Williams Complaint Filed Against TUSD for Poor Maintenance of Restrooms

Due to compulsory Williams reporting requirements, the District disclosed that it had received a Williams Complaint in June of this year.  The complainant alleged that restrooms were not properly maintained and stocked and that they were not a sufficient amount of restrooms kept open during school hours.  More specifically, the complainant wrote:

“No soap in restrooms all year, stall walls rusting and falling off.  No locks on stall doors.”

Williams Complaints stem from a 2004 legal settlement in which the plaintiffs asserted that public agencies failed to provide public school students with equal access to instructional materials, safe and decent school facilities, and qualified teachers.  Due to that settlement, persons may lodge a complaint based on the following criteria:

• Students do not have a book or instructional materials to use in class and take home;
• School facilities pose a threat to the health and safety of students or staff;
• Classroom does not have a permanent teacher assigned or teacher is not qualified to teach; or
• A restroom is not fully operational, well maintained and cleaned, stocked with supplies, and open during school hours.

Under the Williams Complaint procedures, the principal must investigate and fix the problem within 30 working days.  The complaint against TUSD was submitted to the principal at Torrance High School.  In response to an inquiry on the subject, the Senior Director of Elementary Schools,  E Don Kim, wrote in an e-mail that the issue “was handled and resolved by the principal and custodial staff at the school.”

The School Board declined to comment on the complaint at last night’s School Board meeting.