Have you ever felt like you really needed to use the restroom, only to find all the nearest ones were closed, causing you to waste time trying to find an open one? If you have, you’re not alone.
At the beginning of the year, in January 2026, South High administration chose to lock all north-side bathrooms during the day, leaving south-side restrooms open.
Dean Sam Bojanski said this was done because restrooms were becoming a “hangout spot” for students who didn’t want to go to class.
“If we minimize the hangout spots here at South, we may see an improvement in attendance,” he said.
Because of this decision, Bojanski added that the school has seen improvements in hallway traffic, and it is easier to get students to class. Additionally, with fewer bathrooms open, security can focus its energy on other parts of the building that need attention.
Will the north-side bathrooms ever be accessible again?
“Of course, our administration assesses the situation every Friday. With the success we’ve seen so far, we know it’s working, but we also recognize students need to use the bathroom,” Bojanski said. “We need better attendance, but students also need to use the bathroom. This has become a tug-of-war.”
Forensics teacher Sara Point, whose classroom is located on the south side of the building, said the decision to close the north restrooms is reasonable since the closures do not affect her.
“Having the north-side bathrooms closed can be problematic for students who may have health issues that make nearby bathrooms necessary, but having fewer bathrooms open can help with students loitering,” she said. Point also noted that because the overall school population has decreased, not all bathrooms need to be open at all times.
On the north side of the building, however, English teacher and bowling coach Jim Goetz has been affected by the change. Goetz said the closure has impacted how many students he sends out of class and how long they are gone, and that students miss instruction because they have to walk farther.
“From my perspective, I see this as a negative rather than a positive for students; they are walking a block just to go to the bathroom.” He believes the restrooms will eventually reopen, just not this school year. “I hope there will be a change of heart next year, but then again, who knows,” he added.
Journalism teacher Deana Colón, whose classroom sits between the north and south sides, believes the change is a positive one. “I haven’t noticed it being harder for students to get a pass out of class, and they come back in a normal amount of time.”
Students also fall on different sides of the restroom issue.
South senior Yosimar Leiva said he feels the change has been a big inconvenience during his last year of school because it is now harder to use the restroom before class and still arrive on time.
“I also feel like it’s pointless because it doesn’t stop whatever they are trying to stop,” he said. He added that he has been tardy to class more times since the restrooms were closed compared to before.
“An example of how the bathroom closures have affected me is, if I try to use the restroom on my floor during passing period, most of the time I have to go to a different floor because the restroom is full of people. It causes me to take more time, and I’m tardy to class,” Leiva said.
Sophomore Emily Rodriguez Bernal offered a different perspective. She said she does not feel affected because she doesn’t spend much time in the halls. With half of the restrooms closed, “there are fewer people roaming the halls,” Rodriguez said, adding that the restroom closures have not made it more difficult for her to get a pass out of class.
How do you feel about the restroom closures? Let us know in the comments below.
