The problem with real soap is that people are just going to do nasty things to it, The only solution is liquid soap and given the recent budget cuts I doubt they will consider the needs of the students to that extream

And I dont know about you, but some of the bathrooms dont even have those soap containers in there anymore.

i agree that the soap is gross, but i think that there are more important things to be spending money on, like teacher salaries. i think that keeping our teachers around long enough to teach is higher up on the to do list than making sure your hands feel nice. if you care so much buy some hand sanitizer and carry it around!

There's no question that there are A LOT more important issues than soap and much greater needs in terms of where we spend money. Even so--how come only the students get the gross soap? How come the teachers get normal liquid soap in their bathrooms? It's a lot like at my middle school where I remember the principal's office had air conditioning even though we didn't in the classrooms and gym.

Why should the students be the ones to suffer when school systems are short on money? I thought the point of school was to educate kids???

By the way, I've been to other schools in other counties (and not just the "rich" ones), and they have normal soap.

I agree that the "dishwasher detergent" stuff they give us as soap is worth nothing.

From a mind not schooled in the prices of janitorial supplies, it seems that the school system could purchase institutional soap dispensers (like you see in any public restroom) and the accompanying large bags of soap that last for a long time. This would stem the spread of disease and sickness among students, especially in the winter months, and keep students in the classroom, not the doctor's office.

Action is needed -- if every other public institution on the face of the planet can afford soap, why not the school system in the 3rd richest county in Maryland?? :?

exatly,Connar! The Board of Ed. Has plenty of money to spare! If anything we should do less non-needed renivations! :roll:

There are so many more important things that we could be discussing, and so many more important things that the Board should spend time changing the budget for other than soap. If it is that big of a concern to you, carry a pocket size in your backpack. The only reason that teacher restrooms have nice soap and such is because they provide for themselves. There are many things that we should be able to expect from the school system, and luxurious soap should not be something we want to waste tax money on.

u r right

I dont think it is such a little issue. This does involve students' health, and that is important. Personally, I wont go to the bathroom because of the soap. Concentrating on that instead of learning is also harmful to education. I do have hand sanitizer but it frequently spills all over my books. Plus this is a public school, providing soap should not be my responsibility. And how come i have never been to another school system with soap as bad as ours?

you shouldn't have to worry!Yes it is a health concern!Liquid soap doesn't cost that much! It would probably be about $1 or less to switch! Who actually uses the soap for other than vandilism and likes it? :?: :?:

When I was talking to my school's ELC, they gave me good info about it. One girl told me that she's allergic to the soap, so she just washes with water. I think that for school supply lists, they should say bring 1-2 bottles of liquid soap. Our seventh-graders have to bring Purell, so we should say everyone brings 1-2 bottles of LIQUID SOAP. :idea: :D

that would be a perfect solution! Then the board of Ed wouldn't have to spend money on yucky soap! And just buy back up bottles! :idea: :D

:P sara :P

Since when are students supposed to use sand for soap??? I understand that is what we use for money purposes but come on we are CRASC we can figure out a way to raise some more money!! Plus that soap makes me itchy and one time i even got hives from it! I bet you that the teachers and the board of ed don't have to use sand as soap!?!?!?!?!

Our previous adviser did an "experiment" before she put in for liquid soap. She bought a bottle, placed it in the bathroom, then sent one of her students to go see the mess by the end of first period. I think she had a point there. I mean, you could put it in the dispensers but it would still be all over the place. We don't need $20 Bath & Body Works soap, but the itchy borax could be replaced. At least with something people aren't allergic to. But to comment on the whole "luxerious" soap, but have you seen the teachers bathrooms? If they can afford that, they could at least get rid of the borax!

Teachers are kind of strict about the scented lotions and what not. Some of my teachers won't even let us use [u]hand sanitizer[/u] because of the [u]smell[/u].

The soap in our school bathrooms is horrible. Using it gave me a hand rash! They need better soap, and they need it soon. Either people get some random kind of infection from the soap or they get it from not using the soap and then eating thier lunch with thier hands dirty. Powdered soap is hard to use. It doesn't clean your hands well, even if you scrub your hands for 5 minutes It's just plain impossible.
Better soap may cost more, but it might also make students healthier. Many school days are missed each year because of sickness-colds, flus, whatever you might get sick from and with better soap and hygene people would get sick less often. It's common sense! Obviously, the less days you are absent from school, the more you learn, and that's what school's all about, right? Learning.

I think it is pretty clear that this isnt such a little problem. But after hearing about the mess problem, it doesnt seem like bringing in soap in the beginning of the year would work without liquid soap dispensers istalled by the board(but if they were the board not students would be paying for the soap.) since the board does not have infinite money, and this would be an expensive change, what other solutions are there?

OK, I really think we need like liquid soap. I agree that it's not fair that the teachers get all the special treatment as far as air, soap, and lunch stuff or whatever too, but if we're gonna have it, we probably just need permission then we can take in our own bottles like we have to bring in our own tissues. That way, the board doesn't even have to pay for it.

when was the last time you saw soap in our batrooms???!???!!!!
You dont at my school
so our school system doesnot keep us in school
SAFTEY thats the issue
when we are safe we can stay in school
when we arenot maybe disgusting conditions or a bomb treat
we are still out of school
we need to remain safe
teachers dont tell us to wash our hands like in elem. school
:idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea:

Yes but it still is a sanitary issue! Is this stuff really sanitary!?

THATS MY POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My agenda is donated to the school by the PTSO and I think they should still charge us the same amout we pay for agendas to pay for liquid soap! And to those who have to buy their agendas still, wouldn't your parents agree that they don't like the soap! And to the mess coment, the sandy soap is all over the ground anyway,what's the diference if it is a liquid mess or a dry mess!? With the liquid soap they just have to go over it with a mop, and they have to wipe the floor everyday anyway! So It would also be less work for the custodians, in my prefrence! :roll: :!:

lucky u we have to pay for ours and we dont even have enough (no strike that ) ANY soap

I don' t even remember the last time i saw soap in our bathrooms.

well that's partly the custodians fault for not refilling the dipesnsers frequently enough!

How effective is that sand any way, if people get rashes from it they won't use it still leaving their hands dirty.

The reason liquid soap is considered a "safety issue" is not because of the fact that it leaves a mess, but that people have a greater chance of slipping in bathrooms if liquid soap is spilled rather than if the sandy soap is spilled.
One suggestion maybe to have premoistoned wipes instead of soap in the bathroom. They clean your hands effectively, act as paper towels, and dont run the risk of creating hazardous spills.

Your suggestion would be good, if we lived in a perfect world and everyone only takes 1 wipe! The students will use multiple when they only need one! That would raise the bill even more! It is not as bad of an issue if they take multiple paper towels, because they are so cheap! A regular papertowel from school say costs 5 cents each(just as an example, probably less) and each of these wipes will cost say about 25 cents each!
8):P:D:)

save the trees!!!!!!!!
ive seen hand dryers in some high schools bf

I belive the wipe would be made of cotton not wood fibers.

Hey im all for liquid soap, but the wipes are just the secondary plan incase liquid soap is too much of a safety risk...

Hand dryers can solve the paper towel problem, but not the soap issue at hand.
Also, hand dryers require time to use, which as most people agree, we do not have enough of in between classes.

Also, maybe we can get that "foamy" soap, they should be as slipper on floors as regular liquid soap. However, I am not 100% sure about this.

And yes wipes are made of cotton, so really, it wouldnt harm trees that much...heck papertowels harm tree more... (theres a reason its called a [i]paper[/i] towel.

Foaming soap, thats an idea. It anti-bacterial. But cost might be a factor although it has a lot of air in it.

The foaming soap dispensers actually save soap because they use the air to fluff it up. The foam looks bigger but may be the same or a smaller amount of soap.

As for liquid soap being a safety issue, by that logic so is water. How long would it take for someone to pump out enough soap to create a safety hazard anyway?

One thing that I think the Board will not consider would be the wipes. I've never seen them used in any large building because they're just not cost-effective.

Thanks to everyone for contributing their ideas.

[quote="connorgilbert"]
As for liquid soap being a safety issue, by that logic so is water. How long would it take for someone to pump out enough soap to create a safety hazard anyway?
[/quote]

I agree that its not that big a hazard, but that is the reason provided to me by my administrators as to why liquid soap isnt used. I didnt come up with the reasoning to explain why the use the "sandy" soap.

The point i was making is that the foaming soap althought is come liquid with air in is it would be less wasteful than liquid soap. (why on earth would it come with air already in it you would be abel to fit any in a container and it wouldn't squirt out.

Has anyone here ever seen someone slip on liquid soap? Most schools have liquid soap and i don't think they have a higher injury rate. Any one who tells you that is just giving excuses. However, evne though that argument is garbage, I still think foam soap is better because it lasts longer and would therefore probably be cheaper. The towels no tonly hurt the environment, but would prabably be very expensive, and would get thrown around the bathroom, as paper towels frequently are.

I have not heard of anyone slipping on liq. soap so I don't see the danger there. But a soap and water mixture can be very slippery and the school might be liable for injury.

Are you serious? I really dont think the school board will deny healthier soap because it is dangerous. I've been to lots of school districts with liquid soap, and they don't consider it a threat to their safety. I think the here issue is cost, and only cost, that keeps us with such horrible soap.

That is the reason that adminastrators gave. so yes i am serious.

At my school they have recently installed foam soap dispensers. Before this we had the same old powered soap that are present at most schools. Believe it or not this was actually the effort of lobying the school board. We have not had a problem with messes, and the soap is a sure upgrade. Now if only someone would fix those annoying spring loaded facuets that can't be turned to on without holding them in the on position.

So it works out okay. How long did it take to get this measure approved by the board?

Funny you should ask, because I really can't even give you an answer. Ever since I've been attending, students and teachers have always complained about the lack of cleanliness in the bathrooms, and just about everything else at the school. Since I became SGA president of the school I've attended all meetings of the board of education, and it seems that someone, whether its me, a teacher, or a parent, is perpetually complaining about something at our school. Just this year though, A major parent movement was begun to fix up the school, with the end result being the allocation of some 86 million dollars to build a new school. In the meantime, they have installed amenities such as the soap, but only after endless nagging by "stakeholders" as they say, in the school. So overall, I would say getting the new soap was the result of endless work, years and years of lobbying, and maybe even a few lost lives. It's nice soap though, definitely worth it

I wouldn't object to foaming soap at our school.

The thing about the soap at our school is that there is none. Everytime I go to the bathroom the soap thing is always empty. And even when there is soap, if you can call it soap its more like sand or somthing, is that it kind of sratches you when you use it. I mean whats up with that.

That is an issue that you should take up with an administrator. There should be soap in the bathoroom. (although with my tenure in A.A county i have seen soap mabye 4-5 times and I always check)

not only is the soap either not there or just gross....half the time there isnt even paper towels so you cant even rinse your hands off cause theres nothing to dry them with

i pretty much agree with everyone the soap is nasty and most of the time there is no soap. Thats why i use the bathroom. :D