By Guy Page
Since it was published on Friday morning, the VDC story about a Missisquoi Valley Union high school bathroom headlined “High school opens large bathroom for both sexes” has received tens of thousands of views and about 270 comments – including one from the school administrator tasked with student behavior and safety.
Missisquoi Valley Union High School serves Swanton, Highgate and Franklin, three Canadian border towns in Franklin County. Over the summer school authorities converted two side-by-side, boys and girls bathrooms into one large room for both sexes, containing three floor-to-ceiling locked stalls. Parent Jocelyn Reighley sent a letter to school authorities last week, they responded publicly, and VDC covered both sides.
Most of the readers’ comments go something like this entry: “Completely private stalls in a mixed male female population rest room for teenagers, what could go wrong? Oh, boy!” A few readers said in effect, ‘no big deal, they do this in other places, too.’
And, the story also prompted MVU Director of Student Affairs Steve Messier to defend the renovation in a Facebook comment underneath a September 18 posting of the story. He writes:
“The headline of this article completely mischaracterizes the new set-up. The old version of a large “group-style” bathroom created far more opportunities for vandalism, vaping, and fights to take place. This renovation allows for student privacy and removes the ability for large groups of students to congregate and misuse the space. As the administrator tasked with addressing student behavior and building safety at MVU, this is a welcome and positive change.”
The new bathroom configuration took parents like Reighley by surprise. The project is mentioned as a one-line agenda item on a June 2025 facilities committee meeting, but there have been no minutes posted online since March. A YouTube video of facilities changes in district buildings in Swanton, Highgate and Franklin, posted this summer, does not portray the new high school bathroom.
The bathroom controversy is not listed specifically on the agenda of the next MVU School District Board meeting, on September 23. However, there is a public comment, shortly after the meeting begins at 6 PM in the Franklin elementary school library. The meeting also is accessible by zoom.