NO! TO LOCKED SCHOOL TOILETS

Having contacted the executive principal and the Board of Governors without success perhaps it is time for protest and for students, parents, brave members of staff and those interested in child welfare, sexual equality, and disability issues to make their voice heard. 
The policy of locking toilets minutes before the end of break time and lunch (to prevent lateness to class or vandalism) is totally counter productive, punishes the many for actions of the few, has a negative impact on healthy habits including drinking lots of water which improves concentration and increases UTI’s and other bowel and bladder issues. It also means those who do genuinely need the loo take longer time away from their work as they have to ask permission and queue at the now very busy single disabled toilet. 
This policy is causing children to go to the toilet when they don’t need it as a precaution causing queues so long at break and lunch it gives them little time to eat or have a break. 
The only toilet that may be accessed through the rest of the day is a single disabled toilet which is causing problems for those who need it for medical conditions- there are many reasons a child may be given a disabled toilet pass from continence issues to fatigue or mobility problems, making them walk past a large number of locked toilets to join queues for single disabled facility is nonsensical, illogical and unethical. 
The policy is also sexist- when my daughter question the introduction of the policy she was told “girls just need to prepare better like adults do”. How on Earth can a girl prepare adequately for a period during break and lunch, particularly if this is her first ever period- no one can anticipate when that may happen and humiliation and stress should not be added to this already difficult moment. 
If a child was homeschooled and only allowed 2 fixed short breaks in which they were allowed to access the toilet it would be raised as a safeguarding and welfare concern and potential abuse. 
Being able to access toilets at the time of need is more of a human rights issue than an educational one. There is excellent guidance which has been sent to the school from the ERIC continence charity and it is covered within other health and social care guidance available to schools but this is currently being ignored. This policy goes against my children’s schools own SHARED values and their promotion of the importance of dignity and respect. 
Please sign and share if you agree that unless an individual is abusing their right to use the toilet this should never be removed from them and policies of locked toilets in schools are completely unfair and wrong.