Poo done it? Letter reveals younger students responsible for faeces covered walls, ceilings, and sinks

A public high school has conceded it’s an impossible task to identify who is responsible for a disgusting poo trend inside its school toilets – which has led to a bathroom lockout.

A South East public high school embroiled in a disgusting trend of students smearing faeces on the walls, ceilings and sinks of their own bathroom has revealed in a letter to parents why the culprits have not been caught.

A concerned parent who lifted the lid on the revolting practice taking place at Grant High School, provided the letter to the Mount Gambier News.

In the May letter, principal Fleur Roachock explained the school had been “unsuccessful in stopping the vandalism”.

Grant High School has come under fire for its response to students smearing excrement on the walls ceiling and sink of the toilets. Picture: Arj Ganesan

“This has now become a significant health and safety issue for our cleaners and handypeople,” Ms Roachock said.

“We have undertaken some research about how other schools manage this type of situation and, as a result, we are going to limit student access.”

In the wake of the uncontrollable vandalism, the school decided to limit student access to the toilets as it had “run out of options”.

The letter revealed both boys’ and girls’ toilets had been vandalised with excrement.

Senior toilets had not been vandalised, according to the letter, and remained free and accessible to senior students throughout the day.

Ms Roachock told parents the school would be looking at its phone policy, potentially banning them among some year levels amid the growing issue of inappropriate phone use.

Grant High School has come under fire for its response to students smearing excrement on the walls ceiling and sink of the toilets. Picture: Supplied

The parent, who asked not to be named, said the shocking vandalism was appalling, but the school’s lockout had severe flow-on effects.

“Students are using the toilets to vape, and are also vandalising them. This includes faeces being thrown at walls and ceilings, and smeared over sinks,” they said.

“With toilets needing to be locked during the school day, I’ve also been made aware of a number of instances where a child has been locked inside the toilets.

“Staff are having to enter the toilets and call out to children to ensure nobody is there.

“Of course some children are too embarrassed when using the toilet to call out and are subsequently locked inside, at times for more than an hour.”

The parent said having a teacher enter the toilets and cubicles multiple times was “uncomfortable”.

“That’s a very private space for children — no child should have their privacy violated like that,” they said.

“Children are being put at risk, and I can only imagine the trauma that comes with being locked in a toilet or having an adult checking on you as you use them.

“Something more needs to be done, because the current system isn't working.”

A student from the school said she had been accidentally locked in the bathrooms as a result of the policy.

“It was just the end of the day — I didn’t hear them ask if there was anyone else in the toilets,” the girl said.

Ms Roachock said the lockout was limited to “class time” only.

“Since the introduction of the key system the school has seen a significant reduction of vandalism,” she said.

“The school is aware of occasions where students have been found in the locked toilets and are believed to have deliberately remained in the bathrooms after breaks to avoid class.

“In these instances, disciplinary action has been taken for students failing to attend class.”

Identifying those responsible for the horrific vandalism has been “impossible thus far” Ms Roachock said, reminding parents the school could not “place cameras in the toilets”.