After a female LT student was assaulted in a NC bathroom on Feb. 14, students have expressed wariness being in school restrooms alone.    

“I make sure to not go into bathrooms alone, especially in the Vaughan building,” Leah Dillon ‘20 said. “I try to get another girl to go with me.”

Some teachers restrict bathroom use to one student at a time. This policy can contribute to students’ concerns.

While no specific policy changes will be made in reaction to this incident, the school has implemented new safety changes over the years, Principal Brian Waterman said.

“Our school safety procedures and policy changes are ongoing, to do whatever we can do to keep students safe physically or emotionally,” Waterman said. “Over the years, we have locked and unlocked certain doors and installed the bluepoint system, while still maintaining a welcoming environment.”

Say something week occured at LT from Feb. 25 to March 1. The message of “Say Something” can be used as a reminder to report suspicious behavior, NC School Resource Officer Tim Andries said.

“This is a lesson in situational awareness and making sure to keep your guard up,” Andries said. “If something makes you uneasy, you have the right to say something to a trusted adult.”

It is important to remember that in a situation like this, students have the right to defend themselves, Andries said.

“You should do what you can to get out, and be as verbal and vocal as possible to make it known where you are at,” Waterman said.

After an event such as this, students can be concerned about their own safety when all the details aren’t yet available.

“To prevent something like this in the future, I think self defense classes could help people be able to defend themselves in situations like this,” Dillon said.