Tardy Sweeps

November 18, 2011  
Filed under News

Being locked out of a classroom is embarassing

Even though you wake up a little bit later than usual, you know you are going to be late to school. You finish your breakfast in the car as you speed along. Luckily there is no traffic, but you can’t seem to find a parking space anywhere. When at last you do, you realize you only have three minutes to get to class. You race across the school and through the doors… then you realize you forgot your backpack. You rush to your car but the late bell rings as if mocking you. Finally, you reach your first period class. You already know the penalty for being late but you have to try. You reach for the doorknob and turn the handle. Your stomach drops when you hear the dull thud of the lock. You’re too late.
This year, Mountain View High School has a new policy on being tardy- if your late, your locked out until the teacher takes roll and lets you in. Most of the students find this very annoying. “It’s a waste of time because you sit outside the class doing nothing and not learning,” says Jeron Robbins, freshman. “You don’t learn and you’re missing class time.” Jeron is just one of many individuals who dislike the tardy sweeps. Some think there are other ways to do count a tardy. “I think they should just count a tardy when you come in late instead of missing class work,” says Maureen McCarthy, junior. “I would hate walking in after being locked out; it’s embarrassing.”
So why do we have this new system? The school thinks this will be a better way to count tardys when kids are late. Andi use to be the person who checked the kids who were late to class. Now, she doesn’t have this job anymore. “We changed some things in the attendance office for grade purposes,” she says. “ It helps the students realize that in the real world you can’t be late to a job or a business meeting.” Some teachers like the tardy sweeps and thinks it’s an effective way to count a tardy as well. It eliminates disturbances in the class when people walk in noisily. “It ends disruption in classes. Kids don’t walk in late anymore, and interrupt the teacher.”
Even though it might be inconvenient for us students, this is the new rule. Next time your going to your class and running just a little late, be sure to come in early to avoid being locked out of the room and being embarrassed in front of your fellow peers.