SOUND OFF: Removing bathroom doors at Barriere Secondary increases safety concerns
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KARLA PEARCE,
I read your piece today about school safety after the tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, and I wanted to reach out because what you wrote about true safety being human-centered, preventative and relational strongly reflects what a group of parents in Barriere have been trying to raise concerns about for months. At Barriere Secondary School, the hallway entrance doors to the student washrooms were removed this school year as a response to vaping and vandalism. While that may have been intended as a disciplinary or preventative measure, it has had serious unintended impacts on some students – particularly those already dealing with anxiety, trauma and mental health struggles. Students have reported:
- avoiding the washrooms entirely
- increased anxiety and embarrassment
- difficulty managing menstruation due to the lack of privacy and sound barrier
- and concerns about not being able to secure themselves in the washroom during a lockdown or emergency.
One anonymous student survey comment (survey put out by parents), written before the Tumbler Ridge tragedy, said: “What if there is a school shooting and we are using the bathroom? We would need to close the door and lock it but now we can’t.” That concern has only become more serious for families now.
