Anonymous wrote:At our MS, kids get 3 bathroom passes per class period each quarter. It's up to the student to manage it. And teachers can give an emergency pass if needed.

Otherwise, kids are expected to go between classes or during lunch.

Security does go into bathrooms - sometimes.

When I started my period, I had bad cramps and diarrhea. I could not control when I needed to go to the bathroom. I remember one time I couldn't go, and I was taking a math test. I broke out in a cold sweat during the test. Luckily, I was really good at math, so I got an A on that test, but I remember rushing out to use the bathroom at the end of class, and the result was quite.. disturbing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure I get it -- if kids are vaping/smoking weed in the restroom all the time, why doesn't security patrol and punish the offenders? Seems like the good kids are suffering unnecessarily.

I asked my DCs if the security guards sweep the bathrooms. This is what they said:

"They stand outside the bathrooms, and yell, 'Go to class', then walk away".

So, they don't bother to check if the kids are actually going to class or whether there is drug use or other scary sh1t going on in there. IMO, the security guards don't really care. They are just phoning it in, and getting a paycheck. I say we need SROs back to sweep the bathrooms. Oh, but certain PoC might get arrested more for doing something illegal, so that would be not good, per the equity police.

I am so sick of this sh1t. I have 3 years left in MCPS.

You want armed police officers for routine patrols of high school bathrooms?

Yes. The security guards aren't doing anything, and even if they catch the kids, there are no consequences. So, if you want real "teeth" as a PP stated, then you need SROs to sweep the bathrooms. That is the only way to stop these kids - fear of arrest because they don't care if they get suspended or have detention.

Anonymous wrote:At our MS, kids get 3 bathroom passes per class period each quarter. It's up to the student to manage it. And teachers can give an emergency pass if needed.

Otherwise, kids are expected to go between classes or during lunch.

Security does go into bathrooms - sometimes.

But that needs to be revisited if the bathrooms are locked because three is assuming they have access to all bathrooms on the routes from the previous class. This is not the case anymore.

At our MS, kids get 3 bathroom passes per class period each quarter. It's up to the student to manage it. And teachers can give an emergency pass if needed.

Otherwise, kids are expected to go between classes or during lunch.

Security does go into bathrooms - sometimes.

Anonymous wrote:I am livid that they restrict bathroom use when girls on their periods or kids who have intestinal issues MUST get to a bathroom quickly without needing to explain themselves to all and sundry.

My DD at Westland MS already says there are days when teachers don't have enough bathroom passes in class, or get angry and suddenly issue a moratorium on going to the bathroom. I have told her to go between classes, and that I don't care if she's late to class, but if they start restricting access then, what are kids supposed to do???

It's like a badly managed prison.

This is exactly how I feel about my DC's MS (Julius West).

Anonymous wrote:
I'll go so far as to say that this disproportionately impacts girls (menstruation) and therefore any bathroom restrictions are discriminatory against girls.

It's a policy that cannot stand.

MCPS is willing to have one entire gender suffer just because the cheapest solution is to limit bathroom access when there are MANY OTHER solutions... but they require more personnel and more money.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this results in a rise of absenteeism among girls.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure I get it -- if kids are vaping/smoking weed in the restroom all the time, why doesn't security patrol and punish the offenders? Seems like the good kids are suffering unnecessarily.

I asked my DCs if the security guards sweep the bathrooms. This is what they said:

"They stand outside the bathrooms, and yell, 'Go to class', then walk away".

So, they don't bother to check if the kids are actually going to class or whether there is drug use or other scary sh1t going on in there. IMO, the security guards don't really care. They are just phoning it in, and getting a paycheck. I say we need SROs back to sweep the bathrooms. Oh, but certain PoC might get arrested more for doing something illegal, so that would be not good, per the equity police.

I am so sick of this sh1t. I have 3 years left in MCPS.

You want armed police officers for routine patrols of high school bathrooms?

Maybe they could provide bathroom valet service while they're at this to provide moist towels or a spritz of fancy cologne!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“During transition periods and more unstructured times, like before school, after school and lunch periods, schools may limit access to designated restrooms.”

So, at the impacted secondary schools, when do kids use the bathroom? During class only? Or wait during lunch for the only open restroom? Will teachers always allow kids to use the bathroom during class?

It would help if you found a new hobby. Obsessing about bathrooms seems unhealthy.

Okay, boymom

So this announcement actually didn't announce anything new. Locking doors and removing bathroom doors has been the norm in numerous MCPS schools already.

This is mainly MCPS just formally announcing and acknowledging the bathroom safety problem that parents and students at Kennedy, B-CC, Richard Montgomery and so many others have been complaining about.

I appreciate the acknowledgement and the reinforcement that this behavior is unacceptable and not allowed on school grounds. However, it's missing teeth and specific consequences for violations of safety and security, which makes it all bark and no bite.

I am eager to see what the "additional support" they hint at looks like. And also how they will keep their promise of keeping students and parents involved in the decision making process.

Anonymous wrote:Not sure I get it -- if kids are vaping/smoking weed in the restroom all the time, why doesn't security patrol and punish the offenders? Seems like the good kids are suffering unnecessarily.

I asked my DCs if the security guards sweep the bathrooms. This is what they said:

"They stand outside the bathrooms, and yell, 'Go to class', then walk away".

So, they don't bother to check if the kids are actually going to class or whether there is drug use or other scary sh1t going on in there. IMO, the security guards don't really care. They are just phoning it in, and getting a paycheck. I say we need SROs back to sweep the bathrooms. Oh, but certain PoC might get arrested more for doing something illegal, so that would be not good, per the equity police.

I am so sick of this sh1t. I have 3 years left in MCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well they need to do something! My kids middle school had kids smoking weed in a bathroom last week. Apparently near the front office, even? So yeah, keep the main door open, figure out how to prevent this crap.

that doesn't happen at our school but as long as it's non-violent don't care

if people are concerned maybe they should call the cops since it's probably not legal for kids to be doing this

+1 schools aren't calling cops on the drug using kids because #equity. Someone said we don't need SROs in schools, and if there are criminal situations in schools then they should call the cops. Well, drug use by minors is criminal behavior, so they should call the cops.

I'll go so far as to say that this disproportionately impacts girls (menstruation) and therefore any bathroom restrictions are discriminatory against girls.

It's a policy that cannot stand.

MCPS is willing to have one entire gender suffer just because the cheapest solution is to limit bathroom access when there are MANY OTHER solutions... but they require more personnel and more money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“During transition periods and more unstructured times, like before school, after school and lunch periods, schools may limit access to designated restrooms.”

So, at the impacted secondary schools, when do kids use the bathroom? During class only? Or wait during lunch for the only open restroom? Will teachers always allow kids to use the bathroom during class?

It would help if you found a new hobby. Obsessing about bathrooms seems unhealthy.

Because our kids are afraid of not being able to go when they absolutely need to. And we're not talking about pee here.

Not sure I get it -- if kids are vaping/smoking weed in the restroom all the time, why doesn't security patrol and punish the offenders? Seems like the good kids are suffering unnecessarily.