Image provided by Joseph Nino.
December, 2023
By Joseph Nino, Arts & Culture Editor, and Roberto Garcia, Staff Reporter
You might have heard this phrase before: “Put your phones away, or else it’s mine.” You may have also noticed the painfully long lines for the bathroom during class or transition. If you are someone who drives to school, you might be in a possible fender bender from the school parking rules. No folks, you aren’t going crazy, for these are the new rules for KAC’s 2023-2024 school year.
We started this year by finding out that there are new changes to the school’s regulations, and many current students were not pleased with the adjustments. The main reason for these changes was from the actions caused last school year which impacted administration, staff workers, and students alike. Although these changes were made to better the school environment, there is no doubt that it has stirred plenty of controversy among the community. We spoke to several seniors to see how they felt about the new rules. Our interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
New Parking Rules: Jose Gonzalez’s Opinion
Do you feel comfortable with the new rules when it comes to driving to school?
Jose Gonzalez: Yeah, I do. I feel like cause everybody is stable and in control and make sure kids don’t do anything reckless and let anybody get hurt.
What do you think about the new rules involving coming to school late and receiving tardies from it? Do you have a problem with these issues?
Gonzalez: Nah. I feel like it shouldn’t be an issue. Within reason, because sometimes when you do come to school even on time, the parking lot is very full. And so that means that you have to go around, find a parking spot if there’s one, and when there’s not one you have to go to the other side to try to find parking, which should take about, like 5-10 minutes if max, so they shouldn’t count that tardy with that reasoning.
Does this personally affect you?
Gonzalez: Sometimes it does. When I come to school, I come to school around 8:15, and lots of times there’s no parking, and by the time I find parking it is already 8:22.
Do you believe this rule is fair for other people and yourself?
Gonzalez: No, I do not. I just personally don’t feel like the rule is fair because I mean, a lot of times students are trying to get here on time, but since there’s so many people trying to get here on time to find a parking spot, it kind of, like, affects your time to be on time.
Restroom Changes: Seniors Speak Out
Now that we’ve seen a rule that impacts students coming to school, let’s see one that affects students inside school. In a building with almost 800 students and only one bathroom, this was bound to provoke discussion amongst every grade. Yikes, that is a huge problem! Seniors Kendall Martin, Issac Guzman, and Roberto Gongora told us what they think about the bathroom issue.
How often do you use the bathroom per day?
Gongora: At least three times a day.
Martin: Same, like I also use the bathroom three times a day.
Guzman: I use my restroom pass once a day, you know as you should.
Martin: I go during passing periods and in lunch.
What are your thoughts on the band hall bathrooms getting removed?
Martin: I hate that because the other one gets packed, and you’re in here waiting and there’s like 500 people waiting in line. Like? I just gotta go!
Guzman: Like I can’t go in peace you know.
Martin: Exactly!
Guzman: I’m tryna do my business like ya know.
Martin: You have to fight people to try and get in line.
Gongora: Exactly, like you have to wait in line and I’m not trying to wait in line like bro, I gotta pee too!
Guzman: Like when you’re sitting there and there’s like three people, you know? Trying to do business while having a full-on conversation at that point.
Martin: Yeah I kinda hate it.
Gongora: It’s supposed to be a private environment.
Guzman: Lowkey they [going] all over the toilet.
Gongora: I feel like ever since they closed the bathroom it hasn’t felt the same. Like what if you’re on completely different sides of the school? Imagine walking all the way to the gym bathroom when you have the band bathroom right next to you.
Do you think we should have more bathroom passes?
Martin: Duh
Guzman: I think we should have more bathroom passes because I really need to [go] more than once.
Martin: Sometimes it’s just more convenient to just go, and you need more restroom passes for human safety.
Do you have any ideas for improvements on how we can change this policy?
Gongora: I feel like we should open the band hall bathroom
Martin: Honestly just open the band restrooms. Maybe I’m triggered but if they made like, you know how you have like five minutes. What if we made it like seven? Like, what if you’re really taking care of stuff?
Phone Rules: Teacher & Student Perspectives
As much as these two policies have affected school life here at KIPP, neither of these compares to the biggest rule of this year: The Phone Policy. This rule is grand as it not only affects students but teachers as well. As the school restricts all of us from our technology in our now digital generation, we asked both teachers and a student for their thoughts and opinions on this policy. We spoke to 12th-grade English teacher Bianca Blanco and senior Santos Banegas on the phone rule.
What are your opinions on the phone policy?
Bianca Blanco: I think it’s actually very helpful for students. I found that in class there are fewer students that are distracted by their phones. I feel like there’s stronger communication between students who don’t have their phones out. I think even looking at acceleration right now, We’ve got people talking to each other. It’s not just people constantly on their phones. And it’s kind of like we talked about in class, right? Like, [phones are] separating people from each other and connection. So I think in that aspect, it has been helpful. I think more students are more focused and engaged in a class. Does it affect me at all? I think, honestly, it’s affected me in a positive way. Because I feel like I don’t have to focus so much on redirection. I can just focus on the lesson.
Do you believe this rule is necessary for KIPP or all schools?
Blanco: In the future, I kind of hope that we don’t have to remind students about not having their phones every day or remind them in the hallway like, Hey, put your phone away… But I do think it’s a good start. I think in the past couple of years, especially after COVID, we’ve been so connected to technology and our phones and we forget what it’s like to actually be in school. So I think that it should be kept for now. And if we can get to a place where we know how to use our phone in a responsible manner, then maybe we don’t have to push it as much if that makes sense.
There are two sides when it comes to the argument of this new phone policy. As one of our most important teachers in English who is responsible for many debates that take place in class, what do you think both sides can agree on or come to terms with in this policy?
Blanco: I think we can all agree that maybe technology is helpful. I think it’s beneficial. I think it’s necessary. At the same time, I think we need to learn that there’s a time and a place when to use it, and when to not use it. And if we can get to that level, then I think we’ll be fine. But it’s good. It’s helpful. We need it. I have a phone, I use my computer. I do things like that, but I also know when I’m supposed to use it and when I’m not supposed to use it. So I think, I think we can come to a common ground on necessary, but learn when and where and how.
Are you bothered by the new phone/headphone rule?
Santos Banegas: It does bother me mainly because when I’m in the hallway, I consider a break from classes, going through cycling between. So I would rather listen to music and be outside in the hallways by myself, kind of meditating and getting like mentally prepared for the next one. I don’t want to kind of hear everybody else is just like ambience. I want to be able to concentrate right before class.
Do you believe this rule is necessary for our learning?
Banegas: I think in class it’s very necessary since people just kind of go off in their own world. But in the hallways, I don’t feel like it’s necessary. Maybe you shouldn’t be enforced that right before you enter class or in class. It should stay out of like sight. But other than that, I would rather just have it out and be free while I’m not learning.
Do you think this rule should be changed or kept in the future for other generations of students?
Banegas: I think it should be. What’s the word I’m looking for? Altered? It shouldn’t really. It shouldn’t be a very strict rule. It should be like a policy. It just has to happen. But it shouldn’t be like, right in between somebody’s day. It could bring someone down and it really could just turn their day into a bad one and make them obligated to like feel like they shouldn’t do anything since they’re in a bad mood.
Our Conclusion
The new rules added to this school year were a change that served as a way to prevent issues that affect students both learning-wise and attendance-wise. Although they may be seen by others as a way to help them, some of us who have been conditioned to the original rules for years find them inconvenient and foreign. However, as of now, many students have expressed that they have become accustomed to the new rules. Even though these changes have been something that many of us were not looking forward to, we can hope that in the future the rules will be implemented in ways that can be less restrictive to students but needed in the school.
The Cardinal Post 