By ALICIA FEYERHERM
Tiger Media Network
The Hays USD 489 Board of Education discussed bathroom vandalism during Monday’s meeting.
Posts on Facebook have circulated regarding bathrooms at the new high school.
Superintendent Ron Wilson assured the board the district takes vandalism and cleanliness concerns seriously; however, the issue is complex.
“To be able to monitor bathrooms eight hours a day, it’s almost impossible,” Wilson said.
Security cameras capture what happens outside of the bathrooms, not within the stalls themselves. So identifying the student responsible for the damage is not always possible.
When students are caught, there is disciplinary action. If the damage or theft rises to the level of a felony, it is pursued as such, Wilson said.
“Bathrooms are your worst nightmare as an administrator,” the superintendent said.
To address concerns, maintenance staff is cleaning the bathrooms twice a day instead of once.
Wilson cautioned the public against believing everything they see on social media.
“Just because it’s on Facebook doesn’t mean it’s real and it’s happening,” Wilson said. “The scope of the exaggeration is greatly exaggerated.”
O’Loughlin Elementary Principal Rene Burns and Wilson Elementary Principal Anita Scheve said there are vandalism issues at their school as well. The difference is it is not publicized on Facebook.
“People get on Facebook and (post) false claims, and so I just want to say that this is not a high-school issue. This is a district issue,” Burns said. “We have a protocol in place.”
Several board members asked for the number of vandalism reports and more data on the issue.
“I know it might not be as much as what’s said, but we have all been in the building and seen the bathrooms closed because of that,” board member Jayme Goetz said. “So we know it is happening, maybe not to that extent, but where is that documentation?”
Wilson said they would likely need to review the maintenance ticket system and review the bathroom tickets to compile those figures.
Hays High Principal Shawn Henderson said the group bathrooms have been shut down due to vandalism. Wilson said students were standing on the sinks and jumping on them, loosening them from the wall. Those bathrooms are now only open during sporting events or other activities.
Board President Curt Vajnar said the board was told students would have the option to use group stalls if they were not comfortable with the single stalls.
“They don’t have that option now,” Vajnar said.
“That would be with anything in the school; if they don’t use it appropriately, they’re going to lose privileges,” Wilson said.
Board member Allen Park said Hays High has the highest percentage of single-stall bathrooms in the state.
Board members Ken Brooks and Pallister asked for the data Park was referring to.
“You make up data,” Brooks said. “Go ahead and give it to us if you have data.”
Brooks said the administrators feel attacked and the board should not micromanage them.
“That’s not our job,” Brooks said. “They shouldn’t feel like it’s us versus them.”
Henderson invited all board members to walk through the high school and see the bathrooms for themselves during the school day. He also encouraged parents to reach out to administrators.
“If you call the high school and say you need to talk to an admin, you’re getting one,” Henderson said. “Not maybe. You’re getting one of us. That’s what we do.”
During the meeting, the Board also heard an update on the Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) program at the middle and high school and tabled discussion on the sale of a 7.23-acre lot north of Felten Elementary.
The next Board of Education meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. May 12 at the Rockwell Administration Building.