By Scout Engstrom and Paige Johnson
Branford High School implemented a new bathroom/hall pass policy this month to minimize roaming and congregating in the halls and bathroom. However, this has caused some controversy among students and teachers.
Principal Lee Panagoulias said it was not solely up to him to decide to implement the hall pass system, but it came from the BHS leadership team, which consists of 20 staff members, teachers, administrators, and department leaders that come together and evaluate the school climate data.
Data shows “students aren’t feeling comfortable in the restrooms,” Panagoulias said. “This was something that needed to be done now. In a perfect world, we start this at the beginning of the year but this is an adjustment whose time has come. It’s about making it comfortable for everyone at BHS.”
Despite the controversy, BHS security reports the efficiency of the pass system has reduced hall roaming and bathroom meetups.
In more detail Steve the security guard said, “the halls and bathrooms aren’t as congested, the boys socializing and vaping in the bathroom is less; the passes have helped.”
Mr. Sal Zara said “You should take a pass to go to the bathroom. and come back. It’s not an issue.”
However, students have voiced their concerns with the passes. Many students believe that the passes are unfair and dirty. Students have mentioned they can not use the facilities because other students abuse their pass time and they are stuck waiting for minutes on end.
“I hate the bathroom pass even though I barely use it to avoid the bathroom,” senior Gabby Darling said. “It’s disgusting.”
Senior Brody Fagan said there are hygiene issues with the pass system. “The bathroom pass is gross,” he said. “I don’t like it. Someone put gross stuff on it.”
Some students have ideas about potential changes they would make to the new pass system.
“I think that there should be more passes, there should be boys and girls passes,” said senior Gianna Piscitelli. “I think teachers have to be less strict because a lot of times students have opens and there’s no way for them to get a pass.”
According to several students, the biggest issue regarding the pass is accessibility. When students do need to use the bathroom, it’s likely the pass is already in use outside of the classroom.
Despite the mid-year adjustment to the new system, the bathroom passes are “here to stay,” Panagoulias said, adding that there is too much data to argue against the efficiency of the new pass system. Regardless of its inconvenience, students are in class more, there’s less roaming in the halls, and less “bathroom meetups,” he said.
School is a place to learn and unfortunately, the actions of others have affected the general population here at BHS.
