of the bathrooms and don’t disrespect the facilities.
Next, we randomly selected three BHS students and asked them a series of questions about the school bathrooms in which they answered with their personal opinions and experience.
1. Q: Do you ever wait in line to use the bathroom? If yes, how long?
Sophie Dominguez: “Yes. I typically wait at least two or three minutes in the line.”
Garrett Boersma: “Not usually. Sometimes there is a line, but I don’t wait longer than one minute.”
Sarah Darby: “Yes, and every time I go I wait five minutes or more.”How would you rate the cleanliness of the school bathrooms on a scale of one-ten, one being disgusting and ten being squeaky clean?
Sophie Dominguez: “Three because every time I go into the bathroom there’s at least one toilet that is unoccupied due to it being clogged or nasty. Three times in my high school career I have gone to the bathroom and there has been a toilet excessively flushing by itself like a whirlpool.”
Garrett Boersma: “Zero, it is disgusting. Pee, poop, and cockroaches everywhere. Sometimes there are no doors on stalls.”
Sarah Darby: “One because some are absolutely disgusting and there is always one that doesn’t work. “The toilets are always clogged.”
2. How would you compare the school bathrooms to other public restrooms?
Sophie Dominguez: “Cleaner than a gas station, but dirtier than a fast food restaurant. Our school bathrooms are a lot more inconvenient.”
Garrett Boersma: “McDonald’s has nicer bathrooms. Do I have to say more?”
Sarah Darby: “Public restrooms are way better than our bathrooms. They are more sanitary and well kept.”
3. How often are things broken or not working?
Sophie Dominguez: “Almost everytime I use the bathroom.”
Garrett Boersma: “Every time something is not working.”
Sarah Darby: “At least 70 – 75 percent of the time.”
We know bathrooms are a necessity for everyone. At school, students should be able to have access to bathrooms that are clean and up to par. Our school district should spend more or raise more money to spend on things that all students use and need every day. The school should increase its funds for the maintenance and care of the school bathrooms.
Lastly, although there are many other things that are very important in the school and require a lot of money, bathrooms are a must and bathrooms that are cleaner than a fast food restaurant should be a requirement, without question in a school. Students also need to do their part and treat the bathrooms with respect.