By : Tyler Tran

Bathrooms Locked During Times of Need At Marshall Continue to Frustrate Students 

Marshall students are unsatisfied with unexplained bathroom closures.

As the school year at Thurgood Marshall continues, student bathrooms are still experiencing closures. Principal Touloumian has pushed for more security in the A, B, and G buildings to limit the frequency of safety hazards, causing the restrooms to be locked.

“Every time, whether it’s A, B, or G building, bathroom. It’s always locked in the A building most of the time. I have to run to the G building. Sometimes I end up going to the B building because both A and G are locked.” senior Miguel Soto said.

Students complained that the bathrooms being locked more often caused tardiness to their classes. Theories surrounding why the bathrooms are being closed include student vaping and fighting, as well as possible renovations.

Security guard Michael Alvarez provided the answer: “The school bathrooms are locked more often to stop students hanging out in the bathroom during nutrition and lunch. It’s mostly the A and B buildings. I mostly guard the G building. I saw some fighting and vaping inside the G building bathroom.” Alvarez is mostly stationed at the A and G building boys’ restrooms.

School staff member Felita Kealing also explained why the students’ bathrooms are locked more often.

“The bathrooms are locked so the school can monitor them better. I don’t know much about the whole thing. But I do know that it involves students vaping. I personally think the bathrooms shouldn’t be locked during school hours,” she said.

“I have students complain about walking around to find the bathroom locked. I gave the student a 5-minute period to go to the restroom and come back late. They explain that they have to walk or wait for a guard to unlock the restroom,” teacher Adriana Lopez said.

“I went to the bathroom at the G building more often since the start of the school year. Every time I went to the A building restroom, it was always locked, and I had to walk or run to the G building to use the bathroom,” senior Kaylee Snyder said.

There is a temporary bathroom placed in the North Quad, and the opening date remains unknown as most of the school’s administrative staff haven’t come to a decision.

“I hope that they open the temporary bathroom building in the North Quad soon. I’m tired of using the same G building restroom, because it’s dirty, it smells, the room looks weird, and I saw students vaping in there,” senior Julian Rivas said.