4
December
Forum
Off-campus policy obscure, freshmen leave at lunch
Lunch — time for
students to take a
"brainbreak," socialize
and chat with friends.
Some sophomores and
other upperclassmen drive
or walk to restaurants
and coffee shops, while
freshmen, well, what do
they do?
According to the
closed campus policy in
the student handbook,
freshmen are not allowed
to leave campus at
lunchtime unless they
have a signed note by a
parent or guardian stating
they may do so. But the
district board policy states
that "elementary and
middle school students are
not allowed to leave school
at any time during the
day unless excused with
a note and accompanied
by a parent/guardian."
This policy does not say
anything about us high
school students leaving.
"I think the rule was
created because parents
might have been worried
about their freshman kids
going off campus without
get there; you just walk
out the front doors of
the school and cross the
street to the house. No
one ever asked me where
I was going, so couldn't I
permission in cars with
upperclassmen," Lou
Bailey, principal, said.
Last year when I was
a freshman, sometimes
I would walk to the
restaurants and Market of
Choice, freshmen students
could easily walk straight
down to shops and stores
off of our campus. Last
year, I frequently walked
or.F
Noah Bagley and Mackenzie Hartegen, freshmen, eat lunch in the new commons on Dec. 13 with other
freshmen. Although they are eating on campus, many freshmen leave at lunch despite a rule prohibiting
this policy.
have easily walked right
past the house down to a
restaurant?
Seeing how close the
YoungLife house is to
YoungLife house for
lunch with my friends.
It is a popular lunch
venue that is adjacent to
our campus. It is easy to
with my freshmen friends
down to Market of Choice,
Taco del Mar, Starbucks
and other nearby locations
for lunch. Today, it is not
Bush tax cuts place financial burden on middle class
of financial disasters are
continued from page 3
What would be so wrong
about simply letting the
cuts for the richest two
percent of Americans
expire, as planned by the
Republicans in the first
place? Sure, taxes would
go up for the richest in
America. But when taxes
are at those kinds of levels,
the debt is under control,
corporations are kept in
better check so they don't
implode, and a multitude
a v o id e d .
S o m e g a y t t e r a ------- ---
progressive tax system is
punishing the successful
for being successful. I say
that successful citizens
have their share to pay
too. Successful citizens
have a duty, just like
all Americans, to fund
programs that everyone
benefits from, like roads,
schools, clean air initiatives
and police departments.
They also have a duty
to help those who are
'
less fortunate by helping
to fu n d w e lfa re a n d
they receive tax cuts.
People m id d le cla ss
u n e m p lo y m e n t in su ra n c e .
a n d lo w er, th e m a jo rity
The wealthy can and
should make that sacrifice,
because they have not
been for the last ten years,
and look what's happened
because of it. The burden
was put on the backs of the
middle class and lower,
who are losing their jobs
and struggling like never
before. Those are the ones
that deserve a break. Those
are the ones that will
drive the economy when
of Americans, are not
benefiting from the mess
that the Bush tax cuts
started. And when the
majority is benefiting,
America is benefiting.
Please direct all hate mail to
elisepolisciwOOt@gmail.com.
How do you feel about the school
offering bottled sports drinks, but no
bottled water?
"I think the school should
offer it because it's bet
ter for you and it has no
sugar."
"I think they should sell
it because it's better for
you and more satisfy
ing for your thirst."
—Kye Ellingson,
freshman
—Aileen Domann,
sophomore
abnormal to see freshmen
leaving campus during
lunchtime.
"I really don't have
a problem with them
leaving campus for lunch,"
Bailey said. "It's more of
an issue between parents
and their kids, and what
parents believe is the best
choice for them. I don't
know how we can expect
freshmen to follow this
policy since we cannot
enforce it due to so many
exit points."
Freshmen are new to the
school and its rules, and
may not even know about
the rule in the first place.
That is why there has
been talk of our school,
along with Wilsonville
High School, dropping the
policy next year.
"We are talking with
Wilsonville and the
superintendent. We have
not really processed
anything about this, but
we are currently working
on it." Bailey said.
Freshmen will continue
to leave campus against
the rules at lunch unless
the policy is enforced or
eliminated altogether. If
you ask me, I don't think
this rule is, or ever really
was, relevant. I think
that the best way to solve
this issue is to eliminate
th e r u le a ll to g e th e r , so
freshmen too can take
full advantage of their
new and fun high school
privileges.
"The district is going to
continue to explore this
issue," Bailey said. "We
reccomend freshmen stay
on campus, but again,
it's impossible to
enforce."
STUDENTS
speak ou t
"You don't need bottled
water because there's
free water all around us
in the water fountains."
—Evric Jenkins,
junior
"You can get water
from water fountains
so I don't think it really
makes a difference if it's
bottled or not."
—Courtney Bromley,
senior