Teachers monitoring bathrooms during passing periods is a new technique St. Charles High is trying this school year. Teachers are assigned to bathrooms on a rotation of one week at a time to be stationed outside to limit crowding, smoking, and vaping in the school. Results have shown it is working.

“From May 12th-16th of last year, the vape detectors went off 314 times, so if we compare that to this school year, for instance the first week of school which was only four days, the 19th-23rd there were only 160 hits. The following week, which was a full week, there were 228,” Principal Dr. Ted Happel said.

Positive impacts have been shown observationally as well.

“We also don’t have… parties during passing periods with 10-15 individuals all in the bathroom making it as smoky as possible,” Happel said.

Teachers have seen a difference in smoking, vaping, and crowding in the bathrooms after starting bathroom duty.

“We’ve looked at the numbers and it’s definitely decreased,” English teacher Taylor Beye said.

Students have also seen a difference in the bathrooms.

“As much as I hate to say this, yeah, there’s been less crowding in the bathroom, but I feel like people are being more sneaky,” senior Kylee Mize said.