Journalism Lesson Plan

Overview:When vandalism in the bathrooms got so bad the janitors couldn’t keep graffiti off the walls, one principal tried a new approach: He locked all except two of the bathrooms while classes are in session. That means the more than 2,000 students use these facilities only during the 6-minute passing period and lunch. Some students are upset, but the administration says vandalism has decreased.

Suggested time allotment: One day to read about this Freedom High School situation and some Web sites with information. Three days to conduct local interviews. Two days to write the article(s)..

Objectives

Students will:

1. Research the bathroom vandalism in other schools like Freedom High.
2. Decide it the school has a similar problem. Ask students. Conduct a survey.
3. Interview administrators and janitors to get their view of any bathroom vandalism and what might be done to help prevent it.
4. Interview health department officials and doctors about the physical issues related to not being able to visit the bathroom.
4. Write a news feature about the situation, using the Freedom High School story as a news peg. The school does have a student newspaper so consider interviewing some of that staff about the situation. (See link below)
5. Write an editorial if they believe bathroom vandalism is a problem at their school. How could THEY solve the problem?

Standards: National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association Standards for English Language Arts:

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
12. Students use spoken, written and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion and the exchange of information).

Resources and materials:
Web sites with information:
• A Tampa Bay television station reported the bathroom locking. “Principal defends restricting bathroom use,” by Isabel Mascarenas, ran March 8, 2007.
|view website |

• A link to Freedom High School’s Web site is available.
|view website |

• Not everyone thinks locking the bathrooms is a good solution. Child Advocate.org, a site that “brings attention to the human rights of young people,” has a portion of its Web site entitled, “Using the Bathroom is Your Right, Not a Privilege!” Laurie A. Couture, M.Ed, writes about what to do if a school prevents students from using the bathroom.
|view website |

• When locked bathrooms became a complaint in Massachusetts, the state’s Department of Public Health issues a “bathroom facilities memorandum” in 1999 that affirmed students’ needs for access and added a list of suggestions for lessening vandalism.
|view website |