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Union representative thanks district for restored restrooms, urges compliance with state law and clearer curriculum supports for teachers
Summary
A district representative thanked Barstow Unified for reopening junior-high restrooms during passing periods and urged ongoing compliance with California Education Code 35292.5; the speaker also said teachers are being asked to complete administrative curriculum forms without training and asked the board to ensure curriculum materials and proper administrative responsibility.
A representative for a local teachers'/advocacy group told the Barstow Unified School District board that reopening junior-high restrooms during passing periods was a positive step but urged the district to keep restrooms open in ongoing compliance with California Education Code 35292.5.
"We appreciate that the restrooms were reopened during passing period," the representative said, adding that when restrooms are locked students arrive to class needing to use the restroom and teachers are forced to release them during instructional time. The speaker cited Education Code 35292.5 and asked the board to ensure restroom access remains in compliance so instruction is not repeatedly interrupted.
The speaker also told the board that teachers at the junior high had been asked to complete course outline and textbook adoption forms without administrative planning or training, saying this shifts an administrative duty onto classroom teachers. "Curriculum adoption and course design are administrative functions. Teachers collaborate and provide input. They should not be tasked with building the foundation from scratch," the representative said.
The representative said the forms were attached to their written remarks for the board's review and asked that teachers be provided curriculum and instructional materials for every assigned course so classroom time can be dedicated to teaching rather than administrative work.
Board members acknowledged the report during the representatives' segment of the meeting; the transcript records the concerns and the board's receipt of the materials but does not show a formal follow-up vote or new directive to staff within the provided record.
Why this matters: The remarks cite a specific state requirement and raise two operational issues that could affect daily instruction: restroom access during passing periods and the district's process for assigning curriculum-related administrative work to teachers. The board may need to clarify who is responsible for new curriculum paperwork and whether further administrative actions are required to maintain code compliance.
