The restrooms at Akins High School are in dire need of improvement, particularly in terms of cleanliness and expansion to accommodate the growing student population on campus.
Now, not all the restrooms are bad, like the one in front of Akins. The only area that could be improved is the restroom space. Now, most of the restrooms are either missing something from them or are broken. Some items, including toilets, sinks, and soap dispensers, need to be replaced – ideally with a better material so they won’t break easily. It doesn’t seem like too much for students to easily be able to wash their hands after using the restroom to stay clean and hygienic.
The amount of space in the restrooms is pretty small compared to the number of students at Akins. There are more than 2,500 students enrolled at our school. The reason I think this needs to be improved is because of the 5-minute passing period and lunch time. We say this because there is usually a line at the restrooms, and the fact that some stalls are locked or some toilets don’t work doesn’t help the case at all. It causes students to be tardy to class. We, in fact, have been late because of how packed the restrooms are, and when We want to wash my hands, We either have to go to another restroom that has a working sink and be late, or just don’t end up doing so. We decided to create a Google survey to gather students’ opinions about the restrooms in our school. There are a total of nine restrooms, each rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 1 being dirty and 5 being super clean. Overall, the restrooms did not receive a rating higher than 2 stars. The majority of respondents rated them 2 stars, with 7 students voting for 2 stars and 5 students voting for 1 star.
Regarding the functionality of the bathrooms, including paper towels, soap dispensers, and properly working toilets, the ratings also did not exceed 2 stars. Most respondents gave 2 stars for functionality. Additionally, we provided an open-ended section for students to express their thoughts instead of just voting.
The question we asked was, “If you could change one thing about the school bathrooms, what would it be and why?” Many responses echoed similar concerns, such as “Fix the soap dispensers” and “Keep paper towels stocked.” A few responses attributed the issues to certain Akins students who misuse the restrooms, with comments like, “If I could change one thing about the restrooms, I would reduce the number of kids who use them at specific times” and “Remove students who are vaping, fighting, and breaking things.”
We also inquired about students’ uncomfortable experiences in the restrooms, and one response stood out: “The stalls don’t lock properly, especially upstairs in the red hall. You can frequently find people vaping. Sometimes, there’s no soap or paper towels, and a few sinks don’t work. People use the toilets and don’t flush, leaving it for others, or pee on the floor. We feel very bad for the custodial staff who have to clean that up. I think the school is taking a passive approach, only dealing with the aftermath instead of preventing the issues and punishing those responsible.”
Many responses mirrored this sentiment, with complaints about large crowds that “camp” in the restrooms, making it difficult for students to use them—some even referred to it as a “fight club.”
We asked students if they use the school restrooms, and 10 students said they only use them in emergencies, while 2 to 1 students said they avoid them due to the conditions they encounter daily. Finally, we asked how important it was for students to have clean and comfortable restrooms, rating it on a scale from 1 to 10. The responses were as follows: 6 students voted 10, 4 voted 9, and 1 student voted for 8, 7, or 6.
These are the reasons why We believe the restrooms need improvement. It’s not just for ourselves; it’s for everyone who uses these facilities. The main issue is financial, but there are ways to resolve this, such as a bond program to fund construction or fundraising efforts. Therefore, it is not impossible to enhance the restrooms for our community. It is a necessary change that will benefit the entire Akins community.
