An Issue That is Stirring

An Issue That is Stirring

Mariah Jackson, WHS Reporter/News Anchor

What I am about to write is not aimed to upset or rile the student body or staff members. This article is based upon events that have been happening for a couple of years and an issue that needs to be resolved: Student parking in teacher areas.

When teachers come to school each morning there are designated places for them and their cars. However, this has become an issue and teachers are no longer able to park in the parking spots set apart for them. I have spoken to a few teachers who prefer to stay anonymous on this issue for their safety. One teacher had “almost $3,000 in damage “ to the car that he/she worked a long time to get. This teacher was informed that a student had backed into the car and other students’ cars as well. As a result, the parents of those students and this teacher had to pay for the damage. Another teacher had an inappropriate drawing on his/her car. They did not know who did it but that is a form of vandalism.

Teachers have asked students to move and they mostly have not. It is not even just the teacher parking but students are parking in the handicap spots when they have no injuries. This makes it hard for teachers and parents who come to the school and do not have access to the spots due to the students using this to park close to the school. Teachers have to bring stuff to their classrooms and have other duties as to coming and going to other schools. Some even pick up their kids but when they return they end up parking farther away. 

Teachers have parking spots because it is one of their perks for being teachers, just like the seniors have their parking spots. Seniors take action when someone is in their spot; why should teachers do any different? I think it is because they have had it done so many times it has become tiring for them. Now some students may argue that they have a first hour or early morning sports. The best part is they are the first people there so in result they can park anywhere in the parking spots excluding the teachers’ spots. Some students I have talked to have ended up moving after their zero-hour or sport practice because they have respect for the teachers and see the spots for them.

I came here my sophomore year and have never parked in the teacher parking because it is respectful not to. I have asked teachers for their input on how to resolve these issues. To resolve this issue some teachers suggest that the students to be addressed at the beginning of and throughout the school year. Some even want students to have designated spots for each student. Seniors use parking passes; teachers should use some type of pass as well. If there is someone else in a teacher spot that doesn’t have a pass then the car will be moved or even towed. The teachers really do not want trouble but they want the students to be held accountable for taking advantage of the teacher spots.

I want to see a change in these issues. I would even encourage my fellow coyotes to leave a nice note on a teacher’s car.