With the need to get around campus in a hurry during the school day, finding time to use the restroom can be difficult. When students do find the time, campus supervisors have been found present throughout these facilities.
The presence of campus supervisors has been inconvenient and a source of concern for some students. Campus supervisors have also been more common in the girls’ restrooms than the boys’ restrooms.
“I feel like it’s kind of invading [student] privacy a bit, I get wanting to enforce stuff but I think if they kind relied more on people to ensure that people don’t stay in there too long maybe outside the restrooms as opposed to inside. I don’t really use the school restrooms too much… I will say that when I do use it, I’ve never seen a security guard in [the boys’ restroom],” senior Andrew Kramer said.
The supervision of the restrooms are to prevent misdemeanors and loitering. With the student population being spread out across school grounds, it can be difficult for supervisors to watch over everyone.
“For safety reasons for students, some activities are being done in the restroom that they’re not supposed to be doing. It’s hard to manage because most of the kids are in the plaza,” campus supervisor Jovelyn Clark said.
Supervising the restrooms is not an inconvenience for campus supervisors, as it is now part of their routine as a campus supervisor.
“The restrooms are like any other place on campus, only so many people can fit, it’s not appropriate for 20 people to be in there at once. [This policy is for] getting kids to class on time, we want everyone to have an equal opportunity to use the restroom,” said Lisa Wood, campus supervisor.
While campus supervisors in restrooms are present for preventing wrongdoing, this measure has been uncomfortable for some and is not completely accepted by all students.
“I think it’s a little weird having [campus supervisors] there and everything because that’s such a personal and private place. I get it, in some places it’s for safety concerns but I feel like it’s just awkward because it’s like you’re going in there and it just sends a sense of anxiety and some people are already nervous when there’s people around them…I think that they shouldn’t be in the bathroom, but if they’re outside that’s fine,” sophomore Heidi Rahmo said.
Campus supervisors being in the restrooms will likely remain until further discussion occurs amongst staff. The safety statement describing what Mission Hills has in place to be ready in instances of danger can be found on the Mission Hills High School website.