Political & Public Support

Change.org Petition - Reinstate male and female toilets within schools

Please sign our petition here:-

https://www.change.org/p/drew-hendry-reinstate-male-and-female-toilets-within-schools

Currently over 1,100 signatures !

Political Support and Opposition

We have written to all councillors in the Highland Region who are standing for re-election in May 2022

Statements from candidates who reply will be posted here and on our Facebook page.

Dear Highland Parents Group

I would be happy to support this campaign for the rights of our children to have single-sex toilets, I do believe that children going into any school have a right to feel safe and privacy should be made available when going to the toilet,

Young girls particularly can have a traumatic time when mother nature takes over their bodies, schools and Highland Council must be made to understand the need for privacy for young females when toileting. The thought of girls not eating or drinking because of the pressure put on them over this must be addressed as it will affect their studies their well being and if continued their lives.

We also need to remember the boys, they too must be protected as they too can have a difficult puberty and we must allow them their private space .

I have thought, that gender-neutral toilets should be available for pupils, but the choice has to be made by the individual and not the Highland Council or schools

If I can be of any more help please get in touch

Kind regards

James Duncan

ALBA candidate for Inverness South

Good morning

Thank you for your email of 13th March.

Toilet areas in our new school buildings are not specifically designed as “mixed-sex” or “gender-neutral”.

All of the toilet partitions and doors are full height and fully enclosed for improved security and privacy for pupils. The handwashing areas are open plan and can be easily supervised from the corridor. It is widely considered that this model can contribute to positive pupil behaviour, reduce the potential for vandalism, and be less intimidating for pupils.

This approach allows a degree of flexibility in how toilet areas are managed across a school campus to meet specific requirements. For example, there could be a combination of traditional female and male toilet areas and other areas that are not labelled in this manner, or some areas could be allocated for specific year groups.

While the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 state that half the sanitary accommodation shall be for boys, and the other half for girls, this does not take account of current best practice, e.g. the Regulations specifically refer to the requirement for urinals, which we no longer install in schools.

Councillor Margaret Davidson

Council Leader

The Highland Council

Ward 12 – Aird & Loch Ness

Thank you to The Highland Parents Group for the excellent work you have done so far on this issue.

I confirm it is very much my own position as well as Alba party policy that we support all of your Campaign Aims 100%.

Alba shares your grave concerns regarding the impact of these changed facilities on all children but particularly girls and if elected we will certainly be fighting as hard as possible to remove these unisex toilets only facilities and prevent their installation.

Marjory Smith

Alba Candidate for Ward 18 Nairn and Cawdor

Dear The Highlands Parent Group

Thank you for your email,
I too share your concerns regarding the issues you raise.
If elected in May I will continue to raise these concerns and seek to reverse or block any further implementation of mixed sex ONLY toilets in any highlands schools.
I would advocate the council should meet two clauses before discussing any further moves on this,

1. A full public consultation with Teachers, Parents and Children take place.

2. A legal review be made to ensure any further (or previous) proposals are lawful under the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations act 1967 as well as the Equalities Act 2010 for those in higher education

Important to note I do not stand against mixed sex toilets, should a proposal be put forward of mixed sex toilets being implemented along with Male and Female toilets and the choice being made available I would (as long as above clauses were met) be in favour.

I have previously emailed all my elected councillors, msp’s, mp and the first minister Nicola sturgeon raising my concerns about this.
Regarding my councillors reply I appreciated councillor Finlayson and councillor Macleod replies stating they would pass on and consider but the reply that I appreciated the most was councillor Munro’s for his honestly and openness stating he didn’t know enough about the situation to comment, (it is rare to find elected members who will be this honest and open and I really appreciated it)
As a note regarding msp’s, mp and first minister replies,
All were as I expected although I would challenge Emma Roddick msp and Arianne Burgges msp replies that this is what Scotland voted for by voting Snp/Scottish Greens in May
That’s not what I hear voters voted for when I speak to snp and green voting friends.

The one Msp reply that I did appreciate was Kate Forbes Msp who was open, honest and factual in her reply.

In summery if elected I will work to stop,
ONLY mixed sex toilets being implemented in any schools unless I’m satisfied it’s the wish of teachers, parents and children while also meeting legal requirements,

I would support mixed sex toilets IF the choice of male or female toilets were offered.

I would continue to push the Scottish government to contribute and work with councillors as well as teachers, parents and children to find a consensual agreement on this.

If Elected (or through election campaign) I can be of any further assistance please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Yours For Scotland

Hector Macleod

Eilean A' Cheò Alba Candidate

That all parents, carers and pupils should be allowed a consultation on this proposal before any bathrooms are changed. I understand from recent studies mixed sex toilets in primary and secondary will take away the dignity and privacy of young pupils. It could develop fears and some pupils feeling unsafe and vulnerable. Mixed toilets would the education department supervise them like playgrounds? Would teaching staff also have mixed sex bathrooms? The decision for mixed toilets should be with parents/carers and young people. Would I like a stranger to come and have shared use of my bathroom at home? There are disabled toilets, so they could be mixed sex use? Why undo the toilets already in use for male and female pupils? There are still answers to be looked at.

I have to agree with your comments on the unsuitability of this move to open plan toilets.

I have also heard the reason for this being to decrease the incidence of bullying.

These were installed at Culloden Academy and I raised objection when I found out only to be told this was what Scot Gov were recommending.

Subsequent outcry by the parents confirmed my view. The HT exercised his right to reorganise and change the designation to single sex blocks. There still exists a small block which is unisex!

I feel what was done at Culloden was a good result and hope we can take this action on other sites.

Kindest regards

Trish

I have looked a lot into the matter in relation to the introduction of open plan toilets in school and it appears the intentions behind them were good. The intentions were to save money, so it could be used on other areas, and to decrease bullying. Although, these toilets could stop some bullying on the one hand, they can clearly create some in another way. Many girls and boys already avoid using school toilets when they are separate and, from what I have heard from people who have children at Alness Academy, these toilets increase that avoidance. Children who avoid using toilets are at risk from urinary tract infections, constipation and other medical issues. I do support the reintroduction of separate boys and girls toilets.

It is right that Highland Council has addressed parent concerns and the new Ness Castle primary school will be built with separate toilets.

However, it should never have been the case that parents have had to fight for a school to have boys’ and girls’ toilets. That should be the minimum standard.

Scottish Conservatives councillors will seek to ensure that there are single-sex spaces available in all council-run facilities including schools.