– Almost no showers at school. They find it uncomfortable to shower together, says Hanne Fuglestad Bjørnsen. He and Charlotte Lykke Ugland go to Holviga junior high school in Grimstad. There they now wish to have separate stalls in the shower. The girls themselves have taken the matter to the Municipal Council for Children and Young People in the city, well supported by their own survey. – Almost 70 per cent think that it was not comfortable to shower. There is so little space in the showers that you can touch the person next to you, says Charlotte. – Now there are maybe around five people who shower, adds Hanne. It was Grimstad Adressetidende that first wrote about the case. Hanne Fuglestad Bjørnsen (left) and Charlotte Lykke Ugland conducted their own survey about showering at school. Photo: Tom Nicolai Kolstad / news Fear of backbiting The pupils they asked attended grades 6 to 10 at Holviga children’s and youth school. The girls say that many are afraid of being bullied and gossiped about if they shower together with fellow students. – It could be that people are afraid of comments or ugly looks, or in the worst case that their picture will be taken, says Hanne. There is also a fear that people will talk about your body on social media, or that you will compare yourself to others. Principal at Holviga junior high school Tor Helge Olsen appreciated the commitment of the students. He understands that many young people can feel insecure in the changing room after gym class. – It is probably a result of several things. Perhaps it is primarily body pressure that makes the young people know they must be a perfect version of themselves, says Olsen. Principal at Holviga school Tor Helge Olsen. Photo: Tom Nicolai Kolstad / news Looking at solutions Mayor of Grimstad Beate Skretting says that no funds have been allocated this year to be able to carry out the construction of stalls at Holviga school. Therefore, there is no room within the framework of the school to carry it out. – This is an important matter for the pupils, and Hanne and Charlotte from Holviga have done a very good job with the investigation and raising the issue in the Children and Young People’s Municipal Council on behalf of their fellow pupils and the school. The mayor has followed up the case by presenting it to Grimstad municipal council. She says that the municipal director can confirm that the measure should be considered for next year’s budget. – There is already contact with the unit for building and property to look at possibilities and solutions in both the short and long term. Mayor of Grimstad, Beate Skretting, says she has followed up the case in the municipal council. Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder / NTB Several people in the shower In recent years, young people who do not want to shower in communal showers have been the subject of several times. – We hear every now and then about students who do not feel comfortable showering, says leader of the Student Organization Peter Andreas Lona. He says that they do not have a full overview of shower culture in all the country’s schools, but for them it is important that pupils have the opportunity to influence their school day. – I think that the school management must take it seriously when the pupils come together in this way, and collect the opinions of their fellow pupils and say that they themselves want different shower stalls. Petter Andreas Lona is the incoming leader of the Student Organization. Photo: Tobias Dahle / Elevorganisaisonen In 2017, news was at Grimstad junior high school, where booths with screen walls were set up in the communal showers. This was done after the pupils themselves wanted more privacy in the shower. Six years have passed, and student council leader at the school, Martine Dørmænen Bjørkås, believes that fewer people now dread gym class. – I think a lot of people are very happy about the booths and that they don’t have to show off their bodies to others, she says. Bjørkås also believes that more people will shower because of the measure. – You shouldn’t go around dreading gym class because you have to shower naked afterwards. Then you don’t get a good experience of the gym class, she says. Student council leader in 10th grade Martine Dørmænen Bjørkås, is happy that they have got private shower stalls at Grimstad junior high school. Photo: Tom Nicolai Kolstad / news Over-preoccupation with the body Gym teacher at Grimstad junior high school Vilde Haavik Tønessen thinks it’s good that more people now shower after gym class. She should still have seen that the stalls were not necessary. – I think it’s nice that booths have been set up when it’s been the way it is, but I wish there wasn’t a need for it, and that we weren’t so preoccupied with the body. Now the pupils at Holviga junior high school, which is only a couple of kilometers away, want the same measure. – It’s crowded here. What we are thinking is that the stalls must come as soon as possible, says Hanne.
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“No one” showers at school – pupils get involved to get stalls – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
