Beat the Tardy Bell!
Graphic by Karine Lopez
June 1, 2023
Then:
It is after 8:30 am, and many students were walking into school, several with Starbucks. They did not care about arriving late because there were no consequences.
Once Bell High created the new Tardy Policy, a lot of things changed…
Now:
A Bell High student walks into class without a tardy slip, thinking the teacher will not say anything about it. The teacher asks the student if he has a tardy slip. “I didn’t get one,” says the student. The teacher then asks the student to leave the class and get a tardy slip, but the student refuses to leave.
Two minutes later the teacher calls the restorative justice office and mentions that the student refuses to leave the classroom. The student then gets up and leaves the classroom before an administrator comes. But…
Students need to ask themselves… Do I want to be chased by staff to get me to go to class on time, or should I just be mature and do what I’m supposed to do?
There are almost 400 Bell High students that have to attend detention because they have 5+ tardies. If Bell High students want the school to get rid of the tardy policy, then they need to start getting to school and going to classes on time.
“The tardy policy will help prepare Bell High students for their future, for example a job. If you arrive late to your job, there can be consequences,” one Assistant Principal said.
Therefore, the Tardy policy is a great policy.
It seems like it was created for that small bunch of students who are ditching class or who are late to class every day. In fact, it seems like the tardy policy was really created for the teachers that allow students to enter class several minutes late without any consequence. Now these teachers must remind students that they cannot enter the classroom without a tardy slip after the bell rings.
Many students find it “dumb” that the tardy policy exists, and many say that the tardy policy made things worse.
But without the tardy policy, students will continue to arrive at school and class late with no consequences. This might even prevent seniors from graduating. Later on in students’ futures, these bad habits can affect them in their career, if they never learn to
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Zeinab, Ms Jonasson period 1 • Jun 3, 2023 at 12:26 am
I think the tardy policy is a good idea. If there isn’t a tardy policy students will take advantage and not come to school on time. Also if you get to school on time you won’t have to worry about missing anything the teacher discussed. If you are tardy to school mostly every day you will have to make up for it. Therefore, the tardy policy is very helpful for students who don’t come to school on time.
Zahraa • Jun 2, 2023 at 8:57 pm
I believe that we should eliminate the tardy rule. A student being a minute or two late to class shouldn’t have to walk to the front office to get their slip. It’s also unfair because people have stuff going on at home that can be making them late. Whether it’s because their house is too far or having siblings who go to other schools. Sending students to detention in the inside cafeteria is also unfair for students who are trying to enjoy their meal with their friends the room shouldn’t have to be over piled with students who got detention for probably being five minutes late to class. The only difference with the tardy rule now is that we get a receipt verifying that were late. Even without the rule they would still call and notify our parents that we were late. Another issue is that they are constantly calling parents or guardians, they don’t have time to pick up their phone every second to be notified that their child was late. A call or two is enough because these parents have jobs, and answering a late call isn’t a top priority to them.
Zahraa C, Mrs.Jonasson per:1
Allison • Jun 2, 2023 at 2:24 pm
I dont think the tardy sweep is a good idea because many students have important thing to do that they cant miss or not do. There could be an emergancy that the student cant come earlier.
Layla, Ms Jonasson period 1 • Jun 2, 2023 at 9:12 am
I think that the tardy rule is not a good idea. Some people are too busy in the morning to come to school on time because of responsibilities. Some take care of their younger siblings are other family members. Some students here have to drop their siblings off at their school and don’t have enough time for themselves. If the school wants to continue with this rule they should make it for at least all the different periods except for the first.