Petition launched against school’s unisex toilets

A concerned mother has launched a petition calling for Llanfyllin High School’s new unisex toilets to revert back to single sex facilities.

Pupils returned to school last week to find a major renovation had replaced the former run down male and female facilities with one plush shared unit.

It didn’t go down well though with some parents who contacted us to complain, and the school responded to make its position clear.

You can read that in full in our previous story announcing the news here.

In the petition, parent Chris Wright explained: “This does not sit well with many parents and young people alike.

“Pupils returned to school to find themselves having to use the unisex facilities and many of them had not been consulted about the changes.

“Parents were also not aware that the school was planning to do this over the holidays. Pupils reported back to their parents that the toilet block on the upper floor was closed for refurbishment (children believed this is to be unisex on completion).

“Many children do not feel comfortable using these facilities. Young girls are embarrassed, vulnerable and uncomfortable with many starting puberty, having to deal with their ‘time of the month’ whilst in a cubicle next to a boy. Then having to exit cubicles to wash their hands in the unisex basins - next to a boy.

“Hygiene is an issue with many females reporting boys are urinating on seats. Safety is an issue. The cubicles have floor to ceiling walls and doors, meaning increased risks of sexual encounters, vaping smoking, (and) drugs use. Let alone health emergencies, if a pupil passed out slumped against the door, how will teachers gain entry with their ‘special keys’?

“Although the school says the toilets are now ‘open plan’, parents do not feel that staff can monitor this area continuously.

“Many pupils are now refusing to use these facilities; some children being told to go home to use their private facilities. Some girls refusing to go to school if they are on their period. If children do not feel safe using this unisex block they run the risk of urinary tract infections, kidney infections and toxic shock syndrome if the girls cannot change their sanitary goods in a timely manner.”

As part of its response in the original story, the school defended the facility, saying: “Staff and students at Ysgol Llanfyllin have worked with Powys County Council on the design and full refurbishment of one of its old toilet blocks.

“These original washrooms were in a very poor, tired condition with damaged tiling, flooring and cubicles. The toilets were also a very poor design and the layout meant that there was no clear line of vision for school staff to monitor the room effectively.

“Many options were examined but it became clear that a total transformation of this area of the school was needed. The internal layout of the washroom needed to be changed to create a modern, open-plan, unisex washroom. Now the work has been completed, students can choose to use either these new facilities or the existing, single-sex toilets which have not been changed. Disabled toilets are also available throughout school.”

Any concerned parents are invited to visit the school to view the facilities.

The petition can be viewed here.