If you are a boy with a class in the new building–or Quander, Gunston or Springbank, you’ve probably been stalled on your way to the bathroom at least once this year as at least one or two of the main bathrooms are closed every week. Bathrooms aren’t closed for no reason though, since they may be shuttered due to vandalism or damage.

The main reason for closing is students graffiti and even attempts to destroy the bathrooms. The 700-level bathroom has been closed much of the fall due to student actions in early October: the soap dispenser was destroyed, a sink was smashed off the wall, a stall door ripped off, and graffiti lined the stalls.

“We have caught one of the guys, he was just tagging [the bathroom]. Once he served his consequence, which was cleaning the bathrooms, he didn’t do it anymore,” Mr. Tico, building supervisor, stated.

The bathroom is brand new as the building opened only a year ago. Students had to make an effort to break the new durable sinks and fixtures. 

“You actually have to stand on [the sink] and kick in to smash it,” Mr. Tico said. “It’s crazy because it would have taken a lot of strength…I don’t know why they think it’s okay..”

Some students have felt the closed bathrooms are unfair because they didn’t do anything, but they are still experiencing the punishments which include long walks to available bathrooms.At a regular walking speed, It takes 40 seconds to get from room 726, the journalism classroom, to the new bathroom at a regular walking pace, 2 minutes and 20 seconds to the gym lobby (which is sometimes locked), and 2 minutes and 40 seconds total to get to the the closest bathroom in upper Quander, according to a study by The Wire.

“I do think it is unfair because my teacher will get mad at me when I take too long to use the bathroom but, it’s not my fault because no bathrooms are open,” Christian Garay, freshman at West Potomac, said.

With bathrooms being closed it takes longer for a student to use the bathroom and some students are mad because their teachers don’t understand it.

“I get yelled at, threats to call my parents and threats to be marked as cut,” Darius Childs, Junior at West Potomac, said.

Data was collected every other day in the week of November 27th – December 1st below about the main bathrooms availability. 

Some of the security members don’t agree with the kids saying it is unfair because they are the reason. The security believes this is reasonable punishment for their actions since the kids keep vandalizing the bathrooms to an extreme level.

“I feel like bathrooms being closed is a good action to take because kids don’t respect the bathrooms,” Shannon Harrigan, safety and security assistant, said.