STUDENTS from Musselburgh Grammar School plan to "fight against a decision" to make new toilets primarily male and female zones, amid claims from the school's student council that pupils' views have been "ignored".

Following a lengthy discussion and debate surrounding the new facilities, Musselburgh Grammar School has made the decision to make its new toilets primarily male and female specific.

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An East Lothian Council spokesperson has confirmed that the final design of the facilities does include some non-designated toilets, which are in addition to the existing non-designated toilets in the rest of the school – the completion of the facilities is expected in the coming weeks.

A spokesperson for the school's student council told the Courier that East Lothian Council "has its priorities in the wrong order", claiming that surveys conducted by the school showed that pupils were in support of gender-neutral toilets.

They added: "Adults' wants are being prioritised before the needs of vulnerable young people."

A number of students from the high school took to social media to express their disappointment at the decision, stating that the original plan promised to pupils, for gender-neutral toilets with closed-off male and female bathrooms, was going to be "a really positive change"

One said: "A lot of us are actually really disappointed with the decision.

"The school has now very abruptly gone back on their word, leaving the student body no time to challenge the decision.

"This sends a message to us about how little our school cares about the needs of some of its most vulnerable students – we do plan to fight this decision as much as we are able to."

Another said: "Why should our students have to face daily abuse and harassment when all they want to do is go to the bathroom?"

READ MORE: Musselburgh Grammar School pupils said to be unhappy at decision to make new toilets primarily male and female

They said that students were being "put down for maturing and realising what they want for themselves", adding: "If common sense was prevailing then we wouldn’t have people going against these decisions and instead welcoming them to progress and become a more nurturing and understanding community."

Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, said: "I was aware of the pupil-led consultation that was carried out at Musselburgh Grammar High School regarding gender-neutral facilities.

"It is important that our educational settings are a safe and inclusive environment for our young people and I commend the maturity in which pupils have voiced their opinions.

"A number of pupils have written to me on this matter and, in the first instance, I plan to raise this with East Lothian Council to discuss the outcome of the pupil-led consultation and the accompanying equalities impact assessment."