by Ronan Bass

School Toilets

Redesign of current school toilets

Over the last 18 months we have seen an escalation of anti-social behaviour and vandalism in the school toilets. This has cost the school thousands of dollars to rectify. The vandalism has included:

  • Soap dispensers emptied out on the floor

  • Soap dispensers ripped off the walls multiple times

  • Toilets being blocked by rubbish and then defecated on

  • Students smoking and vaping in the toilets

  • Students urinating on the floor in boys toilets

  • Sinks ripped off the walls

  • Students urinating on the floor in boys toilets

  • Someone blocking toilet by putting underwear in the cistern

  • S-bend of sinks loosened to flood the toilets

  • Sinks blocked with toilet paper and taps left running to flood the toilets

  • Wet toilet paper thrown on ceilings multiple times

  • Ink being spilt all over the toilet and walls

  • This week a hand dryer and it's motor have been ripped off the wall leaving electrical wiring exposed

The antiquated design of our toilets means that students cannot be passively monitored from outside and it is professionally unsafe for our staff to go into the toilets. This has made it extremely difficult to identify the culprits carrying out the vandalism and damage.  It is disappointing that a small number of students fail to uphold our RISE values and have such a huge impact on the entire school community, including our caretaker and cleaners who have to deal with the aftermath of their behaviour. Student health and safety is of paramount importance and students should be able to feel safe while using the toilet facilities. We are in the process of redesigning the toilets so communal areas can be passively monitored from outside while students still have privacy by using the toilet cubicles. This will mean that there will be a glass front to the toilets to ensure the safety of all concerned.