On average, how many times do you use the bathroom per day with proper hydration? The answer is give or take, every two hours. This would account for three bathroom passes per school day. Why should a natural human duty be restricted? How can we advocate for our own personal needs?
At BHS, “Minga,” a digital hall pass, imposes unfair bathroom limitations that make it nearly impossible for students to use the restroom as needed, interfering with necessary hydration and class timeliness.
Between each class at BHS, students have five minutes to navigate crowded hallways, climb three separate floors, and account for their bodily needs. BHS is composed of approximately 1,700 students, but only roughly six stalls per floor, meaning in just five minutes, hundreds of students are expected to accomplish these duties. According to keckmedicine.org, “holding it” can lead to health consequences such as UTIs and even kidney problems, not to mention extreme discomfort.
“My body runs on a schedule. It’s not healthy for me to hold it all day with the amount of water I drink,” claims a senior female soccer player, determined to properly hydrate. “I shouldn’t be restricted from normal human body function.” Per semester, students receive eight bathroom passes; that is approximately eight passes per 90 days. Athletics are a priority at BHS, student athletes should be able to properly hydrate without having to “hold it.”
So why exactly are these rules being implemented? Every high school has students that deviate from the standards and protocols set in place. Unfortunately, these rebellious students ruin it for everyone else. Taking advantage of the lack of bathroom expectations, rebellious students take this time to vape, loiter, or cut class. To combat these issues, administrators limit bathroom passes. According to bellvoices.org, “School bathrooms have long been notorious for all sorts of illicit behavior.” School should be a safe space for students, not an institution with unlawful behavior. However, there is going to be bad behavior regardless of rules put in place. Bad actions should not impose consequences for undeserving students. The solution is to not punish good students for bodily functions, it is to control the students who are truly misbehaving and mismanaging their time.
