When students came back to school this year, one noticeable change was the lack of bathroom doors. 

“This was a campus decision to help deter mischievous activities,” Assistant Principal Wendell Joubert said. 

Possible misbehaving students and the Texas House Bill 114, which increased punishments for students caught vaping at school, was the district’s motivation to remove the bathroom doors.

“The new statewide no vaping policy helped (us) to move forward with this decision,” Joubert said.

The change, which took place over the summer, didn’t bother some students.

“I didn’t notice the bathroom doors were gone,” senior Miracle Oluwagbemiga said. “I do find it easier to walk into the restroom now because I don’t have to pull on the heavy door handles.”

Senior Makayla Henry said she was shocked when she saw the bathroom doors gone because there was no prior notice of the removal.

“It feels weird going to the bathroom when there’s no door covering the bathroom,” Henry said. “It doesn’t make me feel safer.” 

Some students have mixed feelings about the removal of the bathroom doors. 

Henry said, “I understand it might be a safety thing or to monitor us, but I do think it is an invasion of privacy.” 

Joubert said he hopes the removal of doors deters students from causing issues in the bathroom.

“We continue to want our students to make great choices,” Joubert said. “As well as honoring our school by being the best version of themselves.”