FEATURE
EDUCATIONAL AND SCHOOL FACILITIES
The school washroom backlash
Students are angry. They are becoming militant, and the washrooms at school are partly to blame for their discontent, says Essity Sales Manager, Liam Mynes. So, how can their facilities be improved?
School washrooms are notorious for being messy, poorly- equipped – even scary facilities.
Many of us remember the feelings of unease, intimidation and disgust when entering the often-squalid toilets at school. Puddles on the floor, soggy hand towels littering the units, wet toilet rolls on the cistern – these were all familiar sights. There was also always the lurking fear of being bullied by older pupils in these semi-private spaces.
Generations of schoolchildren have been forced to put up with a level of toilet provision that would horrify most adults, but this situation appears to be changing. School protests have broken out all over the UK this spring – many related to toilet provision. So, what has sparked this sudden student backlash?
The first rumblings of discontent could be heard about a year ago when some schools began changing the configuration and usage of their washrooms. For example, in March 2022, one academy school in Kent elected to lock the doors of its toilets during lesson times to avoid any disruption during classes. Outraged parents accused the school of denying pupils their ‘basic human rights’, adding that pupils felt compelled to limit their fluid intake as a result of the move.
Similar anger was expressed in April when a school in Yorkshire also restricted the use of toilets to break times. Parents claimed the resulting lengthy queues at lunchtime
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meant their children were being forced to choose between using the toilet and eating their lunch.
A Hungerford school had different motives for locking its own toilets during lesson times, claiming the move was intended to curb vandalism – but once again it provoked an angry outcry from pupils and parents.
Around the same time, a Northamptonshire school announced that some of its toilets were to become unisex facilities. The idea was to create a shared space where pupils would interact with one another in a respectful way. However, parents and pupils quickly opposed the move, citing concerns over a potential lack of privacy.
Similar fears were expressed when a new school in Inverness was configured with gender-neutral toilets in a bid to reduce bullying and other behavioural issues.
As it transpires, privacy concerns are also at the root of the current wave of washroom discontent among school pupils. A few months ago, Cullompton Community College in Devon opted to remove the outer doors of its washroom blocks in a bid to ‘create more positive behaviour’. This prompted fury, with parents likening the open-plan washrooms to those in a prison and with pupils staging protests coordinated via social media.
Lincoln Castle Academy has also reported student protests after removing its own outer doors to curb vandalism of the toilets and sinks. Demonstrations have been held at
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