While a new design coming to northern Utah school bathrooms has some parents concerned, the Granite School District claims the change will actually keep students safer.
“Our schools are designed for student safety. Our bathrooms are being designed for student safety,” said district spokesperson Andrea Stringham. “That is our one and only agenda item.”
The design has two large entrances leading into individual, gender-designated small rooms with toilets. Each room has one toilet and floor-to-ceiling doors and walls.
The handwashing area is the only shared space and will be entirely open to the hallway. District officials hope the design will put a stop to bullying and vandalism that happens inside its school restrooms.
“They’re ruining sinks, they’re graffiti on the wall. There’s a lot of bullying, cyberbullying, that happens. Even over the weekend, we had an email from a parent saying her child was videotaped in the bathroom, just his shoes, and it was posted on social media just to embarrass the child,” added Stringham.