Photo: SD83

Parents are raising concerns over new gender-neutral washrooms at Pleasant Valley Secondary School (PVSS) as well as the alleged closure of gendered bathrooms.

The washrooms were unveiled along with the new gymnasium which opened just after Christmas break.

The gym had been closed for renovations after structural damage was discovered in 2021. The damage was caused by a fire at the school in the 1970s, requiring the gym to be completely rebuilt.

Ryan Peters, a concerned parent, said the school installed the 11 gender-neutral stalls near the gymnasium. Students all use the same bathroom, which has fully closing doors and one common sink area.

Peters said many students are not comfortable using the washrooms, and some are choosing to “hold it in.”

“It's reached a breaking point with a lot of the students there. Many students don’t have that definitive comfort or security yet."

Peters told Castanet that girls who are experiencing their period do not have a place to safely dispose of their menstrual products like tampons or pads.

“Could you imagine being a 13-year-old girl hitting puberty on your period, holding up a napkin and going out and putting it in the garbage? If I was a girl, I'd be horrified.”

Other parents have said that there have been at least one incident prompting safety concerns for students.

“Young female students are in stalls while males are outside the stall banging aggressively on the door. Students are also in stalls vaping, which this new facility was going to prevent,” said Kristy Stewart, a parent of a PVSS student.

Parents say other washrooms closed

When PVSS opened up the new bathrooms, parents say the school closed the various male and female washrooms around campus leaving the new washrooms as the only option for students.

Stewart told Castanet the washrooms were closed due to vandalism issues, and Peters said he has not yet received a clear explanation.

“They shut them down with no notice, no regard for anybody or anything. So there've been quite a few students that have been really distraught,” said Peters.

“We've been looking into the building codes. There are over 500 students at that school, and there should be far more than 20 available bathrooms."

Neither PVSS nor SD83 have confirmed if the gendered washrooms were closed.

When asked for comment, the principal of PVSS deferred to SD83’s superintendent for comment.

The superintendent didn't respond to Castanet’s request.