HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – Students at Lehman High School with Hays CISD said they do not have enough access to restrooms.

“I’ve almost used the restroom on myself a couple of times,” said one student who wanted to remain anonymous.

They said there are only two restrooms for each gender available most of the day.

“They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s unlocked, go ahead and go to it.’ And I try it, it’s locked,” they said.

Parent Katelyn Shephard said her daughter has shared similar experiences.

“It’s been a struggle for the kids to use the restroom properly,” Shephard said.

She said it prompted a walkout last Thursday where some students said they’ve had medical issues as a result of limited access to bathrooms.

“You’ve got boys that are talking about they’re on antibiotics, two and three rounds of antibiotics for their UTIs and things like that,” Shepard said.

The district’s response

Hays CISD spokesperson Tim Savoy told KXAN there are five restrooms open all the time.

“Those are in the band hall, career and technical education wing in the library, as well as the athletics areas,” Savoy said. “And the rest of the restrooms are for the most part open, except for the first and last 10 minutes of class.”

But he said there are moments when normally open restrooms are closed to address vaping that’s become an increased issue.

“If it’s not every day, it’s probably every couple of days. It’s a lot,” Savoy said.

Still, both Shepard and the student said they would like to see other solutions, like more hall monitors and maintenance employees.

“It was a result of other people’s actions that we are all being punished for,” the student said.

Savoy said the district is considering options to have more restrooms available. One idea he said the student advisory panel mentioned was having restrooms accessible with a student’s ID card.