by Charlie Weigand ‘27

Over the past few years boarding and locking up the bathrooms has been a common practice at Sherwood and other high schools across Montgomery County. The intention was for security reasons to try to prevent vandalism, to stop students from vaping or using other drugs, and to deter students from skipping class and hanging out in the restrooms. MCPS has decided that locking bathrooms will no longer be allowed because students need access to restrooms. 

As of Monday, September 29, according to a MCPS memo that was sent out to school principals, locking bathrooms will no longer be permitted unless the bathrooms are within an isolated area in the school building or those that are not typically accessed by students.

The reason for this change is to support student well being so that students have consistent access to all restroom facilities and that students feel safe in their school environment. If the bathrooms stay locked it could send the message to students that their school environment is unsafe. MCPS also stated in the memo that locked bathrooms very well could result in a health code violation. The district hopes that the installation of vape detectors in restrooms last spring will strengthen schools’ ability to monitor and supervise bathrooms. 

The memo concludes by urging school principals to foster a school culture in which staff and students share responsibility for a safe and respectful environment. “Empowering students to make responsible decisions and treating them with dignity are essential components of this effort.”