In my second year at MHS, there is one thing that hasn’t changed: the male bathrooms are still broken. Most urinals don’t have dividers, and I have never seen a student use one without a divider except for a few brave souls. Only the urinal in the corner can be used without one, since a student can stand diagonally to avoid the awkward situation. As a result, students wait in line for stalls while the urinals sit empty.
On top of that, one handicap-accessible stall behind the theater building has a broken door, creating a lack of privacy for students who rely on it.
This problem is not new. A 2014 opinion piece in the MHS Union described almost the exact same situation: “boys enter a bathroom and find a long line for the stalls…but an empty row of urinals.” The article went on to explain that the lack of dividers makes most urinals unusable, and the result is inefficiency, crowding, and frustration. Nearly a decade later, the same issues remain.
Meanwhile, the school is investing in impressive new facilities, including a performing arts center, a possible second gym facility, and expanding the Innovation Campus. These are great and exciting developments, but basic bathroom needs are important too.
Some may argue that installing or repairing bathroom dividers is risky because of potential vandalism. But the solution cannot be to avoid privacy altogether. The better answer is to repair damage quickly when it happens and have effective monitoring.
In the scenario that budgets are tight, requesting PTSA fundraising, seeking small donations from the community, or phasing in upgrades gradually by starting with the busiest bathrooms could work. These steps could still improve conditions without overwhelming costs.
Fixing these problems is one way to build a Culture of WE, MUSD’s commitment focused on creating a school environment where everyone’s needs are respected and included. Simple improvements such as adding urinal dividers and maintaining all stalls would be a meaningful difference for all bathroom users.
Building a true Culture of WE starts with the day-to-day spaces students use. It is past time to fix the bathrooms that have been missing basic privacy for a decade.
Jonathan Choi, Class of 2028
