High School Takes Ridiculous Measure Against School Violence

It is a natural reaction for school administrators to want to be vigilant against school shootings in the wake of all the tragedies that have befallen this nation in the past few years.

Many measures have been taken by schools to stop shootings before they occur, such as adding metal detectors at entrance points, hiring additional security guards, and even arming teachers.

However, there is a fine line between cautious and paranoid, and a central Illinois school took one giant, illogical step over the line.

We have all seen the writing on the wall- literally- in high school bathrooms, where students scribble out their deepest darkest thoughts, or just let people know they have used the facilities.

In one of these bathroom stall memos, someone wrote a threat of violence towards the school.

While this is not acceptable, and the individual should be addressed, and possibly put into therapy, it is hard to pinpoint who is responsible.

Not knowing who wrote the threat, the school administration decided to take off all the stall doors.

That’s right. The women’s bathrooms had no door to close while using the facilities or tending to their monthly cycles!

ABC News reported:

One central Illinois school is facing controversy after kids showed up to school and found the bathroom stalls no longer had doors.

Officials with the Beardstown School District said they made this decision after a high school student wrote a note on a bathroom stall threatening there would be a school shooting.”

High school bathrooms are a hub for teenage girls looking to gossip about their classmates and giggle about their latest crushes.

They are a safe haven for the overwhelmed, embarrassed, or ill. Sometimes, there is the occasional destruction of property; but those incidents are far and few between.

It seems quite drastic to rake away a young lady’s privacy, and place of security, for one girl’s actions.

The superintendent with the Beardstown School District, Ron Gilbert, talked about how taking the doors off has made the students not want to spend time in the bathroom, according to ABC News:


“You have to understand when kids have a place to spend time, whether it’s a minute or five minutes sometimes things happen whether it’s good, bad or otherwise. It has helped limit some of the things that were taking place.”

Well, duh! No one wants to be caught with their pants down, so I’m sure that students are rushing to get out of there.

Understandably, students were shocked to see the doors off the stalls when they arrived at school, leading them to use creative means when they are using the restroom.

Juan Juarez, a student in the affected direct reports on ABC News the different ways students cover up:

Mostly girls have been bringing blankets from their house and hanging it up in the stalls so people can’t see them and like yesterday people started putting their shoes and boots in front of the stall, so people would know they’re in the bathroom.”

To get around privacy rules, the school has allowed students who want to shut a door while they are using the facilities to go in the nurse’s office.

Hopefully, there is tardy forgiveness when you have to wait in that line.

Removing the bathroom stall doors is not where the school stopped in their precautionary measures.

High school and junior high school students are “only allowed to enter and exit in one door”, according to ABC News.

During after-school events there will also be officials walking around the grounds conducting random searches.

These precautions may catch an act of violence before it happens, but it does nothing to address the students who are struggling with feelings of anger or depression.

The experts agree that addressing student concerns and having a safe place where students can express their feelings is much more effective than waiting for them to begin an act of violence.

Strangely, this is not the only school that has taken off the doors of the women’s stalls in a school to prevent unfavorable events.

This should not be acceptable by school officials. Having privacy when using the facilities, especially as a young lady, is vital for a healthy and safe space.

It is unclear if the school has any intentions of putting the doors back up, but hopefully after the parents and students express their concerns, the administration will change their policy.

Please let us know in the comments section what you think about the school’s actions, and if it was a proper approach to the remarks about school violence.