Andrew Gohl: Schools, their leaders and staff must be supported to take reasonable steps to protect school property

A destructive TikTok craze is behind the outcry over privacy in Adelaide school toilets, and principals have been forced to do something, writes Andrew Gohl.

A global social media craze to vandalise students’ own facilities, assault staff or engage in sexually harassing behaviour is abhorrent, perpetrated by a few, impacting upon the many.

Yes, fundamentally, students should have privacy and dignity when going to the toilet. And toilets should have doors.

However, students, parents and the community need to understand that $20,000 per annum spent on repairing vandalism is $20,000 that is not spent on supporting students with learning needs or learning resources.

For the record, $20,000 is the approximate equivalent of 30 teaching days over a year for an experienced teacher, or about two days a week of school support officer assistance for a student with learning needs.

Who then blames a principal who uses every necessary tactic, desperate to stem haemorrhaging repair costs that compromise a school’s capacity to support its most needy students, let alone programs to engage its high achievers?

Fire trucks attend Golden Grove High School after a smoke alarm was set off in the school's toilets. Picture: Supplied

All this against a backdrop that sees public schools in South Australia funded at 91 per cent of the national School Resource Standard, while private schools receive 101 per cent.

Right now, as always, every public education dollar counts in what will eventually be seen as the biggest funding rort this country has ever seen. This has been government-endorsed vandalism of public education.

If students and parents would rather the school spend money on learning, then what options are left to prevent vandalism?

We know how parents and students feel about the lack of toilet doors.

How would the school community feel about entry/exit surveillance or locking toilets during lesson time?

Asking for a “toilet pass” during class would be embarrassing for students, and simply not repairing the damage punishes the majority and is demeaning. Teachers and support staff are not toilet police, nor is it reasonable to expect them to be, and frankly puts teachers and leaders at risk of career-ending allegations.

The Golden Grove High School toilet door that was reinstalled. Picture: Supplied

Toilet cubicles at Golden Grove High School could be seen from the halls after the removal of external doors. Picture: Supplied

Educators want to focus on teaching and learning.

Ultimately, the answer must come from students and their families working with governing councils, staff and leadership in a conversation about student wellbeing, respectful behaviour, school pride and the educational and financial consequences of anti-social behaviour.

Students must have a voice in determining solutions and, indeed, the consequences for anti-social behaviour.

The power of peer pressure is profound. I also wonder about the responsibility of social media that is largely unaccountable.

In the short-term, schools, their leaders and staff must be supported to take reasonable steps to protect school property on behalf of the majority.

Perpetrators should expect every school-based consequence for their destructive behaviour, including expulsion for students over the age of compulsion.

Vandalism and assault are unlawful, and perpetrators must face legal consequences.

Andrew Gohl is president of the SA Branch of the Australian Education Union. He has previously worked as an Assistant Principal in a large southern metro R-12 School.