In the post, user MasterCh1cken12 shared an image of a male school bathroom with urinals without dividers with the caption, “Our school district says it would cost $1,500 to put in two dividers. Teachers and students use this restroom.”
In a later post, MasterCh1cken12 said the idea “was suggested to our principal because even as a sophomore it’s awkward as hell to piss next to your 50 something math teacher. Also I attend a Kindergarten through 12th grade school and all grades commonly use this bathroom.”
Comments on the post suggested many Reddit users found it surprising that teachers and students were sharing the same restroom.
Although there is no law against teachers using the same bathrooms as students, it is generally advised that there should be separate facilities for both parties. In the U.K., the Department for Education said in 2015 advice to schools that suitable toilet and washing facilities should be provided “for the sole use of pupils”.
It says there should be separate toilet facilities for boys and girls aged 8 years or over and advises that while toilets and washing facilities for staff may also be used by visitors “they should be separate from those provided for pupils, except where they are designed for those who are disabled.”
Segregated private spaces have been a contentious topic of conversation in recent years, as debate rages over whether to let transgender women share spaces with cisgender women.
In June, Professor Sarahjane Jones of Staffordshire University in the U.K. made the news for arguing that urinals had no place in gender-neutral bathrooms. In July, Noah Ruiz, a transgender man, was beaten up for after being advised to use the women’s toilets at a campground in Ohio, despite having women’s body parts.
Opinions were mixed in the comments, with many expressing concerns over the possibility of false or legitimate allegations of harassment. User Oldgamer1807 wrote “‘I’m shocked the teachers union isn’t raising hell over students and staff using the same bathroom. One sexual harassment claim … and it would be all over.”
RhinoGuy13 agreed, “Two kids in there helicoptering isn’t the problem. They should definitely have separate bathrooms for teachers. There is just too much risk of something happening that could cause a lawsuit. Even if the teacher isn’t doing wrong a kid could say that they saw a adult penis and it would cause all kinds of problems.”
User lonesomeokapi314 commented, “I’ve pied in many a urinal that didn’t have a divider between them, that bit doesn’t bother me. But what the fk, teachers and kids sharing a bathroom seems maddening. Pretty sure here in the UK that’s not allowed.”
Newsweek reached out to u/MasterCh1cken12 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
