Covid has caused many disadvantages to the middle school, one being the closing of the locker rooms. Many students struggle with this rule, while others don’t seem to mind it as much.
Eighth-grader Lia Arnold plays lacrosse and has been struggling with this adjustment. “This change is really inconvenient for me personally,” she said. Lia felt that this rule seems unnecessary because she could change fairly quickly. “It doesn’t take more than a minute to change, so it’s not like we are going to be in the bathroom for a long time,” Lia added.
Others don’t seem to mind this new policy as much. Sixth-grade lacrosse player Andrew St. Clair explained how he is not bothered by this rule because it doesn’t affect him. “I don’t ever feel the need to change, so I don’t really care,” said Andrew.
The concern with having students changing in the bathrooms is that there is a two-person limit per bathroom. If multiple students are relying on changing their clothes each day, then it could lead to a delay in practice start times.
Math teacher Jane Repp experiences multiple girls changing in bathrooms frequently. She says she doesn’t mind students changing, and she understands that everyone wants to change, but she feels safety is the top priority.
“If there are 80 girls that want to change every day for sports, and only two people are allowed in the bathroom at a time, how are we ever going to get to sports on time?” Mrs. Repp asks rhetorically.
Lia expressed that many students seem to be struggling with this rule as well, and she hopes that a solution will be made soon. “I really hope that there is a new solution because this rule is not working out for me personally,” she said.
Mrs. Repp explains that she would be willing to work with the students that find this rule challenging, and figure out alternative ideas so they can wear what they want. “It would be awesome if all of the students who are struggling with this rule met with me to figure out what the problem is so we can try to solve it,” Mrs. Repp said.
