MOORESVILLE, N.C. — More images are showing the bathroom doors inside Mooresville High School.
The school district previously told WCNC Charlotte a system with security cameras is placed outside the bathrooms to help detect vaping within the school. Now, community members are asking who has propped the door to the women's bathroom open.
Theresa Knight is a parent volunteer whose daughter attends the high school.
"My daughter has mentioned that she doesn't want to use those bathrooms because there's no partition there," Knight said.
Like several other Mooresville parents, she’s heard her daughter talk about the bathroom doors inside the high school.
“She's told me about how they closed off some bathrooms in the past because of vandalism and then definitely that it's a regular place for vaping," she added.
Some of the latest pictures WCNC Charlotte has seen now show a wooden door stopper placed above the door. We then asked the district who placed the doorstops.
The following statement was provided by the Mooresville Graded School District:
As to who placed the stops in these specific pictures, it is hard to know. We have approximately 2,150 students and staff at Mooresville High School and any one of them could have placed it there. As I'm sure you understand, there are valid reasons to have a door stop such as air circulation and mopping/cleaning. That being said, and as previously stated, both staff and students are allowed to – and do – remove the stop if using the bathroom. Also, as previously stated, we welcome any student or parent who may have a concern about the door stops being available in bathrooms to come talk to us.
Knight understands the school's action to crack down on vaping, but hopes other parents can voice their thoughts to help address the privacy and safety within the high school.
“I think the parents and community members need to recognize that when you get that many students together in one school, there are going to be issues that come up in those places like bathrooms," she said, "and so we should be partners with the school and figuring out how do we help reduce that."
The district shared they’re willing to discuss procedures and protocols with students, parents, and staff and adjust the system if needed.
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.