ROSWELL, Ga. -- With the school year well underway across the United States, attention is turning from the traditional three "Rs" (reading, writing and arithmetic) to the fourth "R" -- school restrooms. A recent national survey of parents identified a number of problems associated with the restrooms in their children's schools.
In fact, the problem is so severe that close to 20 percent of middle and high school students admit to their parents that they avoid the school restrooms due to dirty or unsafe conditions. This is according to the survey conducted on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Professional by Opinion Research Corporation.
"The state of school restrooms in this country is a national disaster," says Dr. Tom Keating, coordinator of Project CLEAN (Citizens, Learners and Educators Against Neglect), a national effort dedicated to safe, sanitary school restrooms for all school children. "You have conditions that are so bad, kids are literally holding it in all day."
In addition to "kids holding it in all day," a problem identified by 21 percent of parents surveyed, other problems associated with dirty, unstocked or unsafe school restrooms include: Vandalism and graffiti, cited by 38 percent of surveyed parents as the most likely result of dirty, unstocked or unsafe school restrooms; and health problems in students, cited by 22 percent of surveyed parents.
"It can be difficult to draw a direct link between cleaner bathrooms and academic achievement," Keating says. "Intuitively, however, we know that students will pay closer attention in class if they're not worried about `holding it in' until school is over. And, when school restrooms are clean, safe and well-stocked, the overall school is perceived by students as cleaner and more appealing."
Keating, whose calling as "The Bathroom Man" has taken him to schools across the country, recalls that in some school bathrooms, it's easier to find the toilet paper hanging from the ceiling than in the stalls. In others, toilets are chronically backed up, obscenities are scrawled on the walls and cigarette butts litter the sinks.
"I've seen schools in which toilet tissue is hung outside of the stalls or in which teachers hand out toilet paper to the students because they think the students will waste or destroy the tissue unless it's regulated," he says.
The lack of basic restroom supplies was a problem echoed by parents in the survey. In fact, 14 percent of parents surveyed said their school-aged children report that their restrooms lack basic supplies like toilet paper, hand soap or hand towels. Moreover, 13 percent of parents surveyed said their kids report that some of the toilet stalls in their school restrooms don't even have doors on them. In general, "filthy" restroom conditions were cited as their children's complaints by 14 percent of parents surveyed.
Keating says that while some students can be quick to blame school custodians for the condition of their restrooms, the responsibility for keeping the restrooms clean lies with everyone from students and their parents to faculty, staff and school administration. That's one of the reasons Project CLEAN tries to mobilize all of these groups when it works with schools to improve attitudes, behaviors and physical conditions in school restrooms.
"We even have corporate America looking at this issue," he says, referring to a program between Project CLEAN and Kimberly-Clark Professional, a Roswell, Ga.-based supplier of restroom supplies.
"It all comes down to respect," he concludes. "Kids have to respect their school restrooms as if they were their own, because, in a sense, they are. And faculty, staff and administration have to respect the students as young adults who can be trusted to take care of their basic, biological needs in an acceptable setting."
These results are based on a telephone study conducted by Opinion Research Corporation among a national probability sample of 269 U.S. adults who are parents or guardians of public school children in seventh to 12th grades. The study was conducted Sept. 12-16, 2002 and has a margin of error of plus or minus six percentage points.
Project CLEAN is a service of a non-profit education organization and is dedicated to promoting safety, cleanliness and hygiene standards in public schools. For more information, visit www.project-clean.com.
Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a leading global manufacturer of tissue, personal care and healthcare products. Kimberly-Clark Professional provides tissue and towel products, skin care products and industrial wipers for workplace settings.
Source: PRNewswire
Dear Helpdesk: Working in a Toxic Health Care Environment
March 28th 2024Dear Helpdesk is your steadfast companion, offering life coaching and workplace advice from 2 seasoned IPs for some of your most challenging real-life situations. Let us help you navigate the intersection between work and life, guiding you to navigate the dynamic world of infection prevention with confidence and grace. This article is on handling a toxic health care environment.
Product Locator: Spring and Early Mother's Day Gift Guide for Infection Prevention Personnel
March 27th 2024Whether it's a spring holiday, birthdays, or no reason at all, infection prevention personnel love to give and receive gifts that help at the end of a stressful day. Infection Control Today® offers some gift ideas for infection prevention personnel and their families.
Catching Up With Vangie Dennis, AORN 2022-2023 President at AORN 2024
March 26th 2024Infection Control Today (ICT) had the privilege of catching up with Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses' (AORN’s) International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024. As the former president of AORN and an esteemed figure in perioperative services, Vangie Dennis shared insights into her recent endeavors and the exciting new chapter she's embarked upon.
How To Optimize Your Time Management Strategies for the Busy Infection Preventionist
March 25th 2024Is your calendar resembling a chaotic masterpiece of overlapping tasks? Join the club of infection preventionists striving to balance responsibilities. Dive into proven strategies from a fellow infection preventionist to reclaim control of your time, streamline tasks, and boost productivity effectively. This is an IP Lifeline article.