Hoërskool Kempton Park closes school bathrooms after student shenanigans

In a bid to stop students causing trouble in bathrooms and stop being late for class, Hoërskool Kempton Park has begun to close bathrooms during school time when students are in class, reports Kempton Express.

“It is a preemptive measure,” explained school principle Francois de Kock.

“It is not just about students who smoke in the bathrooms, but also those who walk around unnecessarily and are constantly late for class. There are also learners, boys and girls, that bully each other in the bathrooms,” he added.

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Bathroom facilities are locked as soon as school starts at 8am, and are only open during break time and after school.

De Kock said students are still allowed to use the bathrooms during classtime , if needed.

“Certain staff members whose classrooms are close to the bathrooms in question carry keys, and learners are allowed access. In this way, staff can exercise control over the students’ movements to and from the bathrooms.”

Resident Mark Janse van Rensburg voiced concern over the policy. He felt it infringes on students’ human rights and needed to be addressed immediately.

“Why must all learners pay the price and not have access to the bathrooms because of the smoking problem?” he asked.

De Kock said the arrangement did fall within a person’s human rights, and also followed the guidelines stipulated in the school’s rules.

“The bathrooms are locked to restrict the stipulated unpleasantries. Only two parents asked about the policy. The Kempie learners are following the rules and reacting positively,” de Kock concluded.

This article was translated from Afrikaans by Nica Schreuder.

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