Using the bathroom isn’t something that can be restricted, timed, or controlled, right? Palisade admin doesn’t seem to think so. With the new implementation of an application called SmartPass, students’ bathroom and hall opportunities are limited, causing frustration within the Bulldog pack.
Throughout the day, students are immersed in their schoolwork, lunch fun, and extracurriculars. Teachers at Palisade create high expectations for the student population, including going to the bathroom for valid reasons. Dean of Students Aaron Howard led the implementation of SmartPass. Howard emphasizes that the pass system allows “administrators to be more knowledgeable about the amount of kids in the hall for legitimate reasons and to minimize students missing out on instruction time.” Palisade is a systematic school, valuing closed campuses and content tutoring. “SmartPass is another layer that will make us a better school,” explains Howard.
Students who abuse bathroom time are often stereotyped negatively. Some teachers assume students to be vaping. If administrators are concerned about fruit flavored air fogging up the bathrooms, they should create a more individual and effective compromise for these students.
Howard claims, “We are prioritizing students not missing out on class time. Sometimes when kids just want to use a pass, they are missing important things. We want to maximize our class time.” There is an obvious difference in perspectives between admin and students. The majority of Palisade, including myself, feel controlled with this new system. However, Howard says, “I think kids might feel as though it is a restriction, but on the flip side of that, they learn to only utilize the pass when they need to.”
Utilizing the bathroom is a basic human necessity and should not be restricted whatsoever. It cannot be scheduled or controlled when it is best to go to the bathroom, and admin should not expect that of us.
Menstruation is a significant factor that SmartPass fails to account for. Students who menstruate should not have to delay their necessities. Say someone has already used up their two passes but needs to address an emergency. Now, they have to explain to the teacher, adding more stress to the situation. No one should have to ask or explain an unforeseen matter to a teacher. This type of private information should be respected. Freshman Lyndie Ferguson shares, “This frustrates me because, as a girl specifically, you have to use the bathroom multiple times a day for certain reasons. If you can’t do that, that’s obviously not hygienic and impacts your health.” Ferguson adds, “Two bathroom passes a day is not enough for anyone. Having a five minute time limit is so restricting.”
Taking breaks at school is important to regulating mental health too. The bathroom can function as an escape from potential pressures occurring in a classroom, offering a moment to recharge to students. At Palisade, Bulldogs utilize the bathroom to manage their mental health and reground themselves. Ferguson describes using the bathroom as “your one time to relax.”
Especially in block periods, it can be harder to focus. Maybe structured in-class breaks would be more beneficial rather than limiting bathroom privileges. Integrating mindfulness exercises before class could also regulate stress levels and students’ abilities to focus. I agree that passes are meant for bathroom purposes, but there are better methods to make sure of this.
Junior Beau Roberts approaches the SmartPass sarcastically, saying, “If we’re already limiting bathrooms, might as well limit water bottles too. Inherently, the more we drink water, the more we need to use the bathroom.” Prompting the question, “Hydration or distraction?” Restrictive bathroom passes correlate with dehydration. There is no push by teachers towards a healthy, hydrated lifestyle. “I don’t have time to use the bathroom during passing periods. Maybe I should just drink less water,” states Roberts.
Bathroom opportunities should be for using the bathroom, I agree with Mr. Howard in that sense. However, going to the bathroom cannot be timed for five minutes or limited to two times daily. There should be a way to limit unnecessary hall roaming and skipping, “It is the student’s responsibility to keep up in class. If they miss work, then they miss work,” says Ferguson.
Five minutes simply is not enough for some students to utilize the bathroom and still arrive to class on time or with enough time to readjust. Students literally line up at their classroom doors just to race to the bathroom, demonstrating the anxiety SmartPass provokes. Additionally, SmartPass undermines the importance of students’ mental health in a stressful school environment. Instead of prohibiting bathroom opportunities, Palisade administrators should recognize mental health and hygienic needs.
