Parent tells Murrieta Valley Unified board lack of bathrooms led to cancelled detention and missed class time

A parent told the Murrieta Valley Unified School District Board of Education that a lack of available bathrooms at Murrieta Valley High School forced her daughter to miss class, caused health problems and led to a detention that staff later cancelled.

Emily Brooks, a parent who said her children attend MVHS, described multiple incidents in which her freshman daughter, Amaya, could not access a restroom between classes because only one main student bathroom was available near the campus core. Brooks said the shortage of stalls — she estimated “about 10 stalls for 1,000 girls” on some days — left her daughter constipated, forced bathroom-related absences and resulted in a detention after she was late returning from a distant restroom. She said the detention was later removed after Brooks contacted school staff.

Brooks said she believes California law requires one bathroom for every 25 female students and urged trustees to treat facilities and bathroom access as a practical, not partisan, priority. “Students shouldn’t have to suffer from a full bladder, nearly wet themselves, bleed through their jeans, or come home day after day because the school doesn’t have enough bathrooms,” she said.

Superintendent Dr. Andrus responded that facility concerns, including restrooms, are on the district’s facilities master-plan agenda and that the district will hold three community forums (hosted by the high schools and organized by feeder patterns) to gather input and discuss priorities. He said some remedial steps — such as changes in supervisory practice and temporary policy flexibility to allow restroom use during class — are being pursued while longer-term solutions await funding decisions.

Board members also noted site-specific issues raised earlier in the meeting: trustees and staff described a past plumbing blockage at Vista Murrieta High School that caused sewage to surface in a science classroom, and facilities staff said the district has invested in a “jetter” to reduce response times to plumbing blockages.

The superintendent said the district will publish community forum dates and encouraged families to attend and update emergency contact information so site staff have the correct parents/guardians to contact for safety or custody questions. The district did not provide a firm timeline or funding source for bathroom construction during the meeting.

The board did not take immediate action; the issue is expected to be discussed further at the scheduled facilities community forums and as part of ongoing facilities planning.