Parents say they are unhappy with a school's decision to remove the doors to the girls' and boys' toilets.
Students returned back to Parrenthorn High in Prestwich, Bury, on Monday morning to discover that the doors to two toilet areas had been removed over the summer. They were told in assembly that the decision had been taken to open them up 'to keep pupils as safe as possible and improve the school environment'.
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But the parent of one child at the school said it's made youngsters feel uncomfortable and is taking away their privacy. "I am not happy that on return to school today my child finds that the doors to the toilets have been removed - not the cubicle doors, but the doors to the toilets," she said.
"The privacy has gone for both genders. Do you really want to adjust yourself at the mirrors in full view of anyone passing by? Especially when a teenager, I think not."
And she said that if the change has been made to prevent other problems, they will still happen regardless. "Is it to stop bullying?" said the parent. "Bullying does not confine itself to the toilets, so address the bullying. Is it to stop kids vaping? Get a bathroom monitor and trust me those kids will find other places.
"Privacy is a human right and it’s being eroded one step at a time." Another parent told us she too was concerned about the change, adding: "I don't agree with this at all. And we were not told this was going to happen either.
"Why should the children be made to feel uncomfortable going to the toilet?"
Headteacher Chris Bell told the Manchester Evening News that two sets of toilets have been opened up in this way - the ones that are open for pupils to use during lesson time - and it has been done in line with guidance for schools and other public buildings.
He said it was discussed at a meeting before the holidays, but it was during the heatwave and 'not a huge amount of parents' were present. "It was mentioned to children this morning in assemblies," he said.
"We have spent a long time carefully thinking through and designing this. We wouldn't have done this if we didn't think it was appropriate.
"Like all schools we want to make every single part as safe as possible and make sure the pupils - particularly the younger kids who don't know it as well as the older ones - feel comfortable in there."
Insisting that 'privacy has not been infringed' and it was nothing to do with bullying or vaping, he said that guidance from as far back as 2015 'talks about positive supervision by staff and about feeling as comfortable as possible' and that is what the school is trying to achieve.
"Yes it has changed to what it's been in the past and it may have surprised some people," said Mr Bell. "But parents haven't seen it and we do think this is a positive thing for the school moving forward."
He said the school is inclusive to all and has gender neutral toilets, other accessible toilets and has been awarded a Rainbow Flag Award, which shows it is committed to supporting inclusion and tackling LGBTphobic bullying.
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