By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays school board again tackled the topic of private bathrooms that are in the plans for the new high school.
The Hays school board has approved the contract for the new Hays High School building, and construction is underway.
Board member Allen Park moved to add the discussion to Monday night's school board agenda. The motion to add the item to the agenda passed on a vote of 4-3.
The board discussed the bathrooms at length at a public meeting on Sept. 26 and again on Oct. 5. The plans for the building, which included the private bathrooms, were originally brought to the board on April 12, 2023.
Each stall will be private and have a lockable door that goes to the floor. The stalls are not gender specific, and the group of private bathrooms will share common sinks. A large open doorway, monitored by cameras, leads from the hallway to the shared sink area. See the drawing below.
Board member Curt Vajnar said he did not think the board ever approved the HHS plans.
However, Superintendent Ron Wilson said the board approved the contract for the construction of the new high school and that included the plans for the building.
Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp also said this was the case.
Vajnar said he was frustrated that he could not print out larger schematics of the high school. He held up several pieces of 8X11 paper that he had taped together.
"I think we ought to have good visuals so we can actually see what's going on. I would appreciate it if we all knew what's going on, and [you could] make a high-quality diagram of where [the bathrooms] are at."
A schematic of the new high school was projected onto the two large screens in the board room, and the areas where the private bathrooms will be located were highlighted. A photo of that schematic is below.
The areas in green are the private bathrooms in question. The bathrooms in yellow are staff bathrooms, and the blue bathrooms are one-stall bathrooms.
Wilson said he was happy to help Vajnar with getting better views of the school. However, both board members Jayme Goetz and Ruth Ruder said they were concerned about releasing detailed drawings of the school to the public for security reasons.
Vajnar said he was concerned that there were no "normal bathrooms" on the academic floors.
"I think we need to see and know what's in that building, and I don't think we do," Vajnar said.
Ruder said she had some concerns about boys and girls using the same bathrooms. She said sanitary napkin stations would need to be in all bathrooms if both sexes are going to use the private bathrooms.
"I don't want everyone to know where every nook and cranny in the high school is for the protection of our kids," she said. "To have that public and out there terrifies me to death with active shooters and such.
"I think if we just expose the bathroom and give people peace of mind ..."
Ruder said she is continuously getting questions about the bathrooms.
Vajnar said the problem is where the private bathrooms are located. Traditional bathrooms are in the locker rooms and auditorium area.
Goetz said, "Why are these such an issue? ... Why is it that this is what we are focusing on? I have other things about the bond that I'm not thrilled about."
She said the private bathrooms were accessible for students with mobility issues. As a former teacher, she said teachers could check on a student of the opposite sex in these types of bathrooms.
"In my heart of hearts, I don't think nefarious things are going to happen in these bathrooms," she said. ...
"I don't think these bathrooms are going to change who your children are," Goetz said. "That's your job as parents to teach your children how to be. If these bathrooms go against your morals and these bathrooms are a concern for your children, then you talk to your children about it."
Goetz said other children and teachers deserve to be able to poop and pee in private.
Ruder said she favors the private bathrooms but thinks more information needs to be released to the public.
Goetz said anyone uncomfortable in the private bathrooms can still use the traditional bathrooms in other parts of the building.
Wilson said, "I think it's sad that we are still focusing on this when we're going to have this fabulous building that's going to be a great learning space for kids. People haven't really embraced how great this is."
Board member Derek Yarmer said the private bathrooms weren't discussed by the board after they became an issue with the public. Yarmer joined the board in January.
Wilson said the bathrooms have been discussed multiple times in open meetings.
Board President Ken Brooks said it became an election issue hot topic last year as well.
Wilson said the private bathrooms are for the benefit of the students so they can have more privacy.
Yarmer said he supported traditional bathrooms.
"We've had bathrooms forever growing up, and we're fine," he said.
HHS Principal Shawn Henderson passionately advocated for the private bathrooms and said he foresees significant student benefits.
He urged the board members to ask teenagers if they feel comfortable going to the bathroom in a large traditional bathroom.
"Ask a teenager who goes to the bathroom with people who have phones. I think that is something that is important, and we should come back and talk about," Henderson said.
"I'm super excited that we have this opportunity," he said. "I've tried to be careful with my own opinions because I know this is a contested issue."
He said he is on the ground with the students every day, and today is not like it was when he went to school.
"If you have a bowel movement, are you OK with the sights, sounds and smells and people being able to post this?" ...
"These spaces in our school are to give privacy and dignity to kids who want them," he said. "Our kids have the ability to make those choices, and so do their families."
Henderson said the lack of privacy has caused some students anxiety and diminished bowel health because they don't want to go to the restroom in a traditional bathroom.
Ruder said if people are concerned about students being raped or smoking in bathrooms, that is a security issue that may need to be addressed.
Henderson said just because a person uses a large traditional bathroom with members of the same gender does not mean that person is out of harm's way.
Henderson said the HHS staff is focused on safety every day and will continue to be.
"Those drawings are static," he said. "My school is dynamic. When the time comes we will make adjustments."
He said he hopes to finish a digital walk-through tour soon that will be available to the public.
Park said students who don't want to use the private bathrooms would have to walk across the school to use traditional bathrooms if they are in the academic wing.
However, Goetz said the same thing would happen if a student was in the gym or auditorium and wanted to use a private bathroom.
Goetz also advocated for the privacy of LGBTQ students.
"I identify as female. I know there are students out there who identify as other things," Goetz said. "I am not them, and they are not me. Just because it is not normal to me, it doesn't mean that they don't deserve the same amount of privacy.
"Every student every day. Even if I don't align with them, even if I don't understand them, they still deserve to poop in peace and to be."