 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE ARROW MAILBAG |
||||
Tardy policy is unfair to students with multiple commitments and too little time |
||||
Last year I was pretty offended by the system of the hall monitors. They seemed to continually harass me and honestly really helped to destroy feelings of safety at this school. This year, however, I would like to thank the hall monitors. They have been so respectful of me. A few hall monitors have been very friendly, asking me how my classes were going. For the respect gained with the hall monitor situation, it seems the administration has taken away from us in other areas: the tardy policy. I myself am often late. I am a busy person and further choose to do what I need to. School, like any other group of people, has a set of organizational guidelines for efficiency. I understand that this is needed. However, I am having trouble understanding why, when I run two blocks and through the school to beat the bell, only to be 20 seconds and 200 yards from the door of my first period class, I am marked tardy. You see, nothing is going on at this point in time in the class; in fact, perhaps half of the people sitting in the room were oblivious to these short few seconds. When I enter people are still talking, and perhaps, if the teacher is lucky, they’ve managed to find enough time from their over-busy work to be organized, as often they seem too short of time and lose themselves in class. I’ve heard some people suggest a leeway time, where if the student is within a minute late the teacher has a little discretion. I also think tardies during first period are different from the other classes during the day, as is the time structures before these classes. With our previous policy of the five tardy leeway, specifics of whether we were in class exactly on time needed not be addressed with such necessity. I know the administration said this new policy was on a trial basis, so I would like to let them know that unless they request that I slow down and give up some of my efforts devoted to learning, I need a little more understanding and trust if I am to continue doing what I need to, to learn to my fullest. Luke Van Helden, Senior |
||||