California high school requiring students to scan a QR code before using the bathroom
KCAL, KCBS, OBTAINED BY KCBS, CHANGE.ORG, CNN, Obtained by KCBS/KCAL
By Michele Gile
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ORANGE COUNTY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A Huntington Beach high school ditched hall passes and replaced them with QR codes, leaving some kids uneasy.
“My opinion of this whole scanning into the bathroom is definitely unfair,” Edison High School senior Jacob Green said.
The new policy asks students to scan a QR code to leave a classroom. Green said that he doesn’t want to be told when or how long he can use the restrooms while some of his peers are concerned about their privacy being compromised.
“I believe they want us to scan in so they can track and see who the kids are going into the restroom and vaping and taking too long,” Green said. “Since they have a time limit, they can see exactly how long they’re gone for and kind of estimate who the issue is and how to resolve it.”
Principal Daniel Morris told the Orange County Register that it’s not a strict policy but rather guidelines for students who want to leave class and go to the bathroom, nurse, library or wellness center. He added it’s something not all of the teachers have implemented.
Students complained that three bathroom breaks a day with a seven-minute time limit is not enough.
“Especially, for people like me,” student Ruby Meek said. “I have to drink a lot of water. I don’t think it’s very fair and especially given our time limit.”
Other students like Alyssa Williams opposed the guidelines because of the number of bathrooms scattered around the school.
“Some people have classes far and we only have three bathrooms in this school,” Williams said. “It’s kind of spaced out weird, so it takes us at least half of our time to get to the bathroom.”
There is an online petition that has amassed more than 450 signatures as of Tuesday. The petition aims to replace the current bathroom policy with a “more compassionate and health-conscious approach.”
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