An English school has eliminated mirrors from its bathrooms, citing that pupils were spending too much time in front of them. William Farr Comprehensive School in Welton took the move to avoid huge crowds in bathrooms and enhance punctuality.
Headteacher Grant Edgar said mirrors invite pupils to stay longer in the toilets, sometimes in groups, which makes it awkward for others to utilize the facilities. He added that the school had been experiencing problems during transition times, impacting the punctuality of students to classes.
The move has triggered a mixed response from parents, with some labeling it “silly,” “extreme,” and “strange.” One of the parents expressed doubt about the move, stating, “They’re just mirrors. We have them at home, why not in school?”
But the school has made it clear that pupils who need a mirror for health reasons can get one at reception.
This is not the first such school to have banned mirrors. In January of 2024, a middle school in North Carolina had the bathroom mirrors removed because students had been using the mirrors to shoot TikTok videos on school time. In 2023, Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester had girls’ bathroom mirrors replaced with signs warning off makeup, comparing it to an “harmful drug” making women feel bad about themselves.
While the school thinks that the removal of mirrors will encourage discipline and minimize distractions, the move has generated controversy regarding whether such action is needed.
