Edited by Michael Ndubisi

Have you gone into the school bathroom and seen writing on the walls or kids fooling around?

If yes, you’re not alone. Bathrooms at East Rock Community & Cultural Studies Magnet School have become magnets for misbehavior — often by students looking for a break from class.

Teachers like Angela Maiocco, who teaches fourth grade, have noticed.

“Never in my 22 years of teaching have I ever had a class that needed to use the bathroom as much as this class,” a frustrated Ms. Maiocco said she told students this year. “The constant trips are disruptive and make it hard for students to concentrate.”

Many students say that bathrooms are not always used the way they should be. Students often leave class to goof off in the bathroom. Many say that it is a problem.

According to the East Rock Record Fall 2024 Survey, 44 percent of students say that they “worry” when they have to use the bathroom. The survey also found that 26 percent of students said they leave class to go to the bathroom even when it is not necessary.

Adam Elaziz, in first grade, told reporters that he has seen misbehavior and writing on the walls. He said that he listens to his parents and does not misuse the bathroom.

“I never misbehave in the bathroom,” said Mr. Elaziz, who was Student of the Month in December 2023. He wants the problems to end. “I think we should figure out a way to stop this misconduct in the bathroom,” he said.

Fourth-grader Brianna Brunson also has seen bad behavior. Ms. Brunson makes sure to stay out of trouble — and thinks others should do the same. She avoids the upstairs bathrooms, which she said are the worst.  “I’ve seen kids fooling around,” said Ms. Brunson. “People shouldn’t do that because the bathroom is dirty.”

Those bathrooms are mostly used by students in grades 5-8. Students report unsanitary messes, carvings on the walls, graffiti, and the presence of wet toilet paper balls. Ms. Brunson and others want to have enough supplies and for bathrooms to be cleaned more often.

Dirty and vandalized bathrooms affect how students feel at school and their ability to learn. They can spread germs, feed a sense of disorder and create an environment in which bullying and  other bad behavior can happen. This can make students feel worried and distracted, which can make it harder to focus on schoolwork.

One fifth-grader had one idea for stopping bad behavior: “Kids who fool around should have bathroom buddies,” the student suggested to East Rock Record reporters. She said buddies can make sure each person behaves and returns to class on time.

Ms. Maiocco agreed. “The people who are not trustworthy should have a bathroom buddy,” she said. “Having someone to keep them on track could make a big difference.” She also wants to see bathrooms monitored more closely. “If we all work together, we can create a better environment for everyone,” she said.

The problem is not just with students who misbehave, but how misbehavior affects others. Many students say they avoid using the bathrooms because the spaces make them uncomfortable.

“Kids do these things because they’re bored, but they don’t realize it makes things harder for everyone,” said Mr. Elaziz, the first grader. “Maybe if we all worked together, the bathrooms could be better for everyone.”

Students at East Rock get about 20 to 25 minutes of recess each day, which is what is required for students in grades K-5 following passages of a law in 2022. That law requires schools to have policies to provide students with this daily unstructured break.

“We can’t take recess away from K-5 students as a punishment,” East Rock Principal Sabrina Breland explained. But for older students, bonus recess time can sometimes be taken away.

Experts say improving student behavior in the bathrooms starts with understanding why kids leave class in the first place. Students admit to using the bathroom to get a break. The East Rock Record Fall 2024 survey found that more than 72 percent of students said school is stressful.

Dr. Peg Oliviera, director of the Gesell Institute at the Yale Child Study Center and an expert in child development, said that leaving class when you don’t really need to use the bathroom “is a message from the kids that they are not engaged,” she said. “That is a signal. A red flag.”

Instead of focusing just on stopping the behavior, she said, it’s important to ask, “Why is it happening?” When students “are really engaged and don’t want to miss a thing, they are less likely to wander away,” Dr. Oliviera said. In addition, she said, when students are hungry or tired or stressed their brains are “not functioning at their best level. Kids struggling with those stressors may make choices that are less healthy for them, like conduct in the bathroom.”

She believes that one way to counter stress and bad behavior is to make sure students get breaks. “Play helps children manage their stress and boosts their ability to focus,” she explained. “When kids are given time to relax and engage in social activities, they’re more likely to feel better and behave appropriately in all areas of school, including the bathroom.”

Could recess help with bathroom misbehavior?

Research shows that recess reduces stress, helps students focus and builds social-emotional skills. The East Rock Record survey also found that 72 percent of students said they concentrate better after recess; nearly 88 percent think students in all grades should have recess every day.

John Kennedy, who teaches 7th and 8th grade math, said students often want to hang out with friends so leave class and pretend to need to use the restroom. He would like students to get more structured recess time to socialize—and believes it could help the bathroom problem.

“Kids need a break more than they normally get and use the bathroom as their own break,” he said.

The school bathroom problem affects everyone. Both students and teachers can create a more positive environment.  Could something as simple as regular cleaning, better monitoring, and stress-relief activities like recess solve the problem?

Ms. Maiocco, for one, hopes that solving the problem will keep her students in class.