The West High administration recently implemented a new rule for the bathrooms and hallway passes. This new rule states that all but three bathrooms must be locked until passing times, and any student in the hall during class time must provide a valid, teacher signed pass or they will be escorted to their class.

These few restrooms are: across from room 217, by room 156, across from room 100 and by the cafeteria. Twelfth-grade principal, Mike Garnica, hopes the new rule will decrease the time students are spending in the hallways. Garnica stated that this is a trial for the rule and in three to four weeks, they will analyze the results of the new rule and see if they are getting positive results. This new rule has been in place for about a week now, and students and teachers seem to have totally different perspectives.

“I think this is a good rule. I think limiting the number of restrooms will help keep the restrooms clean and maintain safety at our school by limiting the number of places students can go unsupervised,” photography teacher Chad Wolf said.

“Honestly, I think the new rule is pretty dumb. They say to stay in class [and] you know teachers don’t want us going to the bathroom, but let’s say my class is right next to the bathroom and I have to walk down the hall to another bathroom and it’s locked. Then I have to walk clear around the other side of the school just to go to the bathroom. So I’m missing more time in class so I can’t really get work done. That’s how I feel about the new bathroom rule,” sophomore Christian Jacobson said.

“Why should all the kids be punished for what some kids have done? I don’t find that fair. It’s a waste of bathrooms to me,” sophomore Noah Hensley said.

This new rule took effect last Monday, Oct.3.