Dear Trustee Laskin,
As concerned parents within the Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute community, we are
writing to bring to your attention some alarming issues regarding the condition and
maintenance of the school bathrooms. It is with deep concern that we address these
matters, as they directly impact the health, safety, and overall well-being of our children.
Firstly, we must express our grave concern regarding the safety of the school bathrooms.
Several incidents have been reported by both students and faculty members.
These concerns range from broken or no locks on stall doors, backed up toilets, equipment
malfunctions, vaping and graffiti. Such conditions not only compromise the physical safety of our children but also
contribute to an environment of fear and discomfort. Some of our students actually leave
the school to use the bathroom at home.
Furthermore, the cleanliness of the school bathrooms has been consistently subpar,
posing significant health risks to our children. Despite repeated complaints and requests
for improvement, it appears that little to no action has been taken by the TDSB to address
this issue effectively.
In addition to the obvious health concerns, we feel this also reflects
poorly on the board’s commitment to providing a healthy learning environment.
Equally troubling is the evident lack of maintenance within the school bathrooms. Basic
amenities are often unavailable or in disrepair.
As parents, we entrust the school administration and the board of trustees with the
responsibility of ensuring the well-being and safety of our children while they are on
school premises. However, the current state of the school bathrooms falls significantly
short of meeting this obligation. It is imperative that immediate action be taken to address
these pressing concerns and implement lasting solutions to improve the condition and
maintenance of the school bathrooms.
Therefore, we respectfully request you share the emergency response plan or guidelines
to mitigate these situations. We realize that LPCI is not alone and it is a Board-wide
problem. We find it difficult to understand how in a catchment area filled with so many
tradespeople, the TDSB is unable to secure qualified local contractors in a timely fashion.
As plumbing and other facilities-related issues must be dealt, we strongly advocate for an
emergency commission to be set up in order to finally address monitoring bathroom
equipment and repair across the Board.
Our children’s health and safety should be of the utmost priority, and we are committed to
working together towards creating a safer and healthier school environment.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We eagerly await your prompt response and
action on this urgent issue.
Sincerely,
Members of the LPCI parent community