Students and families have expressed their anger after students were prevented from using the toilets toilets at a secondary school in Coventry.
These metal enclosures have been put in place at Foxford Community School in Longford, stopping students from using them except during breaks.
Students are now not able to use the toilets during lessons and only while being supervised, it has been claimed.
Many have been left very angry by the decision with one describing it as ‘disgusting.’
Grandparent Ian Ward, from Coventry, stated that the ‘enclosure doors’ were put in on Wednesday, March 6.
He said his grandchildren have been left ‘upset’ over the change and criticized the move as ‘completely wrong.’
Speaking to CoventryLive, Ian, 54, said: ‘Foxford has for a while kept the toilet doors locked preventing the kids from using the toilets and now they have fitted locked cage doors to prevent the kids from even getting near the toilets and have said the kids can only use the toilets during break times but not during lessons.
‘Kids are only allowed to go to the toilet under supervision which is completely wrong. It is taking away the freedom of being able to use the toilet as and when you need it.
‘What if a child is on their period or has problems holding for a long time? I understand they have problems with kids in toilets, but to put metal doors on them is just going too far.’
Ian, who has six grandchildren who attend Foxford Community School, described the move as ‘disgusting.’
He said: ‘School is supposed to be a safe place for kids and it is supposed to be a relaxed environment, but how it is a relaxed environment when they are locked up?’
Leaders are said to have made the change as they were having ‘issues with students in the toilets’.
Ian added: ‘I think there are other ways of controlling that by having somebody sit by the toilets at certain times, and if there is a problem then someone is close by, there is no need to lock them and say you are not using them.’
A spokesman for Foxford Community School told CoventryLive: ‘We have recently installed metal doors to two toilet areas, these are not cages and the doors are unlocked before and after school, as well as at break and lunchtimes.’
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