Dear Harbinger Editor,

Under the new administration of Dr. Walsh many things have changed but she states that these policies have existed before and she is just reinforcing them. The article (“ Walsh administration renews pre-existing policies” October 2017)  shares our new principal’s opinion on  “reinforcement” of rules.  In one specific situations I think this is false- signing in before entering the bathroom.

In my past three years at Algonquin the bathroom protocol was sign out of the room on a bathroom sheet and take a bathroom pass. I agree with Dr. Walsh that many students were not following this and it lead to a lot of people wandering around in the hall and teachers not knowing where they were. Enforcing bathroom sign out sheets and passes was a good choice and is good for our school, but the bathroom sheet right outside the bathroom, is that really needed? If you properly sign out before you leave the room why should we have to sign out again before entering the bathroom. Along with being inconvenient and useless it is also time wasted away from the classroom. Not to mention the teachers that have to sit outside the bathroom monitoring and telling the time to every student who comes. Can’t a clock just tell them the time? I feel bad that teachers would be having a break in their day, but instead they are sitting in another department telling students the time over and over. Stick with valid in class sign out sheets and stop slowing down students before they enter the bathroom.

Caroline Riley

Southborough