A letter explaining the move was sent out to parents this week and some are not happyA secondary school in Coventry has told parents it plans to make toilets gender-neutral.
A letter sent to parents of Finham Park, Green Lane, explained plans for the move that would "cater for the increasing diversity of our student body".
The letter, shared with CoventryLive by a parent unhappy with the plan, states plans for "some" toilets to be changed soon, before all toilets are eventually adapted to be gender-neutral.
But one parent says the move is "highly inappropriate" and says allowing girls and boys to use the same toilets is "an accident waiting to happen".
Zoe Dronfield, whose daughter attends the school, told CoventryLive: "When I got the email, I thought: 'absolutely no chance'. I'm all for inclusion, I absolutely welcome that, but I don't think children should be mixing in that way.
"What you've got to remember is these toilets are accessible to children aged between 11 and 18, which is highly inappropriate - it's a wild age range and levels of hormones and emotional intelligence. I just don't think the school have thought it through.
"If you ask me, it's opening the children up to risk - hormones flying everywhere, children that are going through puberty: it's not a good situation and lots of parents are concerned.
"They are trying to tick a box for the minority but alienating the majority. I think we need to nip it in the bud. They should have consulted the parents and they should have consulted the pupils, which they didn't do. Pushing all the children together, it's an accident waiting to happen."
The letter, sent out this week, reads: "In order to be fully inclusive, and appropriately cater for the increasing diversity of our student body by providing all students with suitable facilities for their needs, Finham Park School will be converting some of the toilets in the school to become gender-neutral.
"This will be the first phase of moving to a position where the school makes all toilets gender-neutral where predictably possible as is planned for in the vast majority of new-build schools and will be the case in our new E block."
The letter ends by asking parents to contact the deputy headteacher with any questions.