Lehtikankaan School in Kajaani starts monitoring students’ bathroom visits to address vaping concerns

Starting today, Lehtikankaan School in Kajaani will begin logging students’ bathroom visits during class hours using the Wilma communication system. This initiative aims to curb the use of e-cigarettes, known locally as “vape.” Parents were informed of the policy via a Wilma message on Monday morning.

Principal Liisa Halonen noted that frequent long bathroom visits during class could indicate a concern beyond a legitimate need for a restroom break. The school has observed that vaping often occurs in bathrooms, with students going in groups, and the smell of e-cigarette vapor being noticeable.

The practice of reporting bathroom visits is inspired by pilot programs in Oulu, where schools such as Laivakankaan and Ylikylä have begun tracking students’ departures from class based on individual requests. The goal of these initiatives is to monitor whether such recorded exits decrease when students know that their absences from class will be documented.

Halonen emphasized that the recording of bathroom visits isn’t a prohibition on using the facilities; it’s about keeping parents informed regarding their children’s activities during school. She noted that she has already received one inquiry from a parent concerned about their child’s increased bathroom visits due to intestinal issues.

The notification system does not detail the activities occurring in the bathroom, simply indicating that a student has left class. Halonen is not aware of any obstacles to implementing this logging practice.