This year, students walking into school are greeted by a few new updates around campus. New bathroom stalls, a new ramp at the front gate, and fresh paint in the bathrooms. These changes stand out and show the effort being put into improving the school’s appearance. But while the campus may look different, some students feel the focus has shifted away from the areas that matter most.
For instance, the bathrooms may look brand new at first, but a lot of our sinks are still in terrible condition. The girls’ upper 100-bathroom sinks are impossible to use without getting wet or feeling the pain of the intense water pressure. Another issue in the restrooms is the toilet paper. A few toilet paper dispensers in each bathroom are either broken or consistently empty, even before school starts in the morning. As a result, students are leaving the toilet paper rolls on the floor. Toilet paper does not belong on the floor; it’s unsanitary and revolting.
With that, most of the time when someone needs to use the restroom, there is no toilet paper at all. What are they supposed to do in that situation? They can’t text a friend to bring them something to wipe with, not with these new phone policies in place. The stalls should be checked and refilled every single morning to avoid situations like this. Nobody wants to leave the bathroom without wiping– it’s unhygienic.
Natalie, a sophomore student, agreed that the upgrades around campus are positive, but don’t fully tackle deeper issues. “It’s nice that we’re getting these changes, like new bathroom stalls and a new ramp out front, but I feel like the school still isn’t focusing on the things that really matter,” she said.
Another complication involving restrooms is in the boys’ locker room; if anyone needs to use it, they can’t. If a person uses the bathroom, water will leak into the weight training room and create an unbearable smell. This is a major plumbing issue that has been left unaddressed for over a year now and needs immediate attention.
When asked about the reasoning behind the recent changes, Assistant Principal Trevino emphasized that student and staff welfare is at the center of every decision. “It always has to fall under the safety and well-being of not only the students but staff as well,” she stated. She also explained that while she isn’t fully in charge of campus updates, part of her responsibility is to report issues and advocate for what needs attention.
