Pro/Con: Are Bathroom Passes the New System or Blocking the Way?

This year Blake introduced new lanyard bathroom passes to replace the agenda book passes used last year. While some think that it’s a great idea, others despise the elementary school-like signal.Β 

Pro:

These new passes are so much simpler than agenda books. They make it easier on teachers and students to go to the bathroom without a hassle. Teachers can distribute these passes without having to stop teaching and sign an agenda book.Β 

Spanish teacher Denise Ramos agrees with the move past agenda books., β€œ[There are] less interruptions… [Students ask] β€˜may I use the restroom’… and I move my head yes or no. I don’t even have to reply, and I’ll just point to where the passes are, and they go,” she notes.Β 

Classrooms now have a bathroom log, where students can sign out whenever they leave class. Teachers can use this to keep an eye on students who leave class too often, and see how long they are gone.

These passes are also more convenient for students. Now students who didn’t use their agenda books for anything except bathroom passes don’t have to carry around an extra book. 

They’re also color-coded. Each hallway is assigned a certain color. This way staff can see if a student is wandering too far from the nearest bathroom. Mrs. Ramos says, β€œI haven’t had any issues with [students] just walking around.” Compared to agenda books, where students could wander halls for extended periods of time, this color coded system keeps students in class and learning.

This new pass system has many more ways to keep students where they should be during class. These upgraded passes put agenda books to shame, all while keeping students under control. This was a change for the better.

Con:

The concept of a lanyard bathroom pass for students to wear around their necks to use the bathroom is extremely juvenile. It’s a similar system used in elementary schools to prevent little children from getting lost; it’s not appropriate for older high school students. 

Junior Stephanie Williams agrees and says, β€œ[These passes are] childish considering we’re about to go to college.”

For some odd reason, students tend to lose their items in bathrooms. They might accidentally place their things somewhere, walk out and never remember they went in with it. It just isn’t practical given the fact that these passes are meant for the whole classroom, and don’t belong to just one person.

There are only two passes for each classroom, meaning any student that happens to be in that class will have to use the same two passes. Just the thought of students spreading germs from the bathroom and bringing it to class for all to share is sickening.

Most students use their agenda books for the sole purpose of bathroom passes. Occasionally, students use their agenda as planners or for the quick academic facts in the back pages. The usage of lanyard bathroom passes ultimately make agenda books obsolete.

If a student decides to abuse the system, and not return to class in a timely manner, it will then cause other people that need to use the bathroom to have to wait for them to come back. 

With all of this in mind, it’s hard to see the supposed benefits of the new, reformed bathroom pass system. It was definitely an attempt, but change isn’t always necessary.