SouthHighSucks.com > News Archive >

On Friday, Dec. 6, 2002, a few hundred South High students staged a walkout in the commons to protest a new tardy policy. An A. P. immediately got on the P. A. and told students to return to class. Eventually realizing that that creative tactic wouldn't work, she decided to meet with students in the auditorium. Asked why Principal Linda Nelson didn't join her, she stated that Nelson isn't at work all day. Perhaps Nelson is trying to determine if Baskin Robbins really does have 31 flavors. In any case, a small concession was made to students--there would be no Saturday School for students caught tardy the week of December 2-6, though those found tardy in subsequent weeks probably won't be so lucky.

The policy, which began after the Thanksgiving holiday, states that if a student is tardy to class and gets spotted by an administrator in the hallway, they get put on a list for Saturday school. According to signs near the Unwelcome Desk, students who are tardy to school get two warnings--the first write-up is just an admonition to never sleep in again, while the second results in a call to a student's parents, and a third (and all subsequent late arrivals at school) would result in Saturday School.

Some students have already expressed concern about racial profiling as well as gender bias in the enforcement of this policy. While allegations of racial profiling are nothing new, this time the allegations are more widespread.--Staff Writer Sir Bust N. Balls covers South High Administration. Send him your tips through the comment form on the right side of this page.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This new plan is just the latest in a series of attempts by the administration to institutionalize harassment of students, even those who have passes. Previous policies have ranged from "hall sweeps", (where tardy students are herded into the auditorium to listen to ranting administrators and miss their class entirely), to Failure Quotas (where students are flunked if they are tardy more than the allowed number of times), and none of these "solutions" have worked. We project that this plan will result in wasted time and money, in addition to reducing student morale.--Mr. T. Bagger, Editor at Large

Comment on this in our Message Board!