Students Express Dissatisfaction About School Bathrooms

by Ella Casey ’21

Many students feel as though the bathroom conditions at Sherwood are subpar, according to a survey of 78 students conducted by The Warrior. Whether it be due to student behavior in the bathrooms or the school’s negligence to listen to complaints, there is a clear consensus that many would prefer to avoid the bathrooms.

From vaping to throwing toilet paper around, student behavior is a large contributor to the terrible conditions of the restrooms. Senior Eugene Kim stated in the survey that the bathrooms look “as if animals were using them for science experiments.” 

Students also report that soap dispensers are often empty or damaged. “Students could be more cautious when handling the soap dispensers and sinks, as to not damage or compromise them,” wrote sophomore Steven Amato on the survey.

More than half of the surveyed students stated that the conditions of the bathrooms have not changed from last year, and that they are not adequate quality for public restrooms. Furthermore, the averaged score when asked about the cleanliness of the bathrooms was a 4 out of 10.

“When going into a Sherwood bathroom you can be sure to find food, soap, towels splattered over the wall and floor, students vaping and Juul pods scattered around, and a lack of soap or working hand dryers. This is how disease spreads. This is not safe,” wrote junior Rohan Mittu on his survey.

Students generally recognize the hardworking efforts of building services to clean bathrooms after students make a mess. The complaints about the bathrooms focus more on the lack of toilet paper and soap; sinks that do not turn on or the handles changed to the wrong temperature; and the hand dryers that are not effective. A student who withheld their name on the survey commented that the school should “give [the students] better quality materials; it is not the custodians’ fault”.

To remedy the state of the bathrooms, several survey respondents suggest more frequent stock of supplies, the addition of paper towels or better hand dryers, checking that the sinks work properly, and a significant improvement in student treatment of the shared restrooms.