Due to persistent vandalism, school officials have decided to continue enforcing the controversial bathroom policy.
For students, it means it is still necessary to go to the office and obtain the restroom key.
“This is to protect the bathrooms from vandalism and insure the safety of the students,” coordinator Dean Brig Tratar said.
Students have been frustrated at lunch because they have to use the downstairs bathroom.
“I think it’s pretty insidious, it feels like a prison,” junior Alex Diaz said. There has also been one parent complaint, but Tratar says overall, parents and students have been supportive.
According to Tratar, the policy goes as follows: If a student needs to use the restroom, they ask the teacher for permission. With teacher permission, they go to the office, where they check out the key to the bathroom, and leave a student ID.
“Teachers sometimes won’t let you go,” 7th grader Jenecy Herrera said.
Imposing the new policy created two challenges. Many students do not have their school identification required to borrow the restroom key. Also, the limited clerical staff is busy enough, Tratar said, having students constantly coming in to check out the key puts more pressure on them.
On the other hand, the policy puts less work on janitors and security, who would otherwise have to deal with regularly cleaning and maintaining the restrooms.
Disagreement shouldn’t come as a surprise. According to the LAUSD “Policy on Restroom Access, Cleanliness and Repair,” closing restrooms during non-class periods is illegal. The LAUSD policy calls for the availability of restrooms to adequately serve student needs. It also sets standards for the regular cleaning and repair of restrooms.
“I don’t agree with the policy,” office secretary Yoli Lopez said “If I were a parent, I would already be marching against it.” Unfortunately, parent involvement is minimal, Lopez said.
This type of policy is not exclusive to ASGL. According to Tratar, the idea came to ASGL from other schools on campus, who have also enforced a similar policy.
“As a result of the policy, restrooms have been cleaner and safer,” Tratar said. Yet the policy has its shortcomings, Tratar said, pointing out situations in which students may need immediate access to the restroom in the case of an emergency.
“I don’t like the policy because when I have to pee I have to run to the office then the bathroom,” 7th grader Estrella Martinez said.
“They should have a staff at the door and make students sign in every time they go in,” sophomore Victor Navarro suggested.
Regardless of emergencies, students feel its unfair to take the extra steps due to a handful of unruly youth. Tratar understands this, yet sees no change to the policy in the future. When he decided to open the bathrooms for CST Testing, they were immediately vandalized.
“Unfortunately, when we leave the bathrooms unlocked, bad things happen,” Tratar said.