What happens when a student is out of class for more than 10 minutes when they have a hall or bathroom pass? According to a new LRHS rule, it will no longer be labelled a cut, but disiplinary action will be taken.
Students are unable to be marked with a “cut” if they were present in the building for a majority of the standard 80-minute blocks/class. This is because a “cut” refers to an absence, so that would only be true if a student was not in a class at all. Instead, situations where students are out of the class for more than 10 minutes will be referred to as “misuse of the pass.” The repercussion of a “misuse of the pass” is a two-hour Saturday detention, the same consequence one would get if they were marked for a cut.
The Lancer Ledger interviewed some LRHS teachers for their input on the new rule. Science teacher Mr. Georgi Tchubabria said that he believes the two-hour Saturday detention is a bit excessive. He thinks, “There should be some other consequences.” He continued, providing some ideas such as: a phone call at home, a call to coaches or music band supervisors (depending on the after school activities a student is involved in), and/or a combined effort by teachers that can be more effective.
English teacher Ms. Jamie Cawley also responded, and told the Ledger that teachers know when a student is abusing the pass, so the teacher should be responsible for deciding “whether or not a student deserves credit for being in the class that day.” She explained that there is no reason that a student should be out of class for more than five minutes. There are, of course, some circumstances that may permit this, but, “but ultimately, teachers have a pretty strong understanding of who is using the pass properly and who is using it to wander around the hallways.” In conclusion, she believes that a student being out of class for more than 10 minutes “is more than enough time – anything beyond that is abusing the privilege.”
English teacher Ms. Laura Fucilli, does not enjoy the change at all. This is because some students may have to walk a distance to find a bathroom that is open and/or wait in a line and this may take 10 minutes or more. She believes, “It should be up to the discretion of the teacher if a student innocently comes back to class after ten minutes due to extenuating circumstances. Teachers should be allowed to handle their own bathroom policies however they see fit.” She continued, explaining that there is a difference between a student taking 10 minutes versus 20 minutes to use the bathroom. As a result, the penalty should not be the same.
Going off of this thought, Ms. Fucilli rationalised, “To be fair to students and teachers alike, I think the rule should be a compromise between the ten minute and twenty minute violation.” If someone is out of class for 20 minutes or more without an excuse, then that should be labelled as a cut. However, in her opinion, 10 minutes “is a little tight and could make students panic and fear leaving the classroom to use the bathroom, while twenty minutes is a very wide berth. Fifteen minutes is more reasonable.”
Perhaps if bathrooms were open during passing times, students would not need ten minutes to find one without a line. She believes that receiving a two-hour Saturday detention “is a bit extreme.” In conclusion, “There needs to be more trust between students and faculty and a policy like this does not foster mutual respect. It only leads to more resentment and more rule-breaking.”
