Over the past few years, both the BSM administration and teachers have implemented a variety of different policies in order to encourage students to build their time management skills. Although, as of late, these policies have become too restrictive.

The current tardy policy for the 2018-2019 school year outlines that students can acquire ve tardies before their first detention. After the first detention, each successive tardy is a detention for the remainder of the semester. This policy is meant to give a bit more leeway to students, while also targeting students who are consistently late. Last year, the policy was that students would get a detention for every three tardies they received.

This policy is a major improvement compared to last year, but there are still improvements that could be made both to the policy and to the way it’s used. As students, we should appreciate that teachers use tardies as a way of making sure we are learning how to manage our time effectively, and get to class on time. However, tardies should not be used as a supplementary disciplinary measure––such as receiving a tardy if you forgot class materials and have to go to your locker in order to retrieve them.

Another aspect of student responsibility towards their own time is being able to leave class. Last year, some teachers used a limited bathroom pass system. At the end of each quarter, or semester, students could turn in unused bathroom passes for extra credit. This incentivizes students to stay in class, and save their bathroom passes only for when absolutely necessary. This year, however, the extra credit system has been dissolved, but the bathroom pass system remains. Without the extra credit as a reward, there is no need for a limited bathroom pass system. Sometimes circumstances can come up that could have a student need to go to the restroom multiple times (perhaps in the case of a constant bloody nose, or feeling sick).

If students are abusing their right to go to the bathroom, then the teacher should talk to the student so they can work out a solution. Going to the bathroom during class at the right time is our responsibility, but teachers should only restrict those who take advantage of it, such as going to the bathroom every class or leaving for long periods of time.

As a college prep school, BSM should alter policies regarding time management specifically regarding tardies and hall passes. Students should be in charge of themselves to coincide with real-world situations.