Anger as girls on their periods told to use unisex toilets at their Midlothian primary school

Boys seen peeing in the sink of shared loos after school refit

Mayfield Primary School

ANGRY parents told how young children went back to their junior school after half-term to find the toilets have been made unisex.

Mothers said daughters, including some who had started their periods, are now embarrassed to use the loos at Mayfield Primary while boys have been spotted urinating in the sink.

A mother-of-three from Mayfield who has an eight-year-old daughter at the school said parents only find out on Wednesday when pupils returned from the break.

Parents say they were given no advance warning of the change

“One boy went home at lunchtime because he didn’t want to go to the toilet. It’s really concerning they didn’t contact parents.”

The mum said that nearby Newbattle Community High School already has unisex toilets for its students.

“I was really horrified"

“The kids were off for the break and returned to school and when they were walking home, they said there were boys in the toilet,” she added.

“I was really horrified. My little girl said the boys were carrying on and peeing in the sinks. Girls obviously mature quicker than boys.

“Parents should be told. All the parents are not comfortable with it. They’re not happy about it at all. They think their kids are too young for this.

“Some of the Primary 7 girls are starting their periods and they have to take sanitary products to the toilet with them.

“Wee girls shouldn’t be going to school and feeling embarrassed to go to the toilet - it’s hard enough at that age.

“Primary kids are far too young to be exposed to this non-gender stuff - they don’t understand.”

“I understand about equality and diversity"

“Parents are all shocked and disgusted with the school and how they’ve handled it with no communication from the school or council,” added the mum. “They’ve phoned the office and got the same blunt answer.”

Another parent, of a ten-year-old girl at Mayfield, said: “My girl’s just started her period and I can’t send her to school if she’s on her period because she’s too scared.

“I understand about equality and diversity and trying to make it equal for transgender but, I’m sorry, they’re primary school kids.”

A spokeswoman for Midlothian Council said the change was made as “what best meets the needs of the school” during a refurbishment.

She added: “Midlothian Council has not adopted a policy change for putting unisex toilets into primary schools.

“Within Mayfield Primary there are one set of toilets on each floor that consist of floor-to-ceiling cubicles with a standalone shared wash trough.

“This is similar to the set up in our new secondary schools and ensures privacy and dignity for all children and young people using the facilities.”