Within the past semester, administration has changed the hallway passes for all students. Previously, every classroom had one pass for all students and now all of the teachers have yellow, paper passes to give to individual students each time they go out of the classroom. Along with the new types of passes, there are also new rules and restrictions. One of these includes one student only being able to use the restroom during that block three times per nine weeks. Principal of Riverbend, Dr. Wright, said, “The new passes have solved issues already having fewer students in the hall during class time.”
Each teacher is required to use the new passes, whether they prefer them or not. With these new forms, time becomes an issue for both the student and the teacher. The students has to wait for the teacher to fill out the pass appropriately. These passes are creating less traffic in the hallways but causing more of an interruption during class when teachers have to stop what they are doing to fill out and sign a pass. Alex Correa, junior said, “I prefer the old passes, because it is less of a distraction during class if we are completing an activity.”
Currently, these passes are going to be used next year, as well as future years because the change in students wandering the hallways has changed immensely. Although it is understandable that these passes have made a difference, it is still time consuming for teachers to fill out each individual pass and sometimes tiresome. Students have mixed emotions about the passes and some understand why we need the new pass limit, but some are frustrated because they feel like they are now being restricted. Ezra Sims, junior said, “I don’t like how my teachers have to stop what they’re doing to fill out a pass.”
Some teachers and students actually prefer these passes, like chemistry teacher, Ms. Catlett, who thinks these passes are necessary because some of our students will be absent less in class, rather than walking the halls when they are bored.