Step inside one of the many bathrooms of CHS, and it’s not unlikely that one will find stalls with broken locks, malfunctioning toilets with various marks and scratches and small puddles covering the bathroom floor. The faulty restroom dilemma has plagued CHS for years, and while other amenities such as the gym get fresh renovations, more important necessities such as bathrooms are disregarded. In fact, CHS has undergone several hefty renovations in the past few years. The main cafeteria was completely redesigned just last year, and a $1.5 million reconstruction on the sports building at the Murray Stadium was finished in 2015. This September, CHS is looking to complete renovations on the DECA-run Carmel Cafe, which include a designated sitting area. All these renovations have and will be certainly beneficial to students, but if more money was put into maintenance rather than upgrading, then the student and staff experience would be much better.

The problem is that maintenance is often overlooked at CHS. Take the bathrooms, for example. As mentioned before, many stalls either contain broken or missing locks. A countless number of toilets also don’t flush properly, and it’s common to encounter several clogged or leaky toilets throughout the day. Additionally, many feminine supply machines fail to deliver basic materials such as tampons. Admittedly, students could just take a trip down to the nurse’s office, but having a stock of feminine products right there would be more convenient. Throughout the school, various classrooms also have visible stains on the ceilings from leaks. While it is difficult to regulate the geese that occupy the roof and contribute to the problem, there must be a way to repair the ceilings so that such leaks won’t occur.

The school has already addressed some of these problems. In the last few years, water bottle fountains have been installed by old fountains, so it is more convenient for students to fill up their bottles. Though this has been an improvement, there are still several fountains that either don’t work or spout hot water.

In other words, the school should prioritize putting more money into maintaining the school rather than renovating it. The cafe and stadium may be newly renovated, but it only benefits those who use it. Bathrooms and water fountains, on the other hand, are used by everyone. At CHS, we should promote cleanliness and a comfortable environment where students shouldn’t have to worry about hunting for a working toilet. Let’s focus less on renovations and more on upkeeping current amenities to benefit the entire student body experience.