Prestigious Bronx high school shuts down six bathrooms due to students vaping
NORWOOD, Bronx (WABC) -- Students vaping in bathroom stalls is becoming an ongoing issue at a prestigious high school in the Bronx.
The Bronx High School of Science, known for their academically rigorous curriculum, decided to close six of its bathrooms because of the vaping.
"The deans are bugging out," senior Nicholas Jordan said. "People need to urinate. People need to use the bathrooms."
It seems like kids have been smoking in bathrooms for decades, but with e-cigarettes producing no smoke, it has become easier to sneak and harder to detect.
"The health and well-being of students is our top priority, and Bronx Science will temporarily close a small number of bathrooms to address this matter," the Department of Education said in a statement.
Students argue there are not enough toilets and time for all the students. Eyewitness News was told that there's also not enough toilet paper and lines are longer, causing kids to be late for class.
"It's not a solution to the problem," Senior Nadine Ousem said. "Four bathrooms for 2,000 students."
Senior Brendan Kim said that they're punishing people who don't vape, and no matter what you do, they're going to find a way to vape.
Students did have their own solutions such as teaching youngsters about the health risks of vaping and that it's the government's job to clamp down on sales to minors.
But all the students we spoke to agreed it should not come to shutting down six bathrooms.
There are state guidelines as to how many toilets are required based on the student population. But the Department of Education says the building is not subject to the code because of how old it is.
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