On March 24, 2024, the MCPS Board of Education (BOE) passed a bill that trades bathroom passes for trackers. This is the first step in the BOE’s four-step plan, “Implementation of a Fulfilling Future for Education” to ensure that students receive the most out of their education by remaining in classes during school hours. The bathroom pass trackers, which have already proved to be a success in Canada and France, have been distributed to all MCPS schools. If all goes well, the BOE intends on taking this program further.
“We really want our students to come to school to learn while also being able to ensure their safety at all times,” BOE member Paula Radcliffe said. “Our students need to be in class in order to receive all they can from the top tier education we are providing. Their priorities need to be in the classroom and our state of the art trackers will ensure exactly that.”
Starting in the 2024-25 school year, MCPS high schools and middle schools will be implanting trackers under the skin of MCPS students. Approved by the FDA, these trackers would tell teachers where students are at all times. If the students have been out for too long or are finding themselves in destinations other than the bathroom, teachers can click a button on their controller to send a shock to the students letting them know they must return promptly.
“I’m excited for these trackers,” WCHS security guard John Lavolta said. “It will make my job much easier. I will now be able to focus on my painting career as I will have so much free time. Honestly, a day of work will feel just like a summer night!”
MCPS staff is ecstatic for the change. The amount of students that spend over 15 minutes in the bathroom has increased exponentially since the second semester began. In fact, according to statistics4dummies.com, over one hundred percent of teens have taken 20 minute bathroom breaks at some point in their school career. Yet, students still do not see the purpose of this drastic change.
“It’s an outrage,” WCHS senior Tenny Tanana said. “I cannot believe that they are allowing this. They do not even need a consent form from our parents? How does that make sense? We aren’t animals, we’re teenagers. Using a shock method to get us back in class is disgusting and inhumane.”
