I've had it with the bathroom at work !!!

It is one of those "high tech" bathrooms. It has toilets that flush themselves, soap dispensers that you don't have to touch, and faucets that turn themselves on and off.

And none of it works right.

I get that the automatic toilet flusher is there to ensure our sanitation, while keeping us from having to pull an arguably unsanitary flush lever. I get that the soap dispenser is supposed to make it so that I don't foul a pump handle. I get that the faucet is supposed to save water.

But this is more likely the sequence of events:

I sit down and take care of business. Sometimes this takes some time. 'Nuff said. But while I sit, the damn toilet flushes everytime I move the slightest bit. Four or five flushes later, it has taken care of business. And while the whoosh and spray are not altogther uncomfortable, I'm left to wonder if this is saving water, or needlessly flushing it down the drain.

Then, it is time to wash the hands. So you put your hand under the soap dispenser. Nothing comes out. You pull your hand out, and put it back. Nothing. Wait 3 seconds, then put your hand in just the right place - Success! a miniscule dollup of soap. I need another to properly wash my hands. Repeat this entire exercise.

Did I mention the water was running the whole time? It was. I didn't need it while I was getting the soap. More wasted water.

So now I've got my soap, time to wash with the water. I put my hands under the faucet and the water stops. Adjust the position just right, and the water comes out. I begin to properly wash my hands.

While I do so, the soap dispenser shoots blob after blob of soap into the bowl, now that my hands are under the faucet. Three or four blobs shoot out, and slowly crawl toward the bowl. I finish washing my hands.

So all in all, I've wasted 3 times as much of EVERTHING that was supposed to be automated for my protection.

Here's what they should do.

Replace the automated control on the toilet with a manual foot pedal. Time to flush? Step on the pedal. One flush. (Sure, I know that some idiot might not have flushed before me. And while it is not terribly fun to see that "leaver" as we called them in college, I'm just one step away from a clean bowl) And sure, that handicapped person can't step on the pedal, but I'm guessing it could be designed to roll over with a wheel chair. Heck, put the motion sensor on the door!

Put the soap pump handle back to manual operation. Sure, the handle is dirty. So are my hands. That's why I need the soap. Once I have the soap, I can properly wash my hands.

The faucet can be left on automatic. But wire it up to the now unneeded soap dispenser sensor.

The other night, we had a big debate about whether or not teachers should be allowed to deprive students of recess as a punishment. The administration originally wanted to make it forbidden. The revised policy said that they "should not" do it. I ended up making a motion to remove the language, and ultimately, we simply removed the word recess from the policy. It was a 6-3 split vote.

I was able to prevail in the discussion, but 3 of the board members dissented. It was not a party line vote. I am excited about this, not because I prevailed, but because the Board functioned properly.

We discussed the issue in an open forum. Opininons, facts, and conjecture were tossed about in a healthy debate. In the end, philosophical differences created a split decision. This is GREAT! It shows how government can and should function.

I sure wish it was the exception and not the rule.