In recent years, there has been no more important problem at HC than the problem with students vaping in the bathrooms. This compounds other issues the bathrooms at HC have, such as overcrowding and poor conditions. Vaping is a unique problem because there are so few ways to combat it.
Vapes do not trigger metal detectors, and many students put them in their backpacks in places the security ambassadors are unable to find them. Furthermore, it is difficult to catch kids using them in the bathrooms because teachers are not there at all times and students will simply wait for them to leave. Even when they are caught, students simply come back with new vapes. It is also extremely difficult to prevent students from getting more because nicotine (and similar substances) are addictive and students using them are unable to stop.
For these reasons, a solution to this problem is necessary. However, it will be hard to find a solution that will satisfy both teachers and students. Both groups have expressed displeasure with various bathroom policies.
Administration has said that they plan to have a rotating schedule of teachers to monitor the bathroom at all times.
The monitoring of the bathrooms is a good idea in theory, but there are several problems. First, teachers cannot be in the bathrooms all day, so when they leave students will continue to vape. Second, there is concern among the faculty that monitoring the bathrooms will put teachers in uncomfortable situations.
The other strategy that has been used to prevent students from vaping is that students currently may not use the restroom during 1st, Advisory, and 6th period.
The primary problem with the bathroom timing restrictions is that it also punishes students who do not vape and simply want to use the bathroom. It is unfair for a student who badly has to use the bathroom to be forced to wait an entire hour until they can go.
Hopefully in the future, a solution will be reached that will satisfy administrators, teachers, and students, but that will be difficult to accomplish.
