I have elementary schoolers but was visiting a friend’s house and her other friend and her middle school son stopped by. I believe she goes to Dorothy Hamm. Anyhow was asking her son how middle school is and he said he loves it. But then he started complaining about how he never uses the bathroom because other kids love going underneath the stalls and taking pictures of kids while using the bathroom. Mom said they all complained but admin said nothing can be done. Supposedly phones are banned in school but enforcement is lax and apparently this is an issue in all middle schools. I find the entire thing appalling. I don’t understand why this would be acceptable. |
This is unacceptable. |
Yes, it's an issue in all the middle schools.
At Swanson they started a system when they went to the bathroom of maybe having to turn in the phones or empty their pockets or not bring their bag with them? I don't remember exactly. My son reported they cracked down on it. They tried to do something. So it's not that nothing can be done. |
That's sexual abuse. Totally unacceptable. I'm sure they would figure out how to stop it if it were happening in the faculty area. |
Not your kid/school, but for parents who are affected: notify Local News, school board, and rattle the lawsuit saber.
Maybe the board can take a break from the culture wars and take up actual sexual assault. |
Yep this was a TikTok challenge/trend and I'm pretty sure APS sent an email out about it last year. Our MS (WMS) is very strict about phones staying IN lockers ALL day. |
not a short-term solution, but yet another reason for single, private bathrooms. |
All it takes is one kid getting dragged away in handcuffs and the rest will realize that it's a bad idea |
OP agree. That’s great PP! I don’t know much but I thought Williamsburg was the only school that didn’t have some type of away for the day policy? I guess that’s not accurate? Good to hear since Williamsburg is the school we are zoned for. Perhaps there can be some strict enforcement of keeping cellphones away Arlington wide? This is just really bothering me as an issue. |
Meant to say “OP here.” |
Agree! Also building bathrooms where the doors to the stalls go all the way down. |
WMS is also very strict about bathroom use- there were some end of year shenanigans going on so they limited use during class time except for emergency situations. Of course they could go between classes. Also, many kids just don't go at all because its an old school with urinals for the boys. Many 6th graders are not used to that lack of privacy. |
Trailside had this same problem. There is even a TikTok channel dedicated to this. |
Administrators and school board don’t care one bit. Wake up already you sleepy heads!! |
Oh that’s terrible. No stalls and just urinals for the boys??? I would want students to use the bathroom when they need to. Wonder if there is another solution. But totally get why Williamsburg admin did this. |