School is a place to learn and should be a distraction-free environment. Despite this, many students are faced with hardships in and out of Niagara Falls High School. These problems inside of Niagara Falls High School are solvable, have been verbally addressed, yet have been ignored time and time again. For the common benefit of students, these hardships should be addressed with care and consideration.
Daily, students of Niagara Falls High School are faced with unclean bathrooms, non-functioning bathroom stall locks, non-functioning hot water on sinks, and a demonstrated lack of care for the replenishment of feminine products. These concerns are not only of safety but of dignity and privacy. In addition to a lack of replenishment of feminine products, students are forced to use uncomfortable cardboard applicators. These products have been verbally addressed by students multiple times and were met with no action. Many students rely on the free running water and toiletries provided by Niagara Falls High School, and it is unacceptable to give students anything but respect and dignity rather than neglect.
To produce a more conducive environment for success, our demands are simple. We demand clean bathrooms with functioning locks on all doors to protect student privacy. We demand better-quality feminine products provided via dispensers in all student bathrooms to ensure inclusion and comfortability. Finally, to further enhance the safety of students and reduce the teen pregnancy rate at Niagara Falls High School, we demand that condoms be provided in all student bathrooms via a dispenser.
Clean and functioning bathrooms are a preexisting expectation for a school that promises the safety and health of students. As of 2018, New York law mandates that High Schools provide free and accessible menstrual products. As of 2019, the Condom Availability Program funded the access of condoms in schools free of charge for all parties involved. In short, these things should be expectations given the voice of students are heard. These changes are a net positive and would provide students with a healthy and safe environment to learn. In short, we demand dignity.
