MELBOURNE, Fla. – Melbourne High School is set to close its restrooms due to an ongoing issue with students vaping on campus, according to the school’s principal.
In an email to parents, Principal Chad Kirk said that the vaping problems have sparked “environmental concerns in student restrooms.”
“It has also resulted in damage to restroom fixtures that have disrupted access to restroom facilities for our students,” the email reads. “In response, we are implementing targeted restroom closures to reduce opportunities for misconduct.”
According to Kirk, the closures will give the school the ability to monitor the restrooms more closely, reducing opportunities for misuse.
That said, Kirk also wrote that the measures will allow the school to keep “adequate facilities” available to all students throughout the day.
However, Kirk warned parents that many vaping products contain nicotine, which can be highly addictive and negatively impact a teen’s brain development, along with potential impacts to lung health.
Kimberly Serwin, whose daughter is a senior at the school, said the limited access has made the school day more stressful.
“She’s talked to me about it,” Serwin said. “She says it complicates things. She has to worry about how many passes she has in each class just to use the restroom, because there’s not enough time in between.”
Parents said the policy punishes students who follow the rules rather than addressing the root of the problem.
“Don’t punish the children that need to use the restroom,” Serwin said. “Go after the students that are bringing in the vapes.”
Serwin said a similar message about restroom closures was sent to families in March 2025 and believes the school needs a permanent solution to address vaping rather than temporary shutdowns.
“We appreciate your partnership as we work to ensure our campus remains a safe, health, and respectful environment for all students,” Kirk concluded. “If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school.”