I (29 F) am a teacher in an elementary school in Canada. WIBTA if I try to prevent people from pooping in my (very tiny) office washroom? It’s literally affecting how I do my job.
For a little context, I don’t have my own classroom, only a tiny office in the corner of the school on the 2nd floor. There are two single-use washrooms available on the 2nd floor; one in my office on one side of the school, and one on the other end. There are also the staff washrooms in the basement but they’re 3 flights of stairs to get to from our 2nd floor. I know my coworkers come in and use the washroom and that’s fine. It’s also not \*my\* washroom, but it IS my office where I have to work. I also didn’t choose to have this office, it’s the only one available and all of the subject materials I need are stored there so there’s no option to change it.
Onto the issue: it regularly happens that I walk into my office on my planning time and am assaulted by an unbearable poop stench. The washroom door is often open whenever I arrive so no chance to prevent the stink from spreading. There’s no fan in the washroom, so all I can do is keep the bathroom door open, open my office window on the other side of the space and walk out of the room. Every time this happens I basically lose my entire planning work period because I can’t work in my office. I can’t stand breathing in one of my coworker’s bowel bombs and scent sprays don’t work- they just mix with the poop smell and make me want to gag more. Would I be a bad person if I put a sign on the washroom door asking people not to poop in there since it’s my office and I can’t work anywhere else? Would it be unprofessional or disrespectful to do so?
As a teacher it’s really hard to leave your classroom unattended. So I understand that it is inconvenient to go use the staff washrooms which are a bit further away or the single use bathroom down the hall. I have no issue if someone needs to run into my office for a quick pee so they can get back to class without having to call in another teacher to watch their class. However, if someone is taking the time to poop and having to ask someone to watch their class anyways, I don’t think it is unreasonable to ask them to walk a bit extra and use the proper staff bathrooms or the single use bathroom that actually has a fan instead of the tiny, unventilated, (basically broom closet) of a washroom in my office where I have to work.
I have a suspect or two but I don’t have proof and I definitely don’t want to accuse someone in case I’m wrong. Even so, I need to do something to stop the pooping, or at least make sure it doesn’t happen before my planning period. I haven’t gotten work done during planning period in days,I can’t clean or organize my supplies and I’ve had to start doing my planning at home outside of work hours to compensate. I’m at my wits end. Please help!
Would I be the asshole if I posted a sign? Is there a better solution I’m not thinking of? Am I being unreasonable?
I would post a little sign and explain the situation. Something like….Hello, I would appreciate your help and consideration with a sensitive matter. When someone uses this restroom to poop, the smell lingers in my tiny office. There is zero ventilation. I ask, extremely kindly, that if this is the circumstance with you, that you take a few extra minutes and use one of the other restrooms. I am exceedingly grateful for your courtesy.
What a stinky situation! It’s not fair that you will have to spend money on the problem, but it will help if you buy some Poo-Pourri. There is a liquid option to put in the toilet before use, and a spray for after use. Perhaps a polite note on basket on the lid of the toilet asking people to use it and close the door when they’re done, as well as a request to contribute some money into the basket to keep the item in stock. Good luck.
Talk to your admin; maybe they can make some other arrangements or close that restroom or something.
My admin will most likely bring this up in a way that either singles me or the phantom pooper out and I want to avoid that at all costs. I’d like to avoid anyone getting embarrassed by this, I just want the pooping to stop. Thanks for the suggestion though!
very blunt sign. ” Please shit somewhere else. Thank you and have a lovely day.”
Can you lock your door when you’re not there and claim you have concerns about the security of your office due to sensitive files or something??
I do have a key and could lock the door but all staff have master keys so it only really helps to keep students from entering the room, not coworkers. I did consider this though 🙁
I would get a ‘pre poo’ spray (Poo-pouri is good but I know there’s others) and put up a sign asking people to use it
Maybe it will be enough to deal with the issue, maybe people will be more thoughtful and you won’t have to look like the bad guy
Info: If they shut the door, would it be less unpleasant? Do you have the authority to ban people from pooping in the bathroom?
Honestly even if the door is closed the smell takes still exists, it’s just slightly less horrible. The door is old and definitely doesn’t reach the floor.
I don’t think I have the authority to ban people I was just thinking a note asking people not to poop in my washroom felt like the only good option, but honestly I’m worried even that will look passive-aggressive or something.
Talk to the custodian and see if they can hook you up with an “out of order” sign. Haha.
Never even considered this!! 🙀
Buuuut that might make me an asshole because then nobody could use the washroom
Can you get an air filter/purifier? Combined with poopouri it might smell better
It is outrageous that your coworkers would do this and that you are in this situation. Intolerable.