Free hour is my favorite class, if you consider it a class. Although some changes need to be made. I have gone to BSM since 7th grade, and I remember in middle school being so excited for high school and finally being able to have a free hour. This year, they have made so many changes to free hours that it just doesn’t feel the same. Freshmen have to go to the theater for free hour or other assigned spots; all other grades have to check in. Only seniors are allowed to leave during their free hour, and even then they can only leave if it’s the first or last hour.

In prior years, BSM senior high students have all had free hours free to go wherever they wanted or needed to be, whether that be the library, cube, atrium, cafeteria, or a teachers room. Now, we’re so restricted that we need a pass just to walk down the hall during free hours. We can’t even go to the bathroom without checking in with a teacher.

Speaking of checking in with teachers, when having the first hour free you have to check in with the front office and with a teacher in the allowed locations. This makes for kids to be late having to check in so many places causing tardies that lead to detentions.

Also, not being able to leave during free hours is very unreasonable. I understand the school is responsible for us during the school day and they are responsible for safety, but if the state of Minnesota gives you a license proving you are responsible enough to drive a car you should be allowed to do so. So many other schools allow their students to go get lunch off campus and or leave during their free period. If parents are letting their kids drive to school and back, especially with how far some kids live, they must be responsible enough to leave school and come back.

I think there are many ways to allow upperclassmen, or really just people who can drive to be able to leave during their free hour responsible and safely. We already have a check out system that works very well for our senior students who have free hours first or last. This proves free hours are not free because we aren’t allowed to be free to do what we want or need to get done. There are ways to allow students to really have a free hour that’s free and I think BSM should really look into more options and change their rules on free hours.