It is the crux that lies in the trifecta of parking, traffic, and scheduling, a Bermuda Triangle of sorts that swallows the precious minutes of our morning routine. The traffic, a serpentine beast that slithers its way through the narrows of the school, it’s a one-way ticket to tardiness.
Consider for a moment the student, ensnared in the web of poorly designed parking systems and in the clutches of traffic, racing against the relentless march of time. They are not tardy by choice, but by circumstance. To punish them as if they meant to do wrong. But what crime have these students committed, save for being victims of an inefficient system?
It is not they who have failed, but rather the system that has failed them. It is a system that demands punctuality, yet placing obstacles in their path makes it challenging. The purpose of punishment is not merely to penalize, but to correct, to guide, to reform. Yet, what lesson does a tardy punishment teach? It is a lesson in futility, a lesson in the harshness of a world that punishes not the wrongdoer, but the unfortunate.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon the institution to reassess their punitive measures. To understand that the fault lies not in the tardy student, but in the circumstances that led to their tardiness. Only then can the punishment serve its true purpose, not as a tool of retribution, but as a form of guidance.
It is consequential upon us to address these issues, to redesign our parking lots, to streamline our traffic, and to reassess our scheduling. Only then can we hope to put an end to the tyranny of morning tardiness.
Some will remember the first years when Tahoma High School was being built. Of the brilliant design choices they made, one was to make two separate parking lots, each with a single lane in and out of each. At first, this choice made sense, and no problems could be seen.
However, as the building opened to students, issues arose. Firstly, students would find parking lots completely full, with not a single open space in sight. To compound the issue further, the single lanes made it hard for parkers to be able to move in and out of the lots quickly. As it’s a high school, the problem is made worse with inexperienced drivers.
According to Ms. Weihe, part of the administration team behind security, she states that the parking lot could use more space, but that more spaces won’t fix the problem. She stated that the main issue with parking is rather the single lanes leading in and out of the lots.
Overall, Ms. Weihe stated that the other part of the issue is students who want to be the first out of school, or showing up right as soon as school starts, causing them to make bad choices.
Many students choose to park in the adjacent neighborhoods or other spaces that are within walking distance of the school. This, in turn, has opened up criticism from homeowners in the area who wake up to find dozens of cars parked in their neighborhood.
Not only is parking an issue, but the dangerous conditions combined with the risk of receiving a tardy can result in an increase of reckless behavior.
Students may take all precautions available to them, leaving early, but if caught in traffic, they then risk a tardy if they don’t park fast. While a single tardiness is usually not an issue, repeated tardiness usually comes with worse consequences, forcing students to break federal laws and safety guidelines, or risk punishment.
When asked about this, administration stated that its the responsibility of the student to get to the school early and get a spot to park in. Additionally, there is more parking available in the back of the lot, and that students should not feel the need to park close to the school, as its only a minute walk to the building.
Students should never be punished for taking further safety precautions, and by punishing students for being careful and following motor vehicle safety protocols, the school puts students in danger. However, this is also not entirely the fault of the school. Irresponsible drivers may not be paying attention, or may be reckless, and according to our sources, this is the main cause for accidents and near misses on campus.
The issues surrounding the parking lot are complex, and neither students, nor the school can take full blame. While it would be responsible for the school to be more understanding of students, who are punished for the choices of campus design, students also need to step up and understand that patience and getting to school early are important.
