Elsie Lange
A petition by Sunbury College students is calling for new trial toilet rules to be scrapped, citing a lack of hygiene, anxiety and time wasting as major issues.
The petition, with over 1000 signatures so far, says students are “outraged” by the rule which leaves just three unisex toilets unlocked during class time, for a cohort of more than 900 students.
Year 11 student Ashton Varapodio started the petition and told Star Weekly the queuing at the toilets was “unbelievable” because of the trial.
He said students were “scared” to go to the toilet, because other students had been banging on the door in desperation or anger, in turn creating an atmosphere of discomfort and anxiety.
In correspondence seen by Star Weekly, assistant principal Jared Dyson told parents on February 27 that a “new system for bathroom access during class time” would be trialled, where students would continue using passes to use the toilet during class time, but they could only access the single cubicle, unisex bathrooms at the centre of the school. He said the trial would be reviewed in the week beginning March 14.
“The aim of this trial is to ensure students access bathrooms that are central and highly visible, limiting opportunities for the space to be a gathering point or a space to spend extended periods of time out of class,” Mr Dyson said.
The correspondence also said students with a medical condition requiring more frequent access would be accommodated.
In response to feedback, Mr Dyson said on March 2 that another bathroom would be opened during class time, and that cleaners had been engaged to maintain hygiene in cubicles.
Year 11 student Jessica Maxwell said even though it sounded like a good idea for teachers to unlock the cubicles at recess and lunch, that students were left waiting.
“Teachers tend to take a while to unlock all of the toilets, because there are quite a few,” Ms Maxwell said.
Ms Maxwell said what she experienced in the toilet line made her want to share the petition to a local Facebook group.
“I was waiting in the line and these two boys went up and started knocking on the door pestering the person to get out of there because they were taking too long,” Ms Maxwell said.
“And then the person who walked out was a little year seven girl.
“Another time when I went in there, there was pee all over the toilet seat, like a public bathroom in the city or something.”
A parent at the school, who asked not to be named, told Star Weekly, said her daughter “fired up” about the trial, because the door doesn’t work on one of the cubicles.
“I sent an email to the principal on Sunday night, stating my concerns that it’s an issue, that girls have their periods and all that sort of stuff,” the parent said.
She said it first and foremost a hygiene issue and even though the school had committed to getting an extra cleaner on board as well as opening a third toilet, it was not good enough.
“We’ve been through COVID , we’re all just getting through that, and now we’ve got to go through this,” she said.
Another parent, Sharon, who did not want her surname published, said she believed the majority of students using the toilets were “probably doing it to get out of class”.
“Because that’s the oldest trick in the book,” she said.
In response to questions from Star Weekly, Sunbury College principal Craig O’Bree said students were encouraged to use toilets outside of class times so they don’t interrupt their learning.
“Students are also able to access three large unisex bathroom blocks during class time, through our school’s existing process,” Mr O’Bree said.
“We’re continuing to review how this is working, and are engaging in ongoing conversations with our school community and we welcome their feedback.”
In 2018, Star Weekly reported that a Kunjang mother was taking her son’s school, Melton Secondary College, to the Australian Human Rights Commission over the school’s practice of locking toilets during class times.
